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MiST Healthy Interior Environment Service for Vehicles

Automotive Mold 101:

Anyone who has bought or sold a property in the past 10 years are very familiar with the potential impact of mold on the health of occupants of a building.

What if the mold was in a room that was only 5 foot x 8 foot, the ceiling height was 4 foot, and a fan continuously blew over the mold contaminated areas and into the face of the occupants?

This is a description of the situation in virtually every vehicle operating with an air conditioning system.

According to testing conducted by Connie Morbach, an interior air quality expert from Troy, MI, penicillium and aspergillus niger are found in automotive vent systems.

Penicillium and aspergillus niger are the molds commonly associated with water damage to buildings, and determined to be harmful to human health.

Asthma rates have almost doubled since 1980. There has been no specific causative affect for this that is agreed on, but one theory is that the growth in asthma rates coincides with the growth in air conditioning as a standard installed feature in vehicles.

Air flow over the molds that develop in the ventilation system of the vehicle are directed by the fan into the face of young occupants in an attempt to keep them cool. The molds are inhaled deep into the lungs of a child with an underdeveloped immune system.

Penicillium is a common cause of extrinsic asthma (immediate-type hypersensitivity: type I). Acute symptoms include edema and bronchi spasms, chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema. Many patients complain of a suffocating or gasping sensation when suffering from the effects of penicillium toxicity.

Penicillium may cause sarcoidosis, fibrosis, or allergic alveolitis in susceptible individuals, or patients who have been exposed over long periods of time, depending on the strain.

The type of diseases caused by aspergillus, aspergillosis, range from an "allergy"-type illness to life-threatening generalized infections. The severity of aspergillosis is determined by many factors but primarily the state of the immune system of the person. Young children do not have fully developed immune systems.

According to a recent Mayo Clinic study, one in seven Americans suffers from acute fungal sinusitis. Colonization of the respiratory tract is also common.

The presence of automotive mold is often detected with a musty smell from the ventilation system, but mold is present even in the absence of an odor.

Uview Ultraviolet developed a new ultrasonic technology for atomizing an anti-microbial liquid to enable it to be drawn up into a vehicle’s ventilation system. All microorganisms in the vents, on the heater core and the evaporator are treated and then the mist is sent into the cabin by the fan to treat all interior surfaces of the vehicle.

The 20 minute treatment should be completed twice per year as the mold will redevelop 3—6 months after the treatment. The technology received an award from Popular Mechanics soon after its release.

Health care professionals who know of patients with compromised immune systems, respiratory sensitivities, sinus infections or other conditions that would make them susceptible to mold-related illnesses may want to make this service known to them.

The service can be completed relatively inexpensively at many locations in Chicagoland.

Current MiST Locations:

59 Auto Repair, Plainfield, IL

Acura of Palatine, Palatine, IL

Arlington Heights Ford, Arlington Heights, IL

Arnie Bauer Pontiac Buick GMC, Matteson, IL

Auto Saver, Crystal Lake, IL
AutoBarn Volkswagen, Lagrange, IL
BMW of Orland Park, IL

Bemis BMW, Sycamore, IL

Bemis Dodge, Sycamore, IL
Bemis Ford, Sycamore, IL
Bemis Lincoln Mercury, DeKalb, IL

Bemis Toyota, DeKalb, IL

Bemis Volvo, DeKalb, IL

Bettenhausen Dodge, Tinley Park, IL
Bill Jacobs BMW, Naperville, IL

Bill Jacobs VW, Naperville, IL

Bill Kay Chrysler, Naperville, IL

Bosak Chrysler, Merrillville, IN

Brilliance Honda, Crystal Lake, IL
Cadillac of Naperville, IL
Continental Motors (Mercedes), Lake Bluff, IL (Knauz)

Dan Wolf Chevrolet, Naperville, IL

Dan Wolf Toyota, Naperville, IL
Ettleson Cadillac, Lagrange, IL

Ettleson Hyundai, Countryside, IL
Euroquipe St. Charles, IL

Imperial Jaguar, Lake Bluff, IL

JP Chevrolet, Peru, IL

JP Mercedes-Benz, Peru, IL

JP Nissan, Peru, IL

Joe Rizza Ford, Orland Park, IL

Joe Rizza Kia, Orland Park

Joe Rizza Porsche, Orland Park, IL

Hawkinson Nissan, Matteson, IL
Knauz BMW Lake Bluff, IL
Knauz Chrysler, Buick, Lake Bluff, IL

Lamborghini Chicago, Westmont, IL
Land Rover Chicago (Orloff), IL
Land Rover of Lake Bluff, IL (Knauz)
Land Rover of Naperville, IL (Jacobs)
Land Rover of Tinley Park, IL (AutoNation)

Landmark Ford, Springfield, IL
Laurel Audi, Tinley Park, IL (AutoNation)

Laurel Audi, Westmont, IL (AutoNation)

Laurel BMW Westmont, IL (AutoNation)

Laurel Mercedes-Benz, Westmont, IL (AutoNation)
Laurel Volvo, Tinley Park, IL (AutoNation)
Lexus of Naperville, IL
Lexus of Orland Park, IL

Libertyville Toyota, Libertyville, IL

Libertyville Pontiac Buick GMC, Libertyville, IL

Libertyville Lincoln Mercury, Libertyville, IL

Ludington Nissan, Chesterton, IN
Max Madsen Countryside, IL
McGrath Acura Westmont, IL
McGrath City Honda

McGrath Hyundai

McGrath Lexus of Westmont, IL
McGrath Lexus, Chicago, IL

Mercedes-Benz of Naperville, IL

Merlin 200,000 Mile Shop, Arlington Heights, IL

Merlin 200,000 Mile Shop, Hanover Park, IL

Merlin 200,000 Mile Shop, Loves Park, IL

Merlin 200,000 Mile Shop, Oak Forest, IL

Merlin 200,000 Mile Shop, Plainfield, IL

Merlin 200,000 Mile Shop, Schaumburg, IL

Merrillville Toyota, Merrillville, IN
MotorWerks Mercedes-Benz, Hoffman Estates, IL
Muller Acura, Hoffman Estates, IL

Muller Honda, Highland Park, IL

Northshore Nissan, Highland Park, IL

Northshore VW, Highland, IL
Orloff Jaguar, Chicago, IL
Orloff Volvo, Chicago, IL

Porsche Exchange, Highland Park, IL

Patrick Jaguar, Naperville, IL

Patrick Volvo, Schaumburg, IL

Planet Honda, Matteson, IL
Rizza Chevrolet, Bridgeview, IL
Rock River Block Ford
Rock River Block Hyundai

Rockenbach Chevrolet, Grayslake, IL

Saab Exchange, Lake Bluff, IL

Schaumburg Toyota, Schaumburg, IL

Sutton Ford, Matteson, IL

Team Hyundai, Highland, IN

Team Toyota, Highland, IN

Valparaiso Transmission, Valparaiso, IN

Village Pontiac GMC, Naperville, IL
Westfield Ford, Lagrange, IL

Woodfield Ford, Schaumburg, IL

Woodfield Lexus, Schaumburg, IL

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