Healthy Indoors Magazine - USA Edition

22 | COLUMN—November/December 2017 Allergenic dust on baseboard heating convector May Indoor Air Investigations LLC With either method, be sure to put rags or old towels under the fins to collect the grime and protect the flooring. Once the convectors have been cleaned in this way, you need only wipe the tops of the covers at the start of the heat- ing season (next year and beyond). If you have dust allergy, wear gloves and a NIOSH N95, two-strap mask when removing dust from surfaces. Operate a window fan on exhaust, if possible, so that the dust is carried out of the house. Electric Baseboard Heat If you have electric baseboard heat, you need only wipe the tops of the covers with a dry cloth. This is a good time, though, to be sure that there is nothing combustible touch- ing an electric baseboard heater – a serious fire risk. Final Thoughts You may not think of radiator and hot-water baseboard convector surfaces, or the interior surfaces of ducts and a furnace, as areas that need to be cleaned. After all, these surfaces aren't visible the way a tabletop is, or a hardwood floor. It's easy to see dust on such visible surfaces, and yet the dust on the hidden surfaces of heating equipment can be allergenic and may even contain mold growth. That's why it's important to keep your heating system clean, espe- cially if you or anyone in your family has allergies, asthma or other environmental sensitivities. Filtra on in HRVs is usually inadequate. I recommend installing Fantech FB6 in-line filters for the outdoor-air and house-air intakes, but replace the MERV-12 filter (which is too restric ve) with a MERV-8 filter. Replace filters several mes a year, and clean the HRV core as suggested. Radiators These should be cleaned before you turn the heat on for the first time this season. If the radiators have covers, re- move the covers so you can damp wipe the top and bottom cover surfaces. Use a HEPA vacuum to remove dust from the radiator surfaces. A 36-inch vacuum crevice tool (avail- able on-line) can help you get to hard-to-reach spots. Moldy dust on radiator — May Indoor Air Investigations LLC Hot-Water Baseboard Heat If you have hot-water baseboard heat, it's a good time to inspect the convectors (using a mirror and flashlight) to look at the bottom of the fin tubing (where most dust accumu- lates) to see if they need to be cleaned. I've seen mold growth as well as pet dander and other poten al allergens collected on the fin tubing in base- board convectors. Remove the covers so you can damp wipe top and bot- tom cover surfaces. HEPA vacuum the tops, bottoms and sides of the fins (and the floor beneath). To clean between the fins, you can use a steam-vapor machine that puts out 40 psi steam; steam-vapor machines are available on-line. Alternatively, you can spray the fins with a dilute solution of detergent and water, use a paint brush to get out the dust, and then rinse well and allow to dry. Refer to our book The Mold Survival Guide: For Your Home and for Your Health for more ps on mechani- cal systems (Part II – 6). Available on amazon.com. i

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