Waste products created by dust mites, including feces, moltings, and leavings can be allergenic to humans.
Dust mite waste makes up 80%-90% of the allergic component of house dust.
High levels of this allergy and prolonged exposure can cause sensitivity in individuals who were not previously allergic to dust mite waste.
Dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae) are microscopic arachnids that feed primarily on human and animal dander and prefer warm, humid environments.
The waste created by dust mites during their lifespan (their feces, moltings, and dead bodies) is perhaps the most allergenic material found in the home.
Beds, sheets, and pillows are the most common habitat for dust mites. In fact, ten percent of the weight of a two-year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings.
Dust mites can also thrive in damp crawl spaces and basements, where their waste can make its way into your home though a phenomenon known as the "stack effect".
The most effective way to control dust mites in your basement or crawl space is to maintain a dry, sanitary environment in the space. This includes dehumidifying the space and cleaning the air.
Your local Basement Systems Dealer can help you learn how to create a healthier below-grade space in your home! To sign up for a free, no-obligation healthy basement or crawl space estimate, contact us by phone or e-mail today!
Our network of more than 300 certified dealers serves throughout Canada and the United States! We've provided warrantied systems for hundreds of thousands of basements and crawl spaces over the past decades. Contact us today to get started!
Dust mites prefer temperatures above 70°F, Relative Humidity (RH) conditions above 60%, and organic material to eat.
The average human being sheds enough skin daily to feed roughly one million dust mites under normal conditions.
No matter how clean the home is, dust mites will grow and spread in a household at an alarming rate. They can develop from eggs to adults in a single month, reaching reproductive age in only ten days.
Dust mites live between 30 and 100 days, with females laying 2-3 eggs per days. In a single lifetime, a female dust mite can lay 270 eggs!
A single dust mite will defecate about 20 times a day. Within two months, it will have created 200 times its body weight in waste material -- or about 2,000 dust mite fecal particles.
Dust mite waste contains more than 15 potent allergens that sensitize and trigger allergic reactions in those who are predisposed. Unlike pollen, dust mites will be present year-round, and will be found in nearly every part of the home.
Roughly 10% of the general population and 90% of asthmatic patients are sensitive to dust mite feces.
You can help to eliminate day-to-day dust mite waste by cleaning sheets, blankets, and pet bedding approximately every two weeks. Pillowcases should be washed every week, and pillows should be replaced every year.
Surprisingly, you can do more damage than good by vacuuming! Using a non-HEPA vacuum can actually make an allergen problem worse by tending to kick up more dust and allergens than they remove.
A HEPA vacuum should be used on carpets daily to pick up dust mite waste, pet dander, and other allergens.
As homes become sealed and more energy efficient, and homeowners tend to spend more time indoors, issues related to indoor air quality are becoming increasingly prevalent.
In fact, ICS Cleaning Specialist Magazine reported a 75% increase in asthma-related health issues from 1980-2001 alone!
As Glenn Fellman, executive director of the Indoor Air Quality Association says it best:
If you are reacting to a problem because
somebody's been sick, you've waited way too
long to address indoor air quality.
The best way to protect yourself is to prevent the dust mite problem before it begins!
To help control dust mites and other allergen sources, the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that carpet laid over concrete be removed, and that homeowners lower indoor humidity in the home -- and especially in the basement.
If the space is maintained below 60%, RH, dust mites will no longer be able to absorb moisture from the air into their bodies, and they will eventually dehydrate, grow dormant, and die.
Our Sanidry™ XP Basement Dehumidifier and our SaniDry™ CX Crawl Space Dehumidifier are powerful tools to help you create a drier, healthier space. A properly installed system will also help you to control mold, rot and mildew. Moisture and humidity loving pests such as termites, carpenter ants, and cockroaches will also be deterred.
At Basement Systems, our dealers have helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners to transform their below-grade spaces into drier, healthier, and more useful parts of their home. A typical upgrade can be accomplished in as little as one, perhaps two days.
It costs you nothing to meet with us to learn how we can help you! To sign up for a a free, no-obligation crawl space repair estimate, contact us by phone or e-mail today!
Our locally owned and operated dealers proudly serve throughout Canada and the United States -- including in your local neighborhood!
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Our innovative and forward-thinking approach to designing products has solved wet basement problems that the basement waterproofing and crawl space industry has faced for decades, and our patented sump pump systems are the smartest and most reliable. Plus we listen to our customers and respond accordingly! Basement Systems Inc. has been awarded 24 Patents and 19 Innovation Prizes on waterproofing products we use every day, including a battery back up sump pump system. This approach ensures the best waterproofing systems and solutions available.