My Experience Getting a New Roof--with MCS

We recently had to reroof our home and I thought I’d share the products that we used. I tested all of the products (except the shingles) by getting samples and keeping them in the home for a time to see how I reacted. I was surprised at how well I did with most of these products, especially because I’ve read that some people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity react to at least some types of Ice and Water Shield, and underlayment can be an issue as well.

Ice and Water Shield:

1. Carlisle WIP 100, Ice & Water Guard (I tested a sample and did OK with it but I opted for the Titanium one below)

2. Titanium PSU30 Synthetic Roofing Underlayment (used this one)

3. Glacier Guard—this is the one I originally ordered and wanted but the supplier was out of it. I did well with the sample.

Underlayment: SOLITEX MENTO 3000 Connect – ProClima

I went with the brand above because a friend with MCS did well with this kind. It is significantly more expensive than the kind our roofer typically uses. Also, our roofer gave me a sample of the FelTex underlayment he typically uses and I didn’t do well with that product.

Tape: Tescon Vana Tape

Shingles: Tamco Heritage Architectural Shingles—black color

 

Heat Pump for the Chemically Sensitive

I wanted to share something that helped me be able to have a warmer house during the winter, in case it helps someone else. I cannot tolerate natural gas furnaces or wood burning stoves. The thing that helped me is an air source heat pump. A heat pump is similar to one of those outdoor A/C units, but it can work in reverse and provide heat in the winter as well as A/C in the summer. It is connected to our central air/heating system in the basement through pipes that transfer the heating/cooling fluid. We have a 3-ton heat pump and it is rated to produce about 35,000 BTUs at 47 degrees Fahrenheit, which is equivalent to the heating capacity of about seven 1,500 watt space heaters. The colder it gets, the less heat the heat pump produces. But even at 17 degrees Fahrenheit it will output 20,800 BTUs. We supplement the heat pump with electric space heaters in colder times. 

I probably wasn't familiar with heat pumps because hardly anyone has them where I live, as heat pumps don't do as well in colder climates. But the heat pump technology has greatly improved over the years. They now have models that work quite well in colder temperatures. In such a system there is a 2-stage or variable speed compressor that works harder in colder temperatures to provide more heat. Some of the higher-end models I looked at were $13,000-16,000. The model I purchased was a more standard model that cost under $4,000, which included replacing the A/C unit with the heat pump and installing the thermostat inside the home. They hardly even had to do any work inside the home, which was good for MCS issues. And I figured since running the A/C didn’t cause MCS symptoms, the heat pump wouldn’t either, and that proved correct.

If you have electrical sensitivity you can get an extension kit and place the heat pump pretty far from the house without much of a decrease in efficiency. However, you will still have some EMF from the fan located in the heating system inside the home. And be aware that some models are wi-fi capable.

A mini-split is a smaller heat pump and some of those models can produce heat at full efficiency at temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Those can be installed in an attic or on an exterior wall--you don't necessarily need ducting. And you can put more than one in a home. LG and Mitsubishi are among the companies that manufacture those. Mini-splits require some construction work to install—making openings in a wall or ceiling, etc.

Other options I have considered include radiant floor or baseboard hydronic systems, powered by one of the following: (1) a ground source heat pump; (2) solar heating systems such as evacuated tube collectors; (3) a boiler in an exterior building powered by natural gas or another fuel. I liked some of these ideas but they are more expensive and easier to do on new construction.

Paint for the Chemically Sensitive

I have tried various paints lately and this post is a report about which ones I would recommend to a person with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS):

 

AFM Safecoat

 

I left open containers of the following AFM paints for over 12 hours in my house and although I could feel symptoms from the various paints, the symptoms were not so bad that I had to remove them from my house. Some were better than others and as they cured they became less of a problem.

 

AFM Durostain Walnut 

Metalcoat Primer

Semi-gloss Paint

ZVOC Eggshell Paint

ZVOC Flat Paint

ZVOC Pearl Paint

 

The Zero VOC paints were surprisingly good for me and hardly affected me at all. However, I still would not want to paint with them myself. The three other products were more problematic for me but since I was planning on using the Durostain and the Primer outside the house anyway, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. 

 

ECOS Paints

 

I have had a good experience with this paint so far. I opened a canister of it in my house and did not have significant symptoms. When I put my nose up to it and smelled it, I noticed it does have an odor, and it irritated my eyes slightly (made them blink). But I left some paint out for about ten hours in my kitchen and it did not seem to cause significant symptoms.

 

Allback Linseed Oil Paint

 

I would not recommend Allback Linseed Oil Paint to a person with MCS. I paid someone to paint an outside railing with it and it made me pretty sick for a lot of the day, even though the paint project was outside and I was inside the house except for a few minutes here and there. The man doing the painting was not chemically sensitive but he said that the paint gave him a headache. Even the following day it made me sick to go out and inspect the railing. I have no idea what ingredient(s) in the paint could be making me sick. The company states that the paint is 100% solvent free. I appreciate that people are trying to make more environmentally friendly products but, for me, I doubt this paint is much less toxic than conventional paint. And it is super expensive. A normal sized can of paint was around $180.

 

I also purchased some boiled linseed oil made by Allback. It had a smell that smelled a little like paint, paint thinner, or some other solvent. I placed some in a bowl and was able to keep it in my house for about a day without it giving me too many symptoms, though it did irritate my eyes somewhat. We used it on our deck and now our deck is toxic and I cannot walk on it. I definitely would not recommend Allback products to a person with MCS.

Try to Avoid the Auto Body Shop if You Have MCS

I have MCS (with touch sensitivity), and I was in a small car accident three to four months ago. The insurance company advised me to take my car to a body shop of my choosing. After being repaired, the car came back so toxic that I can no longer drive it. I actually dealt with two different body shops and they were both super toxic. Body shops use a lot of toxic chemicals.[See 1.] Auto body shops often use chemicals such as paint thinners, paint removers, solvents in refinish paints, and various other harmful chemicals.[See id.] I would have rather just lived with a dented fender than lose the car--I'll have to sell it and buy another one. In the future, I will try to avoid body shops if at all possible.

 

_____________________

 

[1] Brown, N. J. (1990). Health hazards manual for autobody shop workers. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, Chemical Hazard Information Program. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/manuals/7

Christmas Tree Skirts Are Toxic

We recently purchased a Christmas tree skirt and it made me ill to have it in the house. After that, we found two other Christmas tree skirts in our basement and those also made me feel sick. I believe that tree skirts had this effect on me because they are probably loaded with the toxic chemicals found in flame retardants. Some people even spray flame retardant on their Christmas trees. I don't want to "[h]ave a holly toxic Christmas this year," so we used a sheet to make a tree skirt. :)

Chairs for MCS

I have MCS and am sensitive to chemicals to the touch. I really appreciate being able to use chairs that I can put in the dishwasher. I came across shower chairs a while back. The one I have can be easily taken apart and placed in the dishwasher, thus removing the chemicals. Here is a link to some products I was looking at on amazon: http://amzn.to/2ftgcWr. Also, I purchased an Ez2care Adjustable Lightweight Shower Bench and it has worked out well.

Seat Protectors for the Chemical Sensitive

Seat protectors can be highly beneficial for those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity who have skin sensitivities to chemicals. A seat protector can be placed over the seat and back of a chair that has chemicals on it. Based on my experience, a good seat protector:

1. Is impermeable to chemicals (cloth is generally quite permeable)
2. Can fit in the dishwasher to remove chemicals by washing (if I remove the top rack of my dishwasher it will hold even my largest seat protectors)
3. Is relatively lightweight
4. Is not metal (if it needs to pass through metal detectors)
5. Is not too uncomfortable
6. Does not look too weird, and is relatively discrete
7. Does not present a danger with sharp edges or corners

Based on the above criteria, my preferred seat protectors are made from polycarbonate, which I ordered from TAP plastics (www.tapplastics.com). I measured the dimensions of the chairs and car seats that I wanted seat protectors for and submitted those measurements on the order form page. Here are the other dimensions of my seat protectors:

Thickness: 1/8 (.118) inches
Rounded Corners: 1 inches radius cornering
Color: Clear

TAP plastics also will cut to size other types of plastic sheets, including acrylic, but I haven't tried anything other than polycarbonate. The one criteria above that polycarbonate is not great for is comfort, but I just add a folded towel for padding and it is fine.

Good luck!

Sensitive to Soap? Try Washing Your Hands With Clay

I became sensitive to many (or perhaps all) kinds of soap some months ago. Since then, I have searched for alternatives to soap. I have bee using Cetaphil, a non-soap cleanser, Aveeno, a soap-free bar, and various types of clay. The clay seems more effective at removing chemicals than any kind of soap I have tried, perhaps because the clay absorbs the solvents and other chemicals. The clays I have tried include bentonite, red, kaolin, green, and some others. I have not tried Rhassoul clay but some people use that as soap. I have made most of my purchases from Amazon and recently tried Bulk Apothecary, which has good prices on some types of clay. Clay is pretty expensive, but I really needed something to wash my hands with. I received a product recall notice from Amazon on one of the bentonite clay products I had ordered because the product had high amounts of lead, so that may be something to watch out for in clay. 

Movie Review--Homesick: Living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities 2013

Homesick: Living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities 2013 [NR]

I recently watched this movie online through Amazon. It cost $1.99 to rent and was 56 minutes.



"Imagine your home is making you dangerously sick. You could be one of the millions suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS). Susan Abod hits the road to discover how people with MCS are able to find safe housing. Join Susan as she discovers how people are coping with this 21st century illness." (Amazon.com product description)

This video primarily covers a narrow but important issue for those with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS): finding safe housing. The documentary was well done and truly evokes compassion for those unable to find suitable housing because of MCS. This video could provide some ideas for housing options for those with extreme MCS. In the video, Susan Abod (who has MCS), and her camera person, go on a roadtrip in the Southwest of the United States and interview various individuals with MCS in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Beware of the Mortuary if you are Chemically Sensitive

I am chemically sensitive and have had problems on various occasions with the mortuary and also with people who work at the mortuary and funeral homes. Once a salesman from a funeral home came inside my home and I could immediately feel the chemicals on him. I suspect that it is the chemicals in the embalming fluid that are making me sick. There are various chemicals in embalming fluid, including solvents and formaldehyde.[1] I know that I am extremely sensitive to some solvents so it could be the solvents that are making me sick. It could also be the formaldehyde. "Formaldehyde is highly toxic to all animals, and is 'known to be a human carcinogen'. It is implicated in cancer, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, disorders of the nervous system, and other ailments."[2] Embalming fluid would be easily spread to anyone who touches a body that has been embalmed, and from that person's hands to anything that person touches. The volatile organic compounds and other chemicals in embalming fluid can also be transmitted through the air and can be felt by those who are sensitive to those compounds.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embalming_chemicals
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_burial