Problems with dust mites and other indoor allergens and pollutants are becoming more prominent with each passing year.
In fact, ICS Cleaning Specialist Magazine reports that the prevalence of asthma and asthma-related health problems has increased by an astounding 75% from 1980 to 2001 alone.
What Are Dust Mites? Dust Mites, for the most part, are harmless to people but, they can cause an allergic reaction to those who are allergic to them or asthmatic.
Dust Mites are tiny microscopic relatives of the spider that thrive on dead human or animal skin cells in the form of dandruff.
They are most often found in bedding, carpeting, upholstery and curtains.
Dust Mites leave behind fecal matter and disintegrating body parts measuring 10 to 24 microns in size.
To give a comparison, 1 strand of human hair is aprox.
80 to 100 microns.
Moisture in the Air But, just like mold, dust mltes need moisture and warmth to survive.
Though they do not drink water, they do absorb moisture from the air.
They thrive in warm, high humidity conditions, but without moisture they can not survive.
Your main weapon against them is to eliminate the source of moisture.
Lowering the inside temperature below 70 degrees, changing the furnace air filter and cleaning more often will help as well.
Crawl Space Liners A 60 mil, 0 perm crawl space liner system will permanently seal out moisture from the crawl space, preventing moisture from entering your home and giving those little creatures a chance to grow.
Creating a healthier living environment for your family is one of the best reasons to improve your home! For more information on Dust Mites go to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at http://www.
ehso.
com/dustmite