"Richard" wrote in message
I have a 1550 square foot house so I'm going to put 16 plants in the house
because I have a breathing problem.

Before you put in any houseplants, you would be wise to check up with health
care professionals on whether it will really help your breathing problems.
And even if they say it will, ask them to provide decent scientific studies
to support their claims - don't accept 'feel good' reports grabbed off the
Net or from popular lifestyle sites or publications given your health
problems.

There is a lot of garbage info around on the Net and in indifferent popular
publications especially about the so called 'purifying' effects of palnts on
air quality. The only reputable report I've ever seen suggested that they
do no such thing. Indoor plants are an aesthetic improvement to the
environment but apparently do nothing of a 'real' nature to improve air
quality. In fact all the potting material may end up being a detriment to
air quality in the long run for someone such as yourself with breathing
problems.