# Headaches from Foggers?



## tattman98 (Jun 29, 2011)

Does anyone have people complaining their fog gives them headaches. Is there anything I can do about this, I try to regulate the fog to short burst over long time periods. But people still say it is to much. I would hate to totaly eliminate the foggers.


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

Heres the Wiki.





Ive searched around and skimmed a couple of the studys mentioned, under adverse health effects, and they pretty much say a long boring version of the Wiki entry.

Ive read another study that says water/glycol fog is hunky-dorey.

But anyway, the headaches are from the glycol, from what I have read. Not much you can do. Keep it low-lying, use a fast dissipating (low glycol) fluid, might help. Or the expensive option, a liquid nitrogen based dry fogger system, something I have 0 experience with.
http://oem.bmj.com/content/58/10/649.full

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-154/pdfs/5523.pdf

A study, and the NIOSH pocket guide page on glycols.

FWIW.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

I got blasted with fog once at a pro haunt, so much that I could taste it in my throat. I didn't feel weird until the next day when I had a headache and a sore throat for a week. It was so bad that I stay away from foggers.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

A lot of it also depends on the quality of fog fluid. I worked for a couple of years in a haunt that used cheapo Halloween store fog, and it always gave me headaches. Then I worked for a few years in a haunt that used Froggy's and it didn't have as bad an effect on me. The second place also had better ventilation, and more effective ventilation, as well.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

That's the key to fog machines is having really good ventilation. Especially if you have fog roaming inside your haunt. The biggest problems you run into is having a large amount of fog in an enclosed room. I attended one haunt attraction one year and they had so much fog throughout the haunt that you couldn't even breath or find your way around, even with lighting. Plus it can make it hard for some people to breath if they have any kind of lung or breathing problems. Fog is designed to add atmosphere not to engulf a whole haunt. 

Again the quality of the fluid can also play a big difference, just as BioHazardCustoms has stated. There are different types of liquid fog you can purchase, I would also suggest using a much better quality of fog juice. Yes you cost can be a little more but in the long run it's much better for your attendants. I would check to make sure that it's non-toxic as well. A really good quality of product will tell you how well it works with people. I would also check on line fog machines or maybe liquid fog to see whats out there.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I agree with Troll Wizard, fog is supposed to be an enhancement, not the main attraction in a haunt. And a fog chiller will help keep it out of peoples faces (and noses).


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

I don't remember getting a headache. However, some people are more sensitive to it than others. 

I never use my foggers inside. Not only does it deposit on everything but I don't like breathing it in. I went bowling one night where they had hazers and damn I did not like it.

I work for a chemical company and worked with all of the ingredients while developing products. It's amazing to me after reading the hazards on the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for these chemicals that they are used in many of our personal care products and food products. I minimize my exposure. But I still buy fog juice.


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

I guess I would only say:

Every person is a little different - I've never really been bothered by it, my wife coughs and chokes in sort of a reflex reaction - though it doesn't seem to be real coughing, but a couple of other people we know seem like they are about ready for a trip to the emergency room after a few squirts.

There are also differences in fog fluids. Strangely, I've always had the walmart / cheap stuff and never had a problem. Last year I bucked up for some ...name omitted... but well respected 'premium' fluid and it did seem to make my throat a little dry.

You can also never discount the placebo effect...walk into a room, say you smell something funny, then start acting like you are dizzy and might throw up - and see how many other people also start to feel sick, too. Sometimes when your eyes see smoke and fog, you naturally want to cough and feel short of breath.

All this can combine in strange ways to affect people.


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## tattman98 (Jun 29, 2011)

I also wanted to experiment with dry ice this is only hazardous to the User that they can be burned if not handled correctly am I right in thinking this?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Dry ice can give you a nice little freezer burn if you're not careful Also bear in mind that it's a solid form of carbon dioxide, so a whole lot of it subliming in an enclosed space could be a problem. If you want to create a lot of fog, dry ice is not the most practical solution, either.


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## Brett Baker (Aug 3, 2010)

froggys fog juice is designed by an asthmatic that worked at a chemical company, he uses more pure chemicals, it works better and is safer. I have played the dance of chilling fog, but the area it goes into needs a chill too and we often dont get that luxury in texas.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Had one of my foggers fall off of a loose shelf this afternoon and hit me in the head, and it made me think of this thread, lol.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Brett Baker said:


> froggys fog juice is designed by an asthmatic that worked at a chemical company, he uses more pure chemicals, it works better and is safer.


I love Froggy's performance and will always use it but...
I've been a chemist developing products for 25 years and purity does not make it safer. The ingredients are still hazardous and its important to excercise good chemical hygiene and common sense.

Now get out there and make some fog!


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

tattman98 said:


> I also wanted to experiment with dry ice this is only hazardous to the User that they can be burned if not handled correctly am I right in thinking this?


If you get a big whiff of the CO2 vapor, it can combine with water in your nose and throat to make weak carbonic acid. This will give a momentary 'sting' or burning sensation in your nose/throat. If you've ever burped while drinking a carbonated beverage - same thing.

This is generally not an issue for fogging a room, or making a cauldron. But if you have a fogging punch bowl or intend to have someone drink a fogging cup as a prop, it's something to take note of.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Fog generated from dry ice is my absolute favorite. It can be handled safely. I've even picked up pieces of dry ice quickly without burning myself. You just don't want to have sustained contact. 

During my first two years of Halloween haunting I used it. When I saw a group of tots turning into my driveway I would put a small scoop of dry ice pellets into a cauldron filled with hot water. The thick volumes of fog would spill over the porch and down the steps. Everyone loved it. 

Unfortunatley, other than being expensive its a high maintenance option. The fog doesn't last for more than a few minutes before you have to throw more ice in. It also cools the hot water very rapidly and then doesn't produce fog as well. That is why I started with hot water and added it to an electric crock pot inside my cauldron.

Dry ice is way too much hassle. The next year I learned about fog chillers, found Haunt Forum and built my own chillers. The rest is history.

I wouldn't use a lot of dry ice inside a small room because it displaces the oxygen and makes you drowsy. Funny story, Years ago my old roommate bought mail order steak and it came inside a styrofoam cooler with a huge block of dry ice. We filled the cooler with water and sat it on our living room floor and placed the dry ice block inside. It produced the most killer thick fog! We realized shortly afterwards that we were all getting drowsy from lack of oxygen. We opened the door and tossed the whole thing outside and laughed about it. No big deal really. Just thought I'd share my experience.


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## Haunt2530 (Jan 29, 2013)

You can try mixing in fog scents from fright props. You just mix it in with any water based fog.


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