Please note: While some information will still be current in a year, other information may already be out of date in three months time. If you are in any doubt, please feel free to ask.

Duct heating system?

Question
Does anyone know if this type of heating system is a threat to those with C.F.?
Answer
Dear questioner,
As we are medical experts for CF and not technically trained, it is unfortunately not possible to make reliable statements about this kind of heating, for that I do not know the basic technical principles.
However, I can try to give you some general information that probably helps you further. If we talk about heating systems and ventilations systems in the context of CF, the main threat for CF patients is the possible colonization and proliferation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in such devices and the possible spread via aerosols into the house. Therefore, it is important to talk to the manufacturer of such heating systems, or the installer who knows technical details and to find out, if there is (condensating) water or humidity somewhere in the system, so that Pseudomonas could grow and if there is a possibility that it can somehow be distributed into the house. On the other hand, are there any filters that could prevent this and how often they have to be controlled or changed in order to minimize the risk of spreading of germs.
We had a lot of questions on heating systems and especially on ventilating systems and on building a house, probably you find some helpful information in the former answers to those questions (please go to the Central Archive of ECORN-CF, then click on “Topics”, on the right side you find a keyword list, choose “air-improving devices”, there are also some questions about heating systems in there, e.g. the Q/A “Building a house” with the following link: ecorn-cf.eu/index.php?id=65&tx_expertadvice_pi1[showitem]=1010&tx_expertadvice_pi1[search]=

Hope this helps a bit,
Best regards,
Dr. Daniela d’Alquen (Coordinator of the Central English Archive)
11.03.2014