I am at checkmate with my husband. It is a choice of new carpets throughout, or have wooden floors put on top of a low set cement foundation. Husband wants carpets for the comfort, warmth and look and he likes them. So do I, but as I have asthama, and dust is a main trigger, I want floor boards which are easier to clean. Be interested in anyone else who has gone through this please. I got rid of all the curtains for verticals as easy to wipe over and no ironing!!

I went to www.google.net and typed in 'asthma carpeting', and a list of sites with information popped up on the screen. One of websites listed is www.carpet-health.org/aa-asp which has a statement that begins as follows: Health professionals sometimes recommend that allergy and asthma patients remove carpet from their homes. But those recommendations are generally based on...

A Google search should yield websites for floor covering sales and installation companies in your local area that have hypoallergenic materials. I probably should have entered 'asthma floor covering' rather than 'asthma carpeting' to obtain more options on the Google site. With carpeting, you might want to consider having a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter on it, and you might want to have a vacuum cleaner with a bag rather than the bagless variety. Carpets can be cleaned professionally, and if you have this done, you might ask companies what type of shampoo or cleaner they use - some will use plain water deep cleaning at your request. You might also look into having a HEPA filter installed on your heating and air conditioning units. Free-standing room and whole-house HEPA air filter units are available in prices starting at about $200 at your local home improvement center, and some department stores also stock them. There are two types of filters available: use-and-discard and washable filters.

Manufacters now sell multi-pane glass windows with blinds that are sealed between two layers of glass. This means the blinds won't collect dust and never need to be cleaned.

You might consider other types of floor covering, such as tile, on which non-slip backing throw rugs could be placed. Small rugs can be tossed into your washing machine, and if they don't have a rubber backing, they can then be dried in your home clothes dryer. Ones with rubber backing should be air-dried. Large rugs might have to be sent out for professional cleaning.

Linoleum is one option for kitchens and bathrooms, but make sure it's good quality and comes with a minimum five-year warranty and qualified installers. For children's rooms, there are colorful interlocking foam tiles in sizes of about a square foot and going up to larger sizes, at about an inch thick.

Before laying down any floor covering, you might want to make sure the cement (concrete) floor has been properly sealed and waterproofed, if need be. Check to find out if your home need might need a sump pump to control water around and under the foundation, as well as to remove water that might get inside during heavy rains or flooding.

I don't have asthma or any allergies to airborne particulate or gasses that I know of, so I can provide only general information. If anyone else in the group has more specific information or ideas on this subject, please add them. Thank you.

my grandson has this and my daughter has took her carpet up , even though she got it prof. cleaned quite often the pad wld stay damp and cause mold particles in the air, so she sealed her floor which was wood got it good and cleaned first then sealed and now she has an area rug, looks real sharp with her furniture and she vaccumms alot but if anyone has aa problem hubby just rolls it up and takes it outside and puts it on the fence and beats it and can also take it to the laundomat for washing, her washer isnt that large but it is simple and very homey all she needs to keep clean is the edges.

Thank you to both. Have the right vacum cleaner, cant use air con at all, just the fan and clean the filter regularly anyway as that upsets me too. He still wants new carpet throughout. Do get them cleaned often. But with the drought, the dust just comes in, and not allowed to use hose to wash screens or walls etc or cars. if we get an odd shower of rain, out go the cars to get the dust washed off. Rather amusing to see actually. Can use a small amount for front and back windows and side mirrors only. We are not allowed to even clean outside windows or house walls etc past few years. Most of us sneak a bucket and rag to do insides, but not game to do out. The fines for getting caught is awful, and we dont have the water to spare, even though we have a bit more than we had, still on restrictions. 4 min max showers have been in for probably over 3 yrs now. And 99% of us have become very water wise. Still havent agreed to new carpets. And just to top it off the jasmine is starting to flower everywhere. Love the smell, it doesnt love me. Beaumont thanks for all your hard research, it is appreciated very much, and Raggy for your advice.

Ok I was wondering about mobility scooters. I hope to be able to get one soon and there are so many to choose from it is confusing. I would appreciate opinions.

I do not if I want to get a portable one or a more rugged one.

I decided on a bigger 4 wheel one for wear and tear and to last longer and go further. The 3 wheel model would have been perfect for my knee problem. but prefer the stability of a 4, and have seen some things while out and about that made me glad I did. I also had a canopy built over mine for our sun and heat in summer. Then bought a cheap clear plastic shower curtain, folded it and edged with binding, two cuts to get hands in to controls, better than leaving top sides undone, to put over the steering colum if caught in rain. Due to the electronics being there, they say not to get wet, and unfortunatley, cant play in big puddles either or snow. Well snow will not be a problem, but could have enjoyed the puddles. Why not enjoy as much of life as we possibly can? But they are out. Also have to stop and turn off before answering a cell phone. And just do a top up recharge with power when I come home each time so ready for next and doesnt take so long to top up. Lots of lovely people here now seem to be getting out on them more. I refer to mine as my surry.

Does anyone have a source for thoracic back braces? My insurance wont pay for another one at this time but mine is falling apart and the shoe repair guy says he can't patch it anymore. i don'tknow what company this one was made by but it wasn't durable. o i have looked at a few sites on line but can't decide.

Dpcarein [his page is www.dailystrength.org/people/318970 ], a member of A Capable Disabled Group, is the founder of a group called the Disabled Equipment Exchange www.dailystrength.org/groups/disabled-equipment-exchange You may want to join his group. It's a small group, but I'm sure it will grow in time, in both people and resources information.

Does anyone know something about thoracic back braces?