Product Description

It's a world we barely see, but it is teeming with life. In the dust of a typical house, carpet beetles, mites, silverfish, and other creatures live and die, producing new generations every few months. Mold, bacteria, and yeast lurk undetected in heating and cooling systems. Debris dispersed into the air from these organisms can cause runny noses, itchy eyes, coughing, headaches, and breathing difficulties. Some people, especially those made highly sensitive by allergies, suffer from devastating health problems and the worry that, as one such sufferer lamented, "My house is killing me!"

Scrutinizing house dust and air samples with a microscope, indoor air quality expert Jeffrey C. May has spent his career helping people identify what's causing their chronic health problems. In My House Is Killing Me! he draws on the dramatic personal stories of his clients' suffering and relief to help readers understand the links between environmental factors and problems like allergies and asthma. Explaining how air conditioning, finished basements, and other home features affect air quality, he offers a step-by-step approach to identifying, controlling, and often eliminating the sources of indoor pollutants and allergens. If we could see this contamination, May observes, the air would look as murky as stagnant water, and we would know not to breathe it.

Reading My House Is Killing Me! lets you see your house the way an expert would. Just as he looks at spaces and systems during an indoor air quality investigation, May focuses first on the areas of daily life (bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen), then looks into attics and basements (including heating and air conditioning), and finally moves outside to the garage and the exterior of a home. Along with offering a wealth of practical advice and proven solutions for various problems, he includes a glossary of terms and a list of valuable resources.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #168807 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

From Library Journal
Asthma and allergy sufferers, this book is essential reading: it will answer all your questions about why you suffer in your own home and what you can do to prevent it. May, an air quality investigator and president of a home investigation company, takes you on a tour of your home, both interior and exterior, with a detailed description of the organic and inorganic substances that are making you ill. He covers every room, including the basement, attic, laundry room, garage, heating and air-conditioning system(s), and nooks and crannies that you probably forgot about. He explains how insects, molds, bacteria, yeast, dust, moisture, larvae, pet dander, fabric fibers, smoke, and many other agents can trigger an episode and how to eliminate them permanently. May provides actual stories from his many years of experience with the solutions he has recommended to his clients. Todd Schultze's A Safe Haven? (LJ 4/01/01) complements May's work with practical advice on ridding your home of toxic hazards like radon, asbestos, and lead. Both will serve for years to come as the definitive guides to establishing disease-free living environments. [See also John Bower's The Healthy House, LJ 9/1/00. Ed.] Irving Weintraub, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., N.
- Irving Weintraub, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
A friend of May's read a rough draft of his book on what is actually in a "clean" house, hoping it would put her to sleep. Instead, the pictures and text kept her awake all night. Chemical consultant May describes where and how the various parts of a residence can cause temporary or chronic illness for those with allergies or other sensitivities. Dust mites and other bugs, their fecal pellets and body parts, the skin scales of human inhabitants, and volatile chemicals are the major contaminants, and some elements of a house usually considered beneficial--finished basements, wall-to-wall carpeting, central air conditioning--can cause difficulties. One of the best single chapters is on cleaning processes and equipment; it reveals that "dry" steam, carefully used, is excellent. The "Recommendations" that conclude each chapter serve as review and highlighting of an information-packed text. A first-rate reference that is enjoyable to read. William Beatty
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Jeffrey C. May Jeffrey C. May's is principal scientist at May Indoor Air Investigations LLC, in Cambridge, Massachusetts and specializes in identifying the causes of mold, odor, and moisture problems in homes, schools, and offices. He lectures nationally on indoor air quality and is the author of two other books published by the Johns Hopkins University Press.

Customer Reviews

But Your House DOESN'T Have to Kill You
When I heard about this often-referenced book, I wondered if it was just 'sensationalist'. It's not. This book is alternately frightening and terribly funny. In his Closing Remarks, Mr. May says, "If you read this book and then go out and purchase a HEPA vacuum, I'll be pleased; but if you throw out your couch or mattress, I'll be upset. I wrote the book not to cause hysteria, but to help people suffering from allergies and asthma gain control over the air quality where they live, play and work. I believe firmly that taking simple steps can make enormous improvements, just as minor omissions can create major problems."

This book starts off with an introduction of allergy causing organisms, ranging from mold to mites. The microphotographs of carpet bettles and dust mites are like something from a scary movie. After that, Mr. May discusses the "Stage, Set and Crew" - rugs, furniture, bedding, pets, plants, and our own bodies. These make up our environment. Mr. May talks about a whole host of allergens including pets, mites, mold, and off-gassing. He also addresses important issues such as air-quality problems (such as carbon monoxide buildup) and home hazards, including improper wiring. Throughout the book, he discusses moisture and moisture control as it applies to specific areas of a home.

Mr. May addresses problems that can be found in each area of a home: the bedroom; the bathrooms; living room and family rooms; kitchens and dining rooms; basements; laundries; the attic; and in HVAC systems. He also talks about allergens in cars, schools, and homes. Importantly, he has solid and sensible recommendations for fixing the problems.

Now, for the funny stuff. Mr. May has been an inspector for many years, and has run into some very interesting problems. One laugh-out-loud story was called "The Hot Seat," and described a toilet that actually smoked and steamed (page 66). Have a bee problem? Don't try and remove them yourself (page 89). He has plenty of personal anecdotes as well, such as a temporary biological weapon his son inadvertently created by frying jalepeno peppers and onions (page 100).

Best advice for home buyers and allergy sufferers
An important book to have- especially for doctors and families with allergies!

In this book, May and Samet explain, clearly and understandably, what things can happen in a house to cause allergic reactions and asthma flare ups in even the healthiest of people and how to remedy the problem.

For those of us who suffer from enviromental sensitivities, this book is a wonderful way to help your family and friends understand exactly what you're going through with "hard science" to back it up.

And if you're buying a house, reading this book will tell you things to look for during pre-sale inspection that could possibly save you thousands in the long run. (Especially since the insurance industry is becoming increasingly unwilling to pay for mold or mildew related claims

A really helpful book
I've read several other books on this topic,plus consulted with a doctor specializing in environmental illness (EI), but I still learned a lot from this book and it's my favorite. Why? Because it's full of practical, doable things YOU can do around your house to make it a healthier environment. Many of the other EI folks want you to tear your house apart, even when there's no evidence that your house is the culprit. This approach makes far more sense. Some patients must, of course, take drastic measures, but many of us do not. Start with this book, then read John and Lynn Bower's books if you need more detail. It's an easy read and cheap. I highly recommend it.