Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Adventurer]

In the U.S., whenever I turned on the heat during winter I didn't get constant sinus infections accompanied by a fever. However, in Korea, it happens to me quite often when I turn on the heat. I am not really sure why. Does anyone have an explanation? Thanks.

[Chaparrastique]

[tealeaf]

[schwa]

Interesting question. I would have assumed forced air systems might be less healthy, blowing dust & stuff into the air. But a bit of digging around suggests that ondol can release volatile organic compounds into the air from synthetic floor covering or carpets.

Damn. I love the feel of ondol. But now I see a possible culprit for the chronic runny nose I get every winter.

[Deja]

My sinuses never felt better than they did during "Ondol season". But I can't stand humidity one bit.

[Smithington]

This is Korea. Just think of all the glues and other gunk that are used to attach the flooring to the ground. Now imagine what type of nasty products go into the flooring itself. Heating it up only releases all those nasty ingredients into the air, and into your eyes, nose and lungs.

I'm sure it's the cause of more than a few cancers here.

I never use it.

[Adventurer]

[Chaparrastique]

[Adventurer]

[motiontodismiss]

[Died By Bear]

I wonder if a dehumidifier might help with the sinus issue. Korea also has these little vapor machines that you're supposed to breathe in that help with congestion and sinuses. I used to have one back in the day, it helped me a lot. Then I discovered Allegra.

[Adventurer]

[Sector7G]

Guys-dry air is the cause of the sinus and throat problems, not radiation or glues or gunk or volatile organic compounds.

Ondol heating definitely dries out the air which in turn can cause one to wake up with scratchy throat and burning sinuses - at least it did that to me. That's not the only winter heating method that does that, by the way, gas heating dries out the air too.

Yes, a humidifier will definitely help solve the problem, but in a pinch you can do what the old timers did - use the poor man's humidifier. Just soak a bath towel with water and hang it or drape it over a kitchen chair somewhere in the apartment. By morning time that towel will be bone dry. A pan of water on the floor(or on the gas heater) will achieve the same thing. As I never had a clothes dryer while in Korea, I used to do my wash in the evening and let the ondol dry them overnight.

By the way, if the ondol can dry out a towel or clothes like that, just think what it is doing to the body, both inside and out........a humidifier is pretty much a must-have item!

[PRagic]

Sector7G nailed it. It's the dryness. Get a humidifier and you'll be right as rain.

[earthquakez]