Sonderbooks Book Review of My House is Killing Me!

***My House is Killing Me!

The Home Guide for Families With Allergies and Asthma

by Jeffrey C. May

Reviewed October 15, 2002.
Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2001.
Available at Sembach Library (616.97 MAY).

I’m afraid that this book tends to make the reader a bit paranoid. The author goes through every room of a typical house and reveals the many pitfalls that can destroy a person’s health. He’s very comprehensive and has many catastrophic examples. Still, this would be an excellent book to read before buying or renting a home, since it points out many problems that a person might normally overlook.

Jeffrey C. May is an indoor air quality professional. I don’t think of myself as allergic to very many things. Yet his simple tip that dust mites absolutely love to feed on down feathers prompted me to get rid of our fifteen-year-old down pillows. I feel silly never to have before considered the possibility that they might be the reason I’ve always gotten a stuffy nose when I go to bed.

I didn’t read every word, but I skimmed the whole book and learned some things to watch for in a home environment. If we ever are ready to buy a home, I plan to buy a copy of this book first—a minor investment compared to what it might save us. At the very least, I’ll check it out again before I leave Sembach in order to remind myself of some things to avoid in our next rental. No, it doesn’t substitute for a professional inspection, but it does make the reader aware of pitfalls and gives tips on ways to avoid nurturing mites and mold that can drastically harm ones health.

Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

***My House is Killing Me!

The Home Guide for Families With Allergies and Asthma

by Jeffrey C. May