Today’s home environments are complex, confusing and almost always more involved than you would expect. Your mold or environmentally acquired illness can be even more challenging. If you think you are going to just fix all this over a weekend, think again. This is anything but a rational science where even the experts sometimes struggle to find a solution that works. Many people tend to react quickly rather than strategically.
The Initial Diagnosis
So you finally have found out after a decade’s worth of suffering and DIY “trial & error” that you have some chronic / environmentally acquired illness. You might have even received a doctor’s diagnosis with some snazzy name like Hashimoto’s Disease or “Overactive Sinus”. You have engaged an indoor environmental professional (IEP) to conduct a formal microbial assessment and discover you have mold. A 5-figure estimate to fix everything often follows close behind. You are ready to tackle this problem head-on.
While moving forward makes perfectly good sense, that’s your rational brain talking and this is not as rational as you would think.
Family Warns Others After Hidden Mold Causes Severe Health Issues and Major Financial Loss
A family in Hoover, Alabama, was forced to abandon their home after discovering it was infested with toxic mold, leading to severe health complications. The Early family initially had no idea mold could be causing their health issues since their home had no musty odor or visible signs of mold. After experiencing unexplained symptoms, including seizures, stroke-like episodes, and adult-onset asthma, they finally uncovered the presence of four toxic molds throughout their home, with levels 500 times above normal.
The mold was hidden in areas like the walls, roof decking, subfloor, crawl space, and HVAC system. Unfortunately, the family’s home and belongings are a total loss, and the cost to clean and restore the property is estimated in the six-figure range-expenses not covered by insurance. Kendall Early now shares her story to raise awareness about the dangers of hidden mold, urging others with chronic or unexplained illnesses to test their homes.
Expert Insights on Mold Risks and Prevention
Mold experts emphasize that hidden mold can be especially dangerous because it often grows in areas that are not easily visible, such as behind walls, under flooring, or within HVAC systems. Victor Coppola, a mold subject matter expert, notes that toxic molds like Stachybotrys and Chaetomium can trigger severe respiratory and neurological symptoms. He advises homeowners to monitor for early signs, such as chronic illness without clear cause, and to schedule a professional mold inspection if concerns arise.
Struggling with Mold in Your Home? Here Are 5 Solutions to Consider
1. Fix Your Home Yourself
You rationalize that you are a professional; you are also extremely skilled and handy; your spouse, family and friends can help; and you have good insurance. It’s a small project and doesn’t seem to be a big deal. You recently redid the bathroom and put in a new kitchen. You think you can do it yourself and save a bunch of money. Please reconsider – this is something you are not equipped to handle.
This is probably the worst decision anyone can make. A wise muse once said, “You don’t know what you don’t know”. That applies here where many a good intention paved the way to despair, worse health and financial losses. Take that abundant energy and good intentions and funnel it into finding the best IEP you can find. And listen to what they have to say and hear what they are trying to tell you. What you think you need and what is actually required are often two very different things.
2. Hire a Remediation Pro
So you decide the project is a bit too much for you and think about hiring a professional. Almost immediately, you are overwhelmed with remediator suggestions and can’t pick the best one. Prices are astronomical 5-figure estimates to start. And no one estimate seems the same.
All of this is tough. Some tips for finding good professionals:
- Look to Google reviews in which clients share their stories
- Local recommendations from physicians, community groups, etc,
- Are they part of applicable environmental associations
- Do they have the years of experience needed for your project
- Are they part of a franchise, are they a survivor who hung a shingle, or are they a true science-oriented Firm well-equipped to handle your unique situation?
But overall, do they exhibit the compassion you need to help you get through all this? Compassion is the one thing that will push your contractor over the top and make them your partner in a successful remediation.
3. Gut Your Entire Home (and restore it)
The work proposed is pretty extensive, so why not just do it all? Gut the entire house and rebuild. Turn this lemon of a situation around and make some lemonade out of it. Unfortunately, it’s never that simple.
While this sounds like a very viable option, correcting environmental situations like this doesn’t follow a rational decision-making process. Make sure you have a professional IEP to help ground you and explore all your options. It will be well worth the money in the long run.
4. Move to a New Home
The entire process is often very complicated, so you decide to just walk away from it all and move. Sell the house. Let the next person deal with this headache. While this may seem like a viable option, it still costs money, time, and effort. Market timing might not be in your favor to sell, and if it is, you might not find the right home. Worst of all, you might jump from the pan into the fire with your move (into another moldy house).
Be sure you know the details behind “the devil you know” before taking this plunge. Many times, your current home is a small part of the problem and was just the straw that broke the camel’s back where the root of your illness may be elsewhere. A good IEP can help you navigate all this and help you make the best decision when selecting your new home.
5. Offsite Exposure
While your home is a common area for mold exposure, don’t forget about off-site areas where you may become exposed. The second most common areas of exposure are:
- Your workplace (school, warehouse, office building, etc.),
- Your gym (if you have a robust workout routine)
- You might have a second home-away-from-home (your parent’s place, your weekend place, an Air BNB you frequent, etc.).
All are places that you could have been exposed to first. These places can be extremely difficult to factor into your path to recovery and are a big consideration that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
We humbly and respectfully offer this advice that we have gathered from decades of successfully addressing 100’s of environmentally compromised homes and helping sick individuals and families.
What’s Next?
While the above choices are a good way to start, you might have some questions before getting started. The building biologists and indoor air quality (IAQ) professionals at GreenWorks can help. You can reach them at their office (732-223-2073) or through their questionnaire portal on their website. Your first teleconsultation is always free and should give you the peace of mind you are looking for.
