Ever since Coast Label Co. installed platemaking equipment in 1994, the custom label converter has made many friends. The Newport Beach, Calif., business also found one of the inherent problems in platemaking: dust interference when exposing the plate.

“Our ability to serve our customer was limited by our inability to make plates,” says Craig Moreland, president, of the decision to start making plates.

The dust problem has vanished since Coast discovered Modern Solutions and its line of antistatic products that happen to fit well with Moreland’s philosophy: “Focus on doing it right the first time, do it well and reduce or eliminate scrap.”

Begun in 1970, Coast Label has seen 37 percent sales increases, compounded annually, since Moreland purchased the business in 1991. Projected sales this year are $2.7 million. Coast sells custom labels and tags to the printing trade that includes printing brokers and forms companies.

Because of its platemaking ability, Coast Label also has a somewhat unique relationship as a supplier of film negatives and plates to typically small, label companies in southern California. “I think because we are a trade printer, and we make labels for other local label companies in specialty areas that the average flexo-only label company can’t do, there is a trust level,” Moreland says. Specialties include consecutive bar codes and jumbo numbers. “Since we are only dealing with the trade, and we don’t have our own sales force out there on the street competing with them, they feel we are not a threat if we make plates or negs for them.”

A mutual unattraction

An in-house platemaking department offers Coast the luxury of quick turnarounds and quality plates. “If there’s a damaged printing plate now, in two hours we can get a new one. The old scenario took 48 hours,” says Moreland.

A Kelleigh platemaker, Alan Graphic Systems camera, film processor, and DuPont Cyrel® photopolymer materials produce label-industry-standard, 0.067-in, plates.

“We discovered that by using Modern Solutions’ whole antistatic system – to prepare our negs and Krene [vacuum film on the platemaker] – we drastically reduces our platemaking scrap,” he says. Even in its separate, air-conditioned and filtered platemaking room, doors open and filters aren’t perfect, says Moreland.

Modern Solutions products reduce the static electricity that permits “atmospheric junk” to cling to negatives and vacuum-holddown film. By treating the negative and film with antistatic products, they are less attractive to dust, he says.

Coast Label has been using the antistatic products for two years. “We didn’t know of any other products like these on the market,” Moreland admits.

Coast Labels uses an entire Modern Solutions’ system: Improve Plus antistatic glass cleaner cleans the vacuum bed; Impress antistatic protective coating eliminates static from the krene cover sheet, and Cyber-Fabric magnetic wiping cloth. The Flexowand, an antistatic film drawdown wand, evacuates air pockets between the plate material, film and Krene.

Coast Label operates four flexo presses (all are 7 to 10 in, wide) as well a hot-stamping press, two flatbed letterpresses and three thermal-transfer printers for consecutive numbering and bar-coding applications. Three of its flexo presses are from Allied Gear. The other is a new 10 3/4-in.-wide Roto Press Model 3510 with six-color capability and UV-curing in the last station. Rotary tooling is purchased from RotoMetrics; flatbed tooling is from Apple Steel Rule Die.

A niche player performing specialty and standard work, Coast prints from simple black ink on fluorescent stock and one-color pin-feeds to complex, six-color jobs with special diecuts. It stocks specialty films and paper from big-name suppliers.

In many cases, Coast Label acts as a consultant to smaller label houses, giving them tips on how to best setup jobs, run jobs and order dies. It is now spreading the word on minimizing static attraction to produce a quality plate.

Written By: Lynanne Feilen (Editor Converting Magazine)

Time to Revise Strippers’ Practices

For years, pinholes, air pockets, and low- and high-humidity have plagued strippers and plate-makers handling film sheets in vacuum frames, camera copy boards, and step-and-repeat equipment.

But we’ve traced much of the strippers’ struggle to self defeating steps based on incomplete understanding of the causes of problems. Also, some new devices solve many of the complications.

For example, everyone in the prepress department thinks that the way to eliminate pinholes in halftone screens and solids is to wash the glass of a vacuum frame or step-and-repeat machine with glass cleaner. The problem is, cleaning the glass creates an electrostatic charge that itself attracts airborne particles. We recommend using a spray product designed to neutralize the static charge and apply a microscopic protective coating, together with air-ionization equipment.

Based on visits to a wide variety of plants, we think many traditional stripping-room practices need to be revised today, even the ordinary method of eliminating air pockets from between film sheets that are pinned together on the stripping table or vacuum frame. The common practice is to use your hand to smooth the film sandwich from front to back with a light sweeping motion.  But you create surface friction, which attracts dust particles. We recommend flattening the film, using a special wand that’s been treated with the static neutralizing solution.

Moreover, some users of the wand report a reduction in vacuum drawdown time, in some cases down to 45 seconds, or half the normal period.

Even the longstanding practice of cleaning with cheesecloth is suspect: the fabric sheds fibers badly. It’s better to use glass cleaner and a soft, low-lint wipe to remove dirt from the glass; then, apply a microscopic protective friction-eliminating coating once or twice per shift. Between each exposure, a magnetic wiping fabric ensures against friction and static build-up and removes dirt from the glass.

A Minneapolis printer uses a combination of static-neutralizing spray and “magnetic” wiping fabric to prevent dust-related pinhole problems. A major printer in Wisconsin credits the same combination with eliminating film jams, and subsequent remakes, on its step-and-repeat machine.

Myths persist when it comes to humidity-related static problems. Many experienced printers believe that static electricity vanishes with high humidity in the summer months and that low humidity in the winter can be overcome by using a moisture spray.

The fact is, high humidity doesn’t mean static electricity isn’t present. It’s simply that the voltage generated is below the threshold of human feeling, so your fingertips don’t feel the discharge of electricity. You still have to neutralize the charge to ensure your equipment and materials are truly clean.

Another long-held belief is that, when contact-exposing film, vacuum-frame pressure should be 26 to 29 lbs per square inch. Not so; lab tests show any reading higher than 17 to 23 psi risks possible film size change.

The new quick-draw vacuum frames, which eliminate air trapping by using a combination of negative and positive pressure, create less friction than older-style units, but they still need to be cleaned and protected against static build-up.

Where platemakers and press operators have the loudest arguments about plate registration on press, we can be sure an outdated pin-register system is to blame.

We recommend that prepress personnel refresh their understanding of static electricity problems, stay up-to-date with new systems that prevent friction and static build-up problems, and check for correct vacuum pressure reading. A few moments of preventive maintenance will keep quality levels high, interdepartmental arguments low, and production anxiety levels at a manageable level.

Written By: Eugene C. Bulinski & Richard Trankle

What is ozone?

Ozone, also known as “activated oxygen,” is an oxidizer produced by nature to keep our air clean and safe to breathe. Nature converts regular oxygen into activated oxygen (ozone) to oxidize (burn up) harmful air pollutants. Through the process of reacting with most air pollutants, ozone converts these harmful substances into more harmless compounds such as carbon dioxide and water vapor. After ozone reacts with pollutants in the air, it instantly reverts back into breathable oxygen. Ozone is created outdoors from natural phenomenon, primarily electrical lightning and sunshine. The ozone made from these sources is considered both essential and harmless. These safe, beneficial levels of ozone are found virtually everywhere on earth including forests, meadows, over the ocean and up in the mountain tops; far away from the high pollution levels found in cites. This is how our air has been purified outdoors for thousands of years before industrialization. This tiny amount of ground level ozone is absolutely essential to life. Without natural amounts of ozone in the outdoor air we breathe, every living thing on earth would likely die from massive chemical and biological pollution.

Ozone can also be produced through fuel combustion. When man produces too much ozone, such as by millions of automobiles and aircraft in large cities, the ozone itself can become irritating to our respiratory system. These large cities will then issue “ozone alerts.” These higher levels of ozone are typically proportional to the amount of pollution in the air. Understanding that the many air pollutants produced from combustion cannot easily be measured, the ozone, which can easily be measured, is used as a pollution level “indicator.” It should be acknowledged that the respiratory problems experienced in these large cities are directly related to the massive amounts of particles and other combustion pollutants (the visible haze) in that air. In addition, the ozone in that polluted air is also simultaneously acting as a purifier to help clean the pollutants from that air.

Regarding ozone safety, it is the amount of ozone in the air that is important. As an example, fire is also an oxidizer, which can be both good and bad. A small amount of fire is great to heat a home or to cook a meal. At the two extremes: No fire at all could leave one cold and hungry, or too much fire could burn a home down. In essence, certain levels of fire are beneficial and others are not. Nonetheless, our need for fire must be acknowledged and proper levels must be maintained to receive the benefits from it. This analogy of fire parallels the distinction between safe levels of ozone being maintained indoors by small air purifiers and the other two extremes: The total absence of ozone indoors and mass vehicular pollution in large cities. We must remember that nature depicts our need for such things as ozone, ions, oxygen, food, water, sleep and exercise. Too much or too little of any of these and we will likely become ill, yet in just the right amounts, they promote good health.

Can we trust nature’s air purification ozone levels?

We all know that we need oxygen in our air to stay alive, however, too much or not enough oxygen can be a detriment to our health. The exact amount of oxygen that we need for optimum health is determined for us by nature. Likewise, the amount of activated oxygen (ozone) that is essential for a healthy existence on earth is also accurately determined for us by nature. Despite natures natural pollution from oil fires, forest fires, volcanic gasses, etc., all of the added pollution from nearly six billion people, nature still does a miraculous job of continually purifying earths limited air supply. Thanks to ozone purification, we can safely breathe this limited air over and over again, without the use of chemical air fresheners or air filters. This is also the reason we like to go “out” for fresh air and is clear proof that we can trust in natural ozone levels.

Conversely, most indoor environments have air that is missing healthy levels of ozone. Surprisingly, these indoor environments can easily have air pollution levels as much as 500% higher than those found outdoors in large cities. This indoor air pollution can contain three different types of contaminants that include: 1) floating dust particles from a variety of unpleasant sources, 2) chemical gasses being continually emitted from carpet, furniture, plastics, clothing and building materials, some of which off-gas for as long as 20 years, and 3) biological contaminants such as mold, mildew, dust mites, mite excrement, bacteria and viruses. These pollutants can cause a long list of respiratory ailments and other ill health affects.

In today’s energy efficient structures, there is virtually no ozone available in our indoor air because there is no source for it. Do we have direct sunshine that does not pass through glass, or electrical lightning bolts inside of our houses or in the buildings we work in?…of course not. Do we even open our windows? Not as often as we should and, if we did, the beneficial effects only last about five minutes after closing them at which time the air starts to become rancid again. If we could leave all of our windows and doors wide open, 24 hours a day, all year long, we would have much less of an ozone deficiency problem in our homes. This is obviously impractical for security reasons, as well as, indoor temperature and humidity control. This is also why so many people are now using air purifiers to replace the natural, beneficial levels of ozone in their indoor air.

Why is there so much confusion about ozone?

There is considerable confusion regarding the use of indoor air purification systems that produce ozone as part of the purification process. This confusion always stems from a lack of understanding about the “levels” of ozone in air. Adding to this confusion, all levels of ozone are measured in tiny amounts called “parts per million” (PPM) which means that both safe and unsafe levels are called “low” levels. There is however a very significant difference between .03 PPM, typically found in fresh outdoor air and 1.0 PPM that can be found in smog. This amount in fresh air for instance is 33 times lower than the smog level. Nature produces a level which we all enjoy breathing in fresh air. On the other hand, the much higher amount found in city smog could be irritating to eyes and lungs.

People who replace the safe levels of ozone in their indoor air enjoy and often rave about the benefits they receive. Yet, other people are afraid of using ozone indoors because they associate these beneficial levels of ozone with the much higher levels of ozone produced by automobiles and aircraft. The irony is that these same fearful people breathe beneficial levels of ozone every time they step outdoors for “fresh” air. In truth, comparing the safe level of ozone replaced indoors by a small air purifier to the amounts of ozone produced by multimillions of vehicles is an irrational comparison.

Perhaps it is no surprise that government information regarding ozone and air purifiers is also very confusing. Documents referenced by the government refer primarily to levels of ozone from mass vehicular combustion. They do not clearly address the difference between these levels and those produced by small residential air purifiers. One has to read through numerous pages of information about possible health affects of vehicular ozone to find the official statement that those levels of ozone which are below the government standard of .05 PPM are known to be harmless. This misinformation and lack of clarification only serve to confuse people who do not thoroughly research IAQ (Indoor Air Quality).

Who profits from this confusion?

It would appear that there are five groups that significantly profit when people remain confused on the ozone issue. First, there are those who manufacture and sell chemical deodorizers, which literally pollute indoor air while attempting to cover up odors caused from lack of ozone. Sales are evidenced by the huge displays of these products found in stores everywhere. Secondly, there are the HEPA air filter companies that profit when people do not understand the difference between basic filtration and ozone enhanced air purification technology. Thirdly, there are the doctors, many of whom now have waiting lists of people who are suffering with breathing disorders. Admittedly, while most doctors have the best interest of their patients in mind, doctors generally have no education as to the seriousness of the indoor air pollution problem. Unfortunately, the medical alternatives are surgery or the prescription of drugs for those who suffer IAQ related illnesses. (Note: Do not discontinue any medications without first consulting your doctor.) Fourthly, there are the manufacturers and dealers of drugs, which treat only the symptoms associated with breathing indoor air. Marketing commercials for these drugs are now being shown repeatedly on national television. Despite the long list of side effects that can in some cases be worse than the breathing disorder, these companies are selling multibillions of dollars worth of drugs to people who suffer. Fifthly, the government approves these drugs, and then in turn, collects taxes on them from people who oftentimes become as physically dependent on them as street addicts do to illicit drugs. If you cannot breathe, you’ll pay the money. With so much money being made treating only symptoms, it makes one wonder why there is so much confusing or misinformation being disseminated regarding the benefits of ozone replacement. The paradox is that those who make misstatements concerning ozone, breathe copious amounts of ozone when they go out for fresh air, and are just as susceptible to the ill affects of indoor air.

Are all ozone producing air purifiers safe?

During a government cited test, a machine rated for a large area of 3,000 SF. was placed into a small room of only 350 SF. and then adjusted to the maximum setting. It was discovered they had to significantly violate the operating instructions like this in order to achieve levels that are not recommended for occupied spaces. These higher levels can create a temporary smell similar to chlorine from an indoor pool and are used only to sanitize a room or eliminate strong odor problems in temporarily unoccupied rooms. While sanitizing and odor removal are obvious benefits, this was not the setting for normal indoor air cleaning. As with any appliance, we do not operate them on the maximum settings unless we have a beneficial reason to do so and we should only do so according to the instructions.

Virtually every governmental agency and health organization agrees that the average levels of ozone produced naturally throughout the earth are completely harmless to our health. While there are a number of brands of residential air purifiers that reproduce ozone indoors, verifying scientific validation for safe levels of ozone production is recommended. At the time of this writing, there is only one company, which as a result of a federal court hearing, has had air purifying efficiency claims validated in governmentally approved laboratories. This company proved that the air purification systems could effectively eliminate polluting odors, tobacco smoke and even second hand smoke. Second hand smoke is one of the most difficult indoor air pollutants to eliminate because it consists of thousands of chemical gasses and microscopic particles that can trigger allergy and asthma attacks. This same company has also proven that their air purifiers can kill harmful mold, mildew and bacteria when used on the higher settings in unoccupied rooms. The final outcome of this hearing was very important to those already using ozone replacement to improve indoor air problems. Other companies may offer this type of proof in the future but at minimum, any air purifier that produces ozone should have full adjustability of the ozone output.

Are there known benefits from ozone replacement?

At the time of this article, the leading company in ozone replacement technologies has sold approximately four million air purification systems and is currently selling approximately 50,000 of their patented air purifiers every 30 days. Most of these systems are being used 24 hours a day, some for over 14 years. They are being used in every conceivable indoor environment including homes, offices, day care centers, bars, restaurants, hospitals, laboratories, retail stores, etc. With billions upon billions of hours of use, there has not been so much as one substantiated injury from replacing beneficial levels of ozone to indoor air. In fact, the opposite seems to be true.

People who have been replacing the missing ozone to their indoor air have been giving testimony to the many benefits. Users have claimed that difficult odors from pets, smokers, mold and mildew are virtually eliminated, that their homes smell like fresh air, that house plants thrive and cut flowers last longer, even that their pets feel better and have been seen sleeping in front of air purifiers just as instinctively as they would an open window. Farmers who are now replacing ozone to the air in barns have significantly reduced polluting barn odors, as well as, the rate of animal death by disease. When one considers the levels of airborne contaminants being found in all indoor environments, perhaps it should not seem unusual that there would be so many personal testimonies from people replacing ozone indoors.

As astounding as these testimonies are, it is the stories concerning humans that are most remarkable. Claims of chronic headaches disappearing, allergy and asthma symptoms ceasing or diminishing, snoring cessation, increased sense of smell, children and adults sleeping better, and the stories continue. We must keep in mind that despite the testimonies from those who purify their indoor air, it is illegal for the manufacturers and dealers of air purification systems to make any health claims such as these. While testimonials may compel us to consider the possible benefits of natural air purification indoors, air purifiers only treat the air, not people. They are not guaranteed to cure health problems and are not sold as medical devices or as a medical “cure.”

Does ozone replacement solve all IAQ problems?

Absolutely not. There is no single measure that can solve all indoor air quality problems. As important as trace ozone is to our air quality, it is only one of the factors involved in improving our indoor air. For the best possible indoor air quality there are four other functions that should take place in addition to ozone replacement. They are: Elimination of indoor contaminants through source reduction (another topic); ventilation to bring in oxygenated air from outdoors through the installation of make-up air vents and by opening windows as often as is feasible; filtration (trapping) of physical particles through the use of good quality air filters in furnaces, as well as, HEPA filtration in vacuum cleaners and room air cleaners; and ionization of airborne particles which are too small to be trapped in filters but equally, if not more dangerous to our lungs. (See the article about electrical ions.)

Elimination, ventilation and filtration are not used outdoors but rather are man-made necessities to enhance indoor air quality in indoor environments. On the other hand, electrical ions are nature’s “sister ingredient” for outdoor air purification. Ions work synergistically with ozone to help combat a variety of airborne contaminants. Ions serve us by coagulating dust particles and settling them out of the air we breathe. Indoors, 90% of the particles that float weightlessly in the air are completely invisible to the naked eye, yet removal of these particle pollutants can make indoor air much easier to inhale, as well as, better for our health. Replacing the missing electrical ions to the same beneficial levels as found outdoors is just as important as replacing ozone. Without ions or ozone in the air, our air literally becomes dense and rancid. Some people call it “dead air” or “sick building syndrome.” This rancid air can contain a literal soup of pollutants which can make indoor air difficult to breathe for many people and unpleasant for many others. If curious and mindful enough to pay attention, one can immediately detect rancid air upon entering a home or building, simply through sense of smell. Physical symptoms experienced indoors can also help to compare the purified air outdoors with the rancid air in homes and workplaces. Fortunately, both ions and ozone can now be replaced indoors electronically, very inexpensively, and often with only one device for an entire home.

How bad is the indoor air in houses and buildings?

Since the 1970’s, we have been making our homes very airtight and energy efficient. Consequently, this causes homes to collect, compound and even create pollutants in the indoor air we breathe. Correlated with the energy saving measures, we have had epidemic increases in the number of people who are now suffering with allergies, asthma and other health problems. Hundreds of thousands of people are being hospitalized and millions now need doctor visits, drugs, shots and inhalers. Indoor air pollution is a widespread problem in both new and old homes, whether located in cities or in rural areas. It is non-discriminating, affecting everyone from infants to senior citizens. The U.S. government has considered the indoor air pollution problem to be a #1 environmental health concern.

On average, each human will breathe approximately 2,500 gallons of air every day without proper consideration of its purity. We spend approximately 90% of our time indoors breathing continuous amounts of particle pollutants, off-gassing chemicals and airborne biological pollutants. All three of the categories of indoor air pollution can affect everyone to varying degrees with a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms can include stuffy nose, nasal drip, ear infections, itchy throat, itchy eyes, tearing eyes, sneezing, chronic coughs, wheezing, headaches, sleep difficulty, snoring, dizziness, tiredness, fatigue, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, sinusitis, sinus infections, mild and severe asthma, as well as allergies to dust, dander, pollen, mites, mold and chemicals. All of these symptoms can be caused by, or aggravated by indoor air contaminants. Odors from new construction materials, remodeling, paints, urethanes, new carpet, new vinyl, house pets, smoke, mold and mildew are also indicative of indoor air contamination. If we lived outdoors and breathed fresh air all of the time, it would be unlikely that we would be experiencing these epidemic levels of symptoms. If you or those you care about suffer from any of the symptoms associated with indoor air, it is recommended to take every measure possible to clean your indoor air, without delay. The longer the exposure, the greater the health risks.
(See articles on ions and air purification systems.)

by Building Inspector and Indoor Air Specialist, Dan Schilling
© Copyright 2001 Residential Inspections LLC, All Rights Reserved

As a building inspector, I have also been privileged to work with clients who have suffered from immune related illnesses. These illnesses however, appear to be directly tied to indoor air pollution. Understanding indoor air as I do, I must say that even the visually cleanest of homes are anything but sterile. In fact, I believe this new “sterile theory” is not only without merit, but if it is not exposed, may serve to sicken people further, increasing their dependence on drugs and physicians.

Giving the medical community the benefit of the doubt, I can somewhat understand the origin of this new thinking. For instance, we know that as babies, our developing immune systems grow stronger after being exposed to certain substances and organisms. Additionally, the government approves the medical practices of injecting the human body with anti-bodies, artificial flu virus’, or even snake venom, oddly enough to protect us from things like bacteria, flu virus’ and snake venom. So we know there can be some physiological benefit for our immune systems through the exposure to foreign substances. The question is, “should we use this same strategy regarding the quality of the air we breathe”? To ask this more succinctly, “are our immune systems becoming weaker because they are being “under-exposed” to indoor pollutants”? For example, we know that the 25% of the population who are smokers of tobacco products, do not seem to be bothered much while in smoky environments or from breathing second hand smoke. Does this mean that the non-smoking, 75% of the population should start breathing smoke, to protect ourselves from smoke? According to this new sterile theory there could be an ounce of truth in this, but certainly not more than an ounce. The preponderance of evidence shows us that the act of smoking and/or breathing second hand smoke can directly cause cancer and other severe health ailments. So, what then is best for our immune systems?

Understanding indoor air as I do, it is my contention that our immune systems are being compromised not because we are under exposed, but from being “overwhelmed” by polluted indoor environments which are loaded with airborne contaminants. Consider people living in an environment of fresh clean air, such as we find outdoors in nature. We know that in these conditions, people who breathe this fresh clean air generally feel better and are much healthier. They do not suffer ill health affects from breathing air which is being constantly purified by nature. This is precisely why we all go “out” for fresh air. Our bodies intuitively recognize the need for this clean, purified air.

We now know from research that people breathe very little fresh air today, spending on average 90% of their time in air-tight, sealed-up, indoor environments like homes, schools and office buildings. These indoor environments have air which is commonly laden with indoor air contaminants. Contaminants which can include excessive amounts of chemical gasses continually emitted from man-made building materials, chemicals from deodorizers, cleaning products and aerosols, biological contaminants such as bacteria, molds, dust mites and mite excrement, as well as, floating, microscopic dust particles made up of a variety of unhealthy substances. Studies have shown that this indoor air can be between five times, to as much as seventy times more polluted than the air outdoors. This mixed soup of indoor pollution is then inhaled breath after breath after breath, up to 2,500 gallons of this air or approximately 22,000 breaths, per day, per person. People are experiencing long lists of illnesses and have even died from repeatedly breathing the same rancid air found in houses and buildings. In fact, indoor air related illnesses are becoming epidemic in proportion. This epidemic is manifested through the sheer volume of advertisements for allergy and asthma drugs seen in newspapers, magazines and on television. There are more ads today for drugs to help people breathe than for any other drug. Indoor air has been proclaimed to be a #1 health concern by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and major health organizations.

These facts should dispel this unproven theory of sterile environments and help us understand how our immune systems are truly being compromised. It is my sincere belief, that our bodies are becoming sick and tired of breathing these unnatural substances and are doing everything in their power to reject airborne contaminants through natural body functions. These functions of rejection first appear as sneezing, watering eyes, runny noses, coughing and other allergic reactions. When these natural forms of rejection are not heeded as warning signs or are masked over with medications, our bodies can become over powered by the constant inhalation of indoor air pollutants. Our bodies can then suffer from other physical illnesses including chronic headaches, infections in the eyes, ears and sinus’, tiredness, fatigue, memory loss, learning disabilities, behavior problems, snoring, and a variety of respiratory disorders. The most severe form of rejection to indoor air pollutants is asthma attacks. With asthma, the body rejects the invading pollutants to the degree of restricting or shutting down the airways, resulting in emergency situations, and all too often, deaths. People with asthma can also become so sensitive that their bodies can no longer differentiate between harmless or harmful substances. The reaction becomes the same to both and can now occur indoors or out. The asthmatic then lives in a constant state of fear, not knowing what will trigger their next reaction or where.

I believe the first line of defense for most sufferers of allergic symptoms and other air related illness, should be indoor air quality education. Sources of pollution should be reduced or eliminated where possible, along with better cleaning practices and proper indoor air purification. Because I have seen first hand the relief people experience after addressing their indoor air, I believe that both surgery and drug use should only be considered as a last option or for emergency purposes.

In closing, please do not misconstrue this article as an attempt to downplay the importance of the need for medical doctors or as a suggestion to discontinue prescribed medications. The purpose of this article is to expose a false theory and simultaneously express the clear relationship between the compromise of the immune system and the continual exposure to and inhalation of indoor air contaminants.
 

by Building Inspector and Indoor Air Specialist, Dan Schilling
© Copyright 2002 Residential Inspections LLC, All Rights Reserved

Nothing seems to be more “in your face” than having sinuses that don’t allow air to flow through them freely. Approximately 33 million Americans suffer from sinus diseases every year. I wrote this article to help you understand why this is a problem for so many people today, and to offer a few simple techniques to keep your sinuses cleansed without artificially dilating them with chemical drugs.

The Wrong Solution

I do not believe I have ever heard of so many people having sinus problems before. Everyone is turning toward inhalers, sprays, and pills to try to open up their sinuses without asking why they have become clogged, often infected, in the first place. The first direction most people turn to for help is the medical community. What are our medical options? Pathetically, the choice is usually chemical drugs or sinus surgery!

I had a very close friend who had sinus surgery. Even after being hit on a motorcycle, unable to work for months due to surgeries, physical therapy, and infection complications, he still told me that his sinus surgery was the most excruciating pain he had ever experienced in his entire life. Furthermore, I couldn’t begin to tell you how many clients I work with who have become addicted to chemical inhalers, nasal sprays, and pills just to keep their sinuses open. After studying the side effects and addictive characteristics of these drugs, other than the fact that they are reprehensibly “government approved,” it amazes me that so many people resort to their use. I guess if you can’t breathe, you’ll do anything.

The Primary Causes of Sinus Problems

Before I explain a few simple and harmless solutions, I want you to understand what causes these epidemic levels of sinus complications. Basically, there are three things that will keep your sinuses naturally clear; they are heat, cold, and moisture. Heat has a very natural cleansing affect on the sinuses. Whether working outdoors in the hot summer or sitting in a sauna or steam room, the heat starts the sinus drainage process which in turn clears out the particles that collect, irritate, and clog sinuses. Similarly, working or playing outside in cold weather has a draining and cleansing affect. Most of us can relate to these effects of heat and cold. Swimming is also an activity that cleans sinuses. Anyone who has ever gone swimming and inevitably gotten a little water up into their sinuses understands how this rapidly cleans your sinuses.

The problem is that we spend almost all of our time indoors where we control the climate to make sure it never gets too hot or too cold. We also rarely swim or otherwise expose our sinuses to water. Indoors we not only lack the temperature differences and moisture, but we inhale air loaded with enormous amounts of indoor particle contaminants that clog and irritate our sinuses. When our sinuses are not properly cleansed, they become clogged, and can also become seriously infected. This leads to the vicious cycle of chemical drugs and/or surgery, followed by more sinus problems later. This inconvenience and pain could have been totally avoided had someone only explained what caused the sinus problems instead of how to treat the symptoms. Of course, on the economic side of this is the fact that no one in the medical community can turn huge profits from people who do not get sick and become dependent on chemical drugs or surgery. Therefore, self-help solutions are seldom mentioned.

So what can you do?

How do we clean our sinuses if we never get into the heat or cold, or go swimming? There are four simple things you can do which should help tremendously to keep your sinuses clean and guard against sinus infections.

Showering

When you take a shower, simply hold two fingers together as if you were making a salute only put them under your nose. Allow the water from the showerhead to land on your fingers while you slowly inhale the moisture droplets as they bounce up off of your fingers. Do this just before you get out of the shower. By the time you dry off, the debris that was clogging your sinuses will be dissolved and ready to blow into a tissue. Having not done this before, it may seem a little awkward at first, but you will be amazed at how fast and easy it is to do once you get used to it.

Spray Bottles

Sometimes you need to clean your sinuses, but may not have time to get your moisture from a shower. The simple solution is to have a standard spray bottle on hand filled with clean water. These spray bottles have adjustable spray tips and are available at most pharmacies and discount department stores. Simply hold one nostril closed, tilt your head back, and spray a mist of water up the other nostril while you slowly inhale. Two or three sprays up each nostril and within a few minutes your sinuses will begin to drain clean and open up.

Nasal Irrigation Cups

The above methods work most of the time and are great for sinus maintenance, but when sinuses get really blocked, you might want to try a nasal irrigation cup. These are available at most pharmacies for about $10-15.00. They look like a little tea pot and come with packets of saline solution to be mixed in warm water. Instructions are included, but basically you lean over a sink and slowly pour about half the water in one nostril and let it flow out the other side; then reverse with the remainder of the water. Again, in a matter of a few minutes, your sinuses will drain and open up without the use of drugs. Doing this may sound a little odd, but it works amazingly well. I had a friend who worked as a painter in an auto body shop whom I showed method this to. Even though he wore a face mask when painting, he was amazed to see that all the colors of paint he had sprayed that day came out of his sinuses! Paint and many other airborne particles absorb into your body through your sinuses and can lead to other health problems. Furthermore, research has proved that mold spores lodged in the sinuses was the leading cause for all chronic sinus infections.

Drink Water

The cleansing and detoxifying actions of the body, such as waste elimination, vomiting, spitting, sweating, runny eyes, and yes, runny sinuses, all require water from within our bodies in order to function properly. If we do not drink enough water, we will suffer for it somehow. The symptoms of chronic dehydration are subtle but many. Sinus, allergy, and asthma symptoms can be reduced or eliminated by drinking six to eight glasses of water each day. However, it must be noted that coffee, cola, tea, and alcoholic beverages do not count as water because they all contribute to dehydration.

When to Cleanse Your Sinuses

You should always be mindful of your sinuses, not just when they are clogged. Whenever you expose yourself to a significant amount of airborne particles, you should cleanse your sinuses. Significant exposures would include things like sweeping the garage or basement floors, vacuuming the house with a poor quality vacuum cleaner, cutting wood or any other material with a saw, spray painting, visiting a smoky bar or restaurant, exposure to high levels of pollen or mold spores, etc. If you keep your sinuses cleansed, you will not only be able to breathe better, but you will be able to smell things better than you have for a long time. Being able to smell well is not only a blessing, but an important sense for warning our bodies when we are breathing things that we should not be inhaling.

by Building Inspector and Indoor Air Specialist, Dan Schilling
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