Study: If You’ve Got Asthma, Drying Laundry Inside Your Home Might Be Unhealthy

[joe_in_philly]

My guess is that this is more common in Europe than in North America. It is my impression that more people use dryers in NA.

I have a couple of lines in my basement I use to dry items I think come out better line dried, but I do have a dehumidifier in that room. It is interesting how the dehumidifier, a good 15 feet away, comes on soon after I hang up something.

http://consumerist.com/2012/11/02/study-if-youve-got-asthma-drying-laundry-inside-your-home-might-be-unhealthy/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

 

[hoovermatic]

I read this in the Daily Smearer today - I have a response but I am too polite to put it here.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

quote paul!

 

[davey7]

So like wait a minute, I dry my non-tumble dryer safe stuff in my bedroom to add moisture in winter/heating season - is this bad?

 

[kenmoreguy89]

In certain areas some humidity in winter time is always good, the right amount though, they forgot to say many things about asthma and dry/humid.
Much moist might be bad for prolonged time associated with the  possible <span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="en"><span class="hps">carelessness</span></span> for cleaning/igienic matters for the reasons mentioned above, (not caused from hanging laundry inside only, but  many other reasons)  but that  is good to breath better,  much dry is bad as well and can cause in respiratory problems ,  so I think that unless your bedroom/home  is a "sauna" all the time and is so  wet that is fine to have some more extra humidity if you suffer of asthma.

These articles always get things 100 times bigger of what they actually are, you know just to talk about something.....
I'd bet next month they will come with another article sayin': "Steaming, cooking pasta, canning inside home might be bad for asthma."
The next later: "dehumidifers are bad for asthma" etc....

Etc.....
Baloney!!!

[this post was last edited: 11/9/2012-15:42]

 

[foraloysius]

Well, I don't know about you, but I have asthma. The more humidity there is in my bedroom, the worse my asthma is. So, I'm all for not drying laundry inside the house, especially in periods when the humidity is already high because of the weather.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Too much is bad, like too much dry is bad, you need to find the right equilibre.
Winter in some areas can really be dry, that is why is suggested from docs to add humidity to the ambient.....and it can change from location to location.
In other places this might be unuseful and even bad, being Holland a very wet place (I always knew holland is the country  in  which most is water than land), probably you get a good moisturizing of the air without having the need to add any...
But elsewhere it is suggested to add some humidity....
Of course too much heat combined with moist is evil for asthma,  that is why it is not suggested to have sauna to asthmatic people...
It is also true that a too dry climate is evil as well and could result in irritation, so a worsening of breath and asthma,  <span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="en"><span class="hps">dehydration</span></span> and so also an increased exposure to bad agents, so infections as well....
This is how I always knew it....

 

[foraloysius]

You're talking really nonsense. Why do you think asthma clinics were always high in the mountains? Because the air is dry there and also because there are no dust mites there.

 

[hoover1100]

Article

I was directed to the article a few days ago in the Daily Heil, when read 'between the lines' it's clear that all it is saying is that high indoor humidity (of which one possible cause is drying laundry indoors is one factor) can lead to damp and mould problems, and is therefore bad for anyone, not just people suffering asthma. Providing your house is clean and well ventilated, it will not matter whether you dry laundry indoors or not.

Although it may not nessecary aggrevate asthma, excessively dry indoor air can also have adverse health consequences.

I have 2 digital thermometors, one in the living room, one in the bedroom, and I always keep and eye on the humidity levels. In our humid winters the humidity in the cooler months is usually in excess of 90% outdoors, indoors it tends to range from in the 40s on dry sunny days to the low 60s on rainy days. If I feel it is becoming too high I simply open a window for a while until it drops.

As with all things, if you know what you are doing you won't have a problem. It's the people who drape dripping wet towels and sheets all over their steaming hot radiators, cook and bathe without any windows open or adequate ventilation day in day out who are going to have problems.

All this being said however, I am sure if you are asthmatic and particularly affected by high humidity, you will want to do everything within your power to keep it as low as possible.

Matt

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Nonsense?

Mountains can be good for many reasons, in summer they have the right combination of moist and heat that otherwise you would not get in town/plain area,  they got cool weather!  No sultriness! No Smog! Less air pollutants!
That is why they're "high"  in mountains!
You're right dry air! But please just make a distinction from what is your winter weather in Holland and one in other parts of the world and USA.
Try to ask to  some american members and they will confirm that in certain areas in U.S or Canada  in winter  there is very dry  air, it  is the norm and it always has been suggested to add moist to the air! Not make a sauna! Just add some  moist!

I just told you that both the extreme things are bad, so too dry and too humid.

We're talking about winter time in other places! Let alone mountains And please  let alone what could be winter in Holland! Try to think that in certain parts of the world things are different!
I told about adding moist to the air to prevent it to get too dry, not to make it sultriness! There is a big difference! There is also difference from what you mean for dry and moist! As said this personal valutation can really change from place to place! I'm thinking about it with another perspective than Italy, try to do the same for Holland.
Here is a link talking about this and explaining what I mean, advice changes from place to place.
For example a doc in louisiana would never suggest to moist the air in winter as there winter are mild with high precipitations ans so wet...
While  indeed for example  a doc of Massachussets would suggest to add some moist in the home if the winter weather shows to be particularly chilling and so dry to prevent irritation and problems due to DRY  air of winters that usually parts of the world have.
I hope now is less "nonsense".

[this post was last edited: 11/9/2012-19:48]

Asthma Types, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Medicine, Prognosis

Asthma is chronic airway inflammation marked by recurrent airway obstruction. Read about asthma attacks and asthma treatment, types, medications, symptoms, triggers, causes, and prevention.

www.medicinenet.com

 

[kenmoreguy89]

You're  absolutely right  Matt!
I believe that many other factors determine a risk, not only hanging laundry, it lies in the good sense of a person to open windows for minutes  and get air change, I know people that in winter just seal the house and open windows twice a week! Then does not even have a extractor hood vented outside or a venting in the bathroom!
That is why I told about those things before in a sarcastic way, I mean a family of 5 that takes a shower the same evening while maybe the  mommy is boiling vegetables in kitchen is way more from  a rack of clothes to dry.
Also I don't believe that if one have clothes to dry while is away can't keep window a little open....
They inflated this story....

Everything  just lies in the good sense, allowing frequent air change cannot certainly be fault of a rack of clothes only.

[this post was last edited: 11/9/2012-17:38]

 

[appnut]

the photo with the kitten in the laundry basket, that's the same laundry basket I have.  aww

 

[arbilab]

Typical media report, taking one side of an extreme condition. If a person's asthma is aggravated by DRYNESS, drying clothes indoors is GOOD for them. Certainly can't extrapolate nonstandard atmospheric conditions like UK or Netherlands to the rest of the world.

 

[foraloysius]

Asthma caused by dry air is mostly asthma caused by cold air. The low temperature is the key there.

But mostly dry air is better for people with asthma because dustmites are feeling more comfortable in an environment with a higher humidity level. And as wel all know, most people with asthma have a dust mite allergy. It's the most common allergy asthma patients have. But also allergies for mold etc. are better under control in a dryer environment.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Again.....

You're right, cold of winter can trigger asthma, but also a too dry climate indoor air, that is why in summer is reccomended to keep A/C pointed on "cool/wet" funtion  rather than "cool/dry" function if you suffer of asthma, that may result in drying air too much.
Said this:
Dust mites are increasd over 50% more of humidity, so high humidity!
Probably I'm not able to let you understand what I mean....
You say: "allergies controls are better in a dryer enviroinment", asthma in most of the cases  is related to allergies, I do have allergic asthma showing to April to end of june due to pollen etc,..., I'm not allergic to  dust or mites for example....
You're right saying that more the air is moist more the climate is adapt to mites' life that is correct, but keep in mind that in the same way dry climate is good for avoiding mites a dry climate will  trigger asthma in other ways than mites, by drying your membranes, causing irritation, this will cause also as said a more chance to get infections and disease.
Said this please read these line copied and pastd by the link I'm a ttaching, maybe it can explain that better than me:

<span style="text-decoration: underline; font-family: georgia,palatino;">As anyone with a chronic lung disease will attest to, humidity can make air harder to inhale.  Although, as the Asthma Educator's Handbook notes, humidity alone cannot trigger an asthma attack.</span>

 

<span style="text-decoration: underline; font-family: georgia,palatino;">That in mind, here is the latest wisdom regarding high humidity and asthma:</span>

<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-family: georgia,palatino;">An ARIC report notes that areas with a relative humidity lower than 50% had fewer "rates of asthma."</span></li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-family: georgia,palatino;">The report also states that "every 10% increase in indoor humidity was associated with a 2.7% increase in the prevalence of asthma."</span></li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-family: georgia,palatino;">The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) states high humidity levels also have a tendency to be harboring grounds for fungus and molds that might bother asthmatics.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-family: georgia,palatino;">When humidity is greater than 50%, the amount of dust mites in the air is increased.
</span></li>
</ul>
So you're right saying that but it states also:

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino;">While we see why high levels of humidity are bed for asthmatics, it's also important to make sure you don't make the air too dry. I say this because new research shows that air that is too dry is not good for asthma either. AAAAI.org reports that if the relative humidity is less than 15%, this may trigger an excessive cough for asthmatics. Low humidity can irritate asthma because it dries out the mucous membranes lining your airway, which are your body's natural defenses against foreign bodies such as viruses and bacteria. Thus, dry mucous membranes make you more susceptible to catching diseases like the common cold virus or influenza. If that's not enough, dry mucous membranes also have the tendency to aggravate allergy symptoms.</span>

 

http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/52325/77792/low-humidity-asthma

 

[kenmoreguy89]

In addition:

Please read this on both the two pages it does talk of cold air as you but also low moist level indoors in winter:

http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/52325/133489/humidity-trigger

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Also....

Since your comment came from a thing  I was responding to a member of Chicago illinois USA! Where winters are well known to be dry, here is  this article of the Rush University Medical Center, please read it carefully:

http://www.rush.edu/rumc/page-1270050424623.html

 

[foraloysius]

Thank you for all those facts!

But we have to go back to the original post. This research was about drying laundry inside houses in the UK, not in Chicago! And in the UK, there are hardly any days that humidity will drop below 15%, I bet it will come close to 0! On the other hand days above 50% will be quite usual. And ofcourse people tend to dry laundry indoors when the humidity level outdoors is high, for instance with rain. So, they have a point when they give the advise not to dry indoors.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

You're welcome...

I've responded to a member of chicago, then you came in...
I didn't told to all I wrote in some areas, of course is well known most parts of UK get wet weather during winter....
But what I said with "baloney" was about this thought:

This article is inflated, like clothes to dry there're countless factors in an home that could determine moist, even more than clotheslines and racks, this is my thought about it.

This article talks like if ALWAYS or most of the cases drying clothes inside home is a  threat and dangerous,  not always in my opinion and not even in most of cases, there're several things that can result in moist, that is why I told in  sacrcastic ways about the next articles that would probably come after.....

It says that 1/3 of high humidity is due to laundry! So 2/3 are for other things they didn't talk/warned.....

It all relies in good sense of a person to allow frequent air changes and eventually putting  dehumidifers electric and not  and anti moist build up devices, one would be a vent in the bathroom for example or  the importance of having a vented extractor in the kitchen.....
Of course drying clothes inside will result bad if you live in small apartment and you have just 1 window, but maybe not that much in a 2 or  3 story house....

Like that would be dangerous a family that cook much boiled food, or produce much steam/moist in other ways without it being vented away....
So why talk about drying clothes like a very important factor and not else also?  I would rather talk about everything and a most generalized speech about moist, not certainly an article on purpose about drying clothes inside only....

That is my thought and writing an article like that warning people of  drying laundry inside is a thing I find odd, misleading and confuisng/misinforming.