Atmospheric issues

[The Incorrigible Dirigible]

Now that we're sleeping in the moho full-time, we've been noticing that we wake up every morning with sinus issues--dry throat, minor allergy symptoms, etc. Given the relative humidity in Michigan, I don't think that it's dry air. We've been cleaning the carpet, wallpaper and all upholstered surfaces, and that seems to be helping, but is it possible that there's something nasty in the duct work? Is it possible to clean out the AC and heater ducting system?

[The Incorrigible Dirigible]

Now that we're sleeping in the moho full-time, we've been noticing that we wake up every morning with sinus issues--dry throat, minor allergy symptoms, etc. Given the relative humidity in Michigan, I don't think that it's dry air. We've been cleaning the carpet, wallpaper and all upholstered surfaces, and that seems to be helping, but is it possible that there's something nasty in the duct work? Is it possible to clean out the AC and heater ducting system?

[dveasey]

I would rule-out the pillow & mattress foam & bed vincinity items before looking elsewhere.

[The Incorrigible Dirigible]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by dveasey:
I would rule-out the pillow & mattress foam & bed vincinity items before looking elsewhere. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Already done. The coach's previous owners were smokers, so we removed the valances and re-upholstered the headboard, replacing the foam as well. All bedclothes and pillows were discarded and the mattress was wrapped. Hope we don't have to replace it--king size mattresses are spendy!

[Gary RVRoamer]

You can vacuum out the heating ducts and maybe parts of the a/c ducts, but it is nigh unto impossible to really clean them, whether in an RV or a stick house.

[RV Wizard]

I would recommend cleaning of the evaporator coils of the roof and dash air conditioners. Next get a good air cleaner. Maybe even an ozoneator/ionizer unit to clean the air. Good luck and keep us posted.

[NeilV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Incorrigible Dirigible:
Now that we're sleeping in the moho full-time, we've been noticing that we wake up every morning with sinus issues--dry throat, minor allergy symptoms, etc. Given the relative humidity in Michigan, I don't think that it's dry air. We've been cleaning the carpet, wallpaper and all upholstered surfaces, and that seems to be helping, but is it possible that there's something nasty in the duct work? Is it possible to clean out the AC and heater ducting system? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The ductwork will be more difficult however the coils and condensate pan of the AC system should be cleaned thoroughly with a good coil cleaning solution. You would be surprised how orange the rinse water can be if the previous owner was a smoker. Replace the filters too even if they are considered washable.

I remodeled a hotel once and the new owner didn't take me seriously that he needed to white shellac his walls before painting or paneling them in certain rooms especially the managers office and apartment. I asked him what color he thought the walls were and he answered Harvest Gold. When I grabbed the sponge and Ajax Clenser and made two swipes to reveal that Robins Egg Blue was the correct answer he ran out choking. The floor to ceiling sheer curtains in the living room were so full of smoke that they were stiff enough to stand up on their own like corregated roofing. I leaned them against the wall in a stack.

Second hand smoke penetrates and gets into everything. You either have to clean it or seal in to alleviate the problem.

It may be impossible to get the coach 100% clear and the cleaners in themselves can be very irritating but you have made a start with the carpeting and walls. You may have to replace the mattress as wrapping it may only create a concentrated resevior of trapped smoke residue that you will be releasing everytime you sit on the bed or move in your sleep.

Don't overlook the ceiling material either. Smoker rises and the residue will be most concentrated up there.

At Home Depot they had a Smoke Killer spray that did help rescue an automobile my daughter bought. The dealer had treated it with air freshners that masked the smokey smell however it became unbearable as the various air freshens he had put under the seats and floor mats started to fade. We turned on the AC and sprayed it under the dash multiple times so that it would get into the coils and spread through the ductwork and after several heavy treatments it became tolerable but it did take some months for it to get there.

[Jackm]

As full-timers, we've been through the same thing every now and then. However, when it comes to finding the culprit, things aren't always what they seem. In one case, we were convinced that we had a problem with our RV. But when we left the area, our sinus problems suddenly cleared up. The problem was most likely related to the quality of the air in the area we were staying in.

Likewise, it's very difficult to diagnose humidity-related problems without a true measure of the ambient humidity in your RV. Consider purchasing a humidity gauge. That way, you can see what you're actually dealing with. If the air in your RV is too dry, it's a simple matter of installing an inexpensive vaporizer.

Similarly, you may want to put in a small HEPA-based air filter. These units are very effective at trapping mold, pollen, dander, and dust particles.

If you still experience sinus-related problems after trying these possible solutions, you may have to perform a deep cleaning of your RV. There are products that are specifically designed to remove cigarette odors. One can be found at http://www.vamooseproducts.com/133/Products.htm?gclid=C...CGs5YCFQETGgodHF11LA. Best of luck. I'm sure you will eventually resolve your problem.

Jack