Shedding New Light On The CausesOfAllergies (NAPSA)—Researchers continue to learn more about what causes allergies, how to treat them and how to prevent them—and that’s good newsfor anyone whoprefers not to wheeze or sneeze. It is now thought that developing an allergy has a lot to do with early exposure—and your home may expose you to more allergens than you thinkpossible. There are hundreds of thousands of germs in most homes. A typical square yard of carpet can contain more than 100,000 dust mites. Some doctors estimate that dust mites are a factor in 50 to 80 percent of all allergy cases and up to one quarter of asthma cases. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAT), as many as 90 percent of people with allergic asthma are sensitive to dust mites. Exposure to dust mites in the first two years of life can trigger lifelong allergies or asthma. Your carpet may also be home to microscopic mold spores. An estimated 30 percent of all people are allergic to mold and mildew. Steam cleaning doesn’t rid carpets of mold and mildew and mayactually introduce moisture that raises the risk of mold development. The chemicals in new rugs can also cause allergic reactions, so it’s a good idea to let new carpeting air out before children play on it. New UVCLight Solution Scientists have developed a practical, new technology for killing allergens found in the home—a spectrum of ultraviolet light (UVC) that is safe for people but quickly kills microorganisms. Your carpet may look clean butit can contain hundreds of thousands of allergy-causing dust mites. Fortunately, new technology can remove them. UVC spectrum light has been used for over 60 years by watertreatment facilities to purify drinking water andby hospitals to sterilize operating rooms and medical instruments. The “C” spectrum of ultraviolet light is capable of destroying the DNA of microscopic organisms so they are unable to multiply. One vacuum cleaner, the Halo™ Ultraviolet Vacuum, currently uses this technology to kill germs and other microorganisms such as dust mites, mold, flea eggs and viruses. You simply engage the ultraviolet light while you vacuum and it instantly kills unwanted germs that lurk in your carpet’s fibers. Halo is the first electrical appliance manufacturer to harness this environmentally safe, chemical-free technology for use in homes. For more information, visit www.gethalo.com.
