Weatherization Department
The Friday Report Friday September 13, 1996
FromWright Energy's
Weatherization Network Since 1984
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IAQ Story Excerpted from LA Times
This story is another good example of increased public interest in Indoor
Air Quality and the markets it is creating. "Imagine breathing air
without much dust, smoke or other pesky contaminants. Imagine coughing up
thousands of dollars to do so.
An expanding roster of companies are bringing
out devices said to reduce the irritants in household air. The products
are aimed at the growing number of people allergic to dust, molds and pets.
At least a dozen firms tout expensive, high-tech
air cleaners. Vacuum manufacturers are hawking powerful and costly machines
said to suck up the smallest of contaminants. DuPont has pillows that can
withstand the hot-water temperatures needed to destroy microscopic pests
living in bed linens.
What's more, at least eight mail-order firms
peddle a range of anti-allergy products through catalogs distributed by
allergists to their patients. Not to be left
out, auto manufacturers are also installing high-tech devices. Ford Motor
Co. has spent more than $100 million to
advertise car models containing its "micron air filter."
Although there are no reliable estimates
on the size of the market for allergy-control products, apparently it's
nothing to sneeze at. Sales of air cleaners alone topped $250 million last
year, an increase of 14%. One leading catalog company reports sales of about
$20 million, up from nothing 15 years ago.
Manufacturers and retailers attribute the sales
growth to concerns about indoor air quality and a sharp rise in asthma,
a chronic respiratory disorder often linked to allergies. "People are
more conscious of closed-building syndrome and more aware of the dangers
of lack of circulation and clean air," said Pam Green, a product manager
at air cleaner manufacturer Holmes Inc.
What few people may realize is that there
is no conclusive evidence about the benefits of some of the more expensive
devices. The air-cleaner business, for example, has been bedeviled by exaggerated
claims.
Ford and its advertising agency, Young &
Rubicam, settled Federal Trade Commission charges that they had hyped Ford's
air filter. The FTC said the auto maker and the ad agency falsely claimed
the filter could remove "virtually all pollutants from the cabin."
Many air-cleaner makers use a rating system developed
by the Assn. of Home Appliance Manufacturers to help consumers sort out
the claims. But experts say that even cleaners that live up to their makers'
claims can be of little use for certain household allergies. Nonetheless,
such
products appeal to allergy sufferers seeking relief from itchy noses and
watery eyes or worse.
Elizabeth Friedman, 37, encases her mattress
and pillow in vinyl to control dust and runs an air cleaner in her bedroom
and home office in West Los Angeles. Friedman's arsenal is modest compared
with equipment amassed by some indoor allergy sufferers. One loyal Asthma
& Allergy Technology mail-order customer in Beverly Hills purchased
six air cleaners at $300
apiece, two sets of pillow and mattress covers--one set is for use in hotels--and
a face mask to filter out cigarette smoke on overseas flights.
According to government statistics, dust,
molds and pets are among the leading causes of allergies, which affect an
estimated 50 million Americans. Although exact figures aren't available,
experts believe household allergies are becoming more widespread. They blame
energy-efficient construction that permits little ventilation and a sedentary
lifestyle that keeps Americans indoors for an average of 22 hours a day.
Experts link indoor allergies to a worrisome
increase in asthma, especially among children. Government figures show that
the prevalence of asthma among children has increased by about 40% since
1980, today affecting 4.8 million youngsters. Together with 9.8 million
adult asthmatics, they form a sizable market for allergy-control products
designed to help people control the sources of irritation around their homes.
Catalogs, distributed mostly through allergists, brim with
descriptions of devices intended to control dust and moisture, from humidifiers
to nose masks to mold-detection kits.
Beyond gimmicks is the question of usefulness. Many of the newest products
target dust allergies--for good reason. Scientists say such allergies are
caused by microscopic pests called dust mites, which, unlike molds and pets,
are hard to avoid. They thrive in all but the driest of climates and are
ubiquitous in the carpets, bedding and upholstery of Southern California
homes.
"My personal bias is that (air cleaners) are almost
worthless," said Dr. Robert Hamilton, an allergy specialist and researcher
at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore...
Wait till they find out about air-to-air heat exchangers!
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously
considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value
to us." -- Western Union internal memo, 1876.
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