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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.
Jeffrey C. May is a building consultant, indoor air-quality professional and the principal scientist of May Indoor Air Investigations LLC in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has conducted indoor environmental investigations in thousands of buildings, including offices, schools and homes; and he has personally analyzed over 20,000 air and dust samples. Widely published, May frequently lectures about indoor air quality.
