Toxic Mold

As an Indoor Air Quality Specialist and Mold Inspector/Assessor since 2003 I am encouraged by the educational information that is out there about toxic mold and it's potentially toxic affect on our health. Our family has experienced the devastation of illness created by living with mold in their indoor environment.  I do not think it was a mistake that my interest peaked when I learned about the need for clean air within a house or building.  This interest soon became a new career for me.  A career that has helped many people find solutions to their problems with toxic mold.

I say I do not believe it an accident because not long after I had finished my training one of my daughters and two of her children had many mysterious illnesses and they could not figure it out.  Her baby kept turning purple.  The physician who checked her out was alarmed and sent her to the hospital for testing.  Nothing came from all of the tests they performed.  My daughter lost a baby in her 4th month of pregnancy and she grieved for the loss.

It wasn't until she almost lost her next baby that I began to connect the dots.   We were called in the middle of the night to stay with the children while her husband took her to the hospital.  As my wife and I tried to go to sleep in their bedroom my nose plugged up immediately and I experienced problems with breathing.

My daughter was put on bed-rest.  We took her and her two children in our home to care for her during this time.  Meanwhile I took action to clean the air in the home.  We had already given them a Quality Air Purifier, knowing the toxic air from off-gassing that manufactured homes possess.  I added air purification system to their ducts.  Though the air purifier was working I realized that it was not reaching to the corner of the bedroom where my daughter slept.  The purification in the ducts carried the purification throughout the house into every room.

Everyone's mysterious symptoms were now controlled.  A few years later they discovered mold in their bathroom.  I inspected the room, took samples and sent it to the lab immediately.  The results came back and we learned she and the family were living in an environment with very high numbers of black mold.   Though the air purification was cleaning up the air they breathed they need remediation.

Do I think my daughter's family would have discovered the source of their illnesses had I not been in this field?  I highly doubt it.  At the time people were not so aware of toxic mold or the importance of Indoor Air Quality, breathing clean air indoors.   I have to give thanks to God that this problem manifested itself after I had started my profession.

I have been called to inspect beautiful new homes, old homes and commercial buildings.  The calls are made by homeowners, realtors or businesses who have either found a suspicious looking mold in the building or  home, have members of their household or employees who have developed mysterious illnesses.  Some clients contact me when they make the connection between a move and the illness, some consult me when they have discovered a longstanding leak in their bathroom or finding mold in the wall when remodeling.   Still others have consulted me after a flood invaded their home.

Many re-mediators claim to handle mold.  Unfortunately they have not been intensively trained in protocol for mold cleanup and remediation. I am thinking of the results of the samples I sent to the lab on a home a couple was looking to buy.   The potential buyers spotted the mold on the floor joists of the basement and hired me to assess the mold.

This home had been 're-mediated' by the current owners.  The year before the owners had discovered a leak in their bathroom.  They called in re mediators who supposedly took care of their problem.  They spent thousands of dollars on a tear out, re-mediation and rebuild.   Unfortunately the re-mediators failed to do pre and post testing on the floor joists in the basement.  Post testing would have revealed that mold spores were still on the joists. A re-cleaning with proper 'environmentally safe products,' followed by a post-test would have solved their mold problem. 

Many businesses have contacted me because of employees who are experiencing mysterious illnesses including headaches, sinus infections, bad colds that won't go away, bronchitis, frequent urination and more.   Getting rid of the source and cleaning the air they breathe is the solution to their problem

 Chris Fabry, famous Christian radio host was interviewed by CBN regarding the devastating affects on their family's health while living in a toxic mold environment and the continued health issues they face.  This family is endeavoring to spread the word as they share their Health Journey on Blogger.  There are many Toxic Mold Stories you can read about. These stories are about Real people who have lived through nightmares before discovering the root of their problem.  Many discover it early enough to solve the problem and save their health.  Others have become so sick that they will never fully recover.  

If you 'see mold,' in your home, suspect indoor air quality may be affecting your family's health or if you are purchasing a new home you need to enlist the help of a certified mold inspector/assessor.  Take action and learn all you can about the toxic affects of living and breathing toxic air in your indoor environment.

House Mold

Got Mold?

TOXIC BLACK MOLD

Is your home toxic? As a certified mold inspector and I have learned more than I'd ever want to know about the destructive results of mold growing in houses. Today our houses are sealed so tight that they don't breathe .. If mold, bacteria or yeast attaches it'self to your wall or other items .. It can make you real sick. The thing is MOST people are not educated about the chaos it causes in the human body. Among the most notorious of the molds is Stachybotrys better known as black mold. Exposure to toxic black mold can lead to a sort of poisoning that has numerous symptoms and effects. The poisoning results from a compound that forms with the mold and degrades the surface it grows on. As this is being written I am in the process of lining up a reputable re-mediator for a lady who is very ill and is not functioning. She is an extremely educated woman who used to run her profession from her home. She is now unable to work and has great difficulty with health issues and mental fog. The testing I did in her home came back with stachybotrys (Black Mold) too numerous to count. The test results also revealed high contamination with bacteria, yeast and other types of molds.  As I contemplated the trip over to deliver the news to her I knew I would also have a message, an urgent plea to leave her home - It was making her very sick. It's very SAD.

Most of the time I am able to do the testing while it is confined to one area. Sometimes the area will require safe chemicals to remove the mold (Don't Use Bleach - the mold will disappear for awhile and come back with a vengeance.) Sometimes simply cleaning the area with a non-toxic environmentally safe mold eliminator is enough and other times remediation is the only solution. In one household I was called to inspect, the child had let the bathtub overflow. The water sat there for some time before it was discovered and wiped up. The home happened to be a manufactured home. The building materials in these homes are usually lower in quality. The walls in this home were like paper and absorbed the water way up into the walls. Remediation was required. The re- mediators had to suit up, so they did not get sick, while removing the contaminated walls. Do not attempt to do anything on your own if you suspect mold. I was told that the man of the house put a fan on the floor to dry it out.  A fan takes those contaminates and spreads the spores all over and right into the breathing space. Bad Plan!

Volitile Organic Compound's
Another agent that causes health issues are called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s). the off- gassing from paint, new carpet, wood etc. These compounds often cause damage to the respiratory and nervous systems in humans. These compounds can also cause irritation to the mucous membranes. If you have asthma or respiratory, sinus or breathing issues, beware of entering new buildings which are full of V.O.C.'s. There is equipment (AIR PURIFICATION UNIT) available that will rid your breathing space of Voc's, bacteria, fungus, smoke, viruses, odors and more.

Symptoms of Black Mold Exposure

SICKNESS FROM BLACK MOLD

 Breathing difficulty is among the single most common symptom of exposure to any sort of mold. Black mold is no exception to this. Individuals may experience coughing or even asthma in some cases. Sometimes VOC poisoning may even cause bleeding in the lungs. Individuals that are exposed to VOC’s and black mold may also experience a runny or itchy nose. Similarly any of the mucous membranes may also become irritated. This may result in conditions in the eyes and other areas of the body. In some cases the individuals that are exposed to VOC’s and black mold may experience headaches. They may also have memory loss and lack of concentration. Other symptoms may include lethargy and dizziness.. Black mold symptoms may also include nausea. In some cases the digestive process may be impaired and the digestive system may be damaged. Infections may occur in the body. The urinary tract is among the more common locations of such infections. There may be instances of rashes or hives on the skin of individuals that are exposed to VOC’s and black mold as well. Black mold symptoms may include irregular blood pressure, pain in internal organs, such as the liver. Infertility can result in some individuals following prolonged exposure or exposure to high-levels. Black mold symptoms can be serious and may be potentially fatal. The poisoning does not improve without removal from the area. Symptoms however may vary and may seem to improve at times. Got Mold - Now What? Let's say you have determined you have many of the toxic mold symptoms. Your next step would to have your home inspected by a certified mold inspector If the test results show high levels of toxic mold spores you will know where your illness originates. Blood testing is the third step in diagnosis of toxic black mold syndrome. Though it is important that you consult a physician, not all physicians know how to go about testing for toxic mold poisoning. If you are concerned that you may be experiencing VOC poisoning or black mold symptoms.don't delay in finding the source. Early treatment is the better option. Similarly some of these symptoms may be signs of other treatable problems. In addition the black mold clean up of the home or other contaminated area often proves easier when the mold is detected early on. There are professional mold removal companies that are trained in the removal of mold and the restoration of structures

New Home with Black Mold

NEW HOMES GET BLACK MOLD TOO

I have included a must see video in this hub by a couple who bought a new house that had black mold growing behind the walls. The builder of the house used wet beams and wood in the construction of the home. You just can't do that without creating the perfect atmosphere for mold to grow. As a result of living with black mold for many months, two of the members of this family got severely ill. It took a long time to find out what was causing their illness. The cause was growing and hidden behind the walls of their house. Watch the video to see what happened. Mold Destroys House and Health.

ONE FAMILY'S HORROR STORY