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Ok, this is a crazy question I know. But we've now lived in our house not quite a month and I've been sick a total of 14 days! Two separate colds/ stomach bugs. This last one has turned into a nasty ear infection, which I ended up getting some antibiotics for.
BUT I'm tired of being SICK!
I might just be getting use to the East Coast germs. I have been lots of germ factory type places with my kids so I'm probably picking them up there.
BUT I'm wondering for those of you who moved from places that did not require 24 / 7 AC if now living in AC 24 /7 took some getting use to. We cleaned & replaced all the AC filters the first day. Now that we are at about the 30 day point I'll do the same again this week.
BTW, as hot as it is today I'm glad I've got 24/7 AC. Just wondering if it's making me sick and it I can do anything about it.
I think the only way AC would make you sick is if something were IN the AC unit that was circulating through your home, I know mold can be a problem and can certainly make people sick. Have you checked for mold or can get you get someone to look for mold spores?
Other than that it's probably a combination of stress from moving (lower immunity) combined with new germs.
Hope you feel better soon tough! I'm sur eyou feel rotten after being sick for 2 weeks!
It may be the hoses/ducts...may have mold/bacteria in the ductwork...I would have a contractor look at the ducts, they made need cleaning...the only thing I can think of...hope this helps...
Quote:
Originally Posted by PDXmom
Ok, this is a crazy question I know. But we've now lived in our house not quite a month and I've been sick a total of 14 days! Two separate colds/ stomach bugs. This last one has turned into a nasty ear infection, which I ended up getting some antibiotics for.
BUT I'm tired of being SICK!
I might just be getting use to the East Coast germs. I have been lots of germ factory type places with my kids so I'm probably picking them up there.
BUT I'm wondering for those of you who moved from places that did not require 24 / 7 AC if now living in AC 24 /7 took some getting use to. We cleaned & replaced all the AC filters the first day. Now that we are at about the 30 day point I'll do the same again this week.
BTW, as hot as it is today I'm glad I've got 24/7 AC. Just wondering if it's making me sick and it I can do anything about it.
I'm sorry about your plight. We are in Chapel Hill and had an energy audit of our older house done when we moved. The inspector showed us how dirty the return duct was and that the vents to each room were not sealed well, which forces moldy crawl space air into the house. There were also some air leaks under the doors and around the sink drains. The company that did the audit is Southern Energy Managment and the particular inspector was Bill Klotz. Personally, I try to turn off the A/C and open the windows on sub 70 degree nights to get some fresh air. Also, I prefer not to hear the A/C while I sleep. It could also be that you have some allergy to an East coast plant(s) or mold.
It's probably allergies, pollen, mold, etc...This will lower your immune system and you will get sinus infections constantly and have breathing issues. I remember when I started having allergies, early 20's, I was sick for like a month until I went to an allergist. I am surprised your doctor hasn't mentioned allergies. Where did you move from?
Consider having your ducts clean. It can make you very sick. All the dirt, pet hair, drywall dust, etc. could be making you ill. Many people never have it done. We were amazed how clean the air smelled after we had it done on our home. It was making me sick all the time and allergy medicine wasn't working. Just an idea...
I think it's stress from the move We ALWAYS get a cold soon after we move into a new place. This time we got two in a row, one which had me feverish for a week.
If you do have allergies though I would look into a possible mold issue. Perhaps see if someone can test your air?
Yes AC can make you sick! Have you heard of Legionaires Disease? It is a nasty flu like bacteria that has been known to "bloom" in air condition systems.
About 15 years ago my mother had the AC in her car replaced with a used one and shortly afterwards contracted Legionaires. She was in the hospital for weeks and almost died.
Consider having your ducts clean. It can make you very sick. All the dirt, pet hair, drywall dust, etc. could be making you ill. Many people never have it done. We were amazed how clean the air smelled after we had it done on our home. It was making me sick all the time and allergy medicine wasn't working. Just an idea...
Great advice given thus far - I especially like the above. When I had the ductwork of two houses cleaned, it was amazing how much higher quality the air was. I'd also consider getting a really good whole house air filtration system in. I got one which kills bacteria via UV and indeed it makes the air quality better (money well spent in my opinion). At the same time I put in a whole house humidifier (I figured I might as well). Of course if you're allergic to something outdoors these things will only offer partial relief.
Lastly, I don't want to scare you but there are houses that have mold within the walls (not just the ductwork). Some people with sensitive immune systems literally have to move to another home to feel better.
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ducts may need cleaning...
We ALWAYS get a cold soon after we move into a new place. This time we got two in a row, one which had me feverish for a week.
