What mold contamination looks like in a home

Photographs to Help Identify Mold in Buildings - What mold contamination looks like in a home

Directories of 6 atlases or indices of building mold

1. MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX - A-to-Z Mold Atlas of Indoor Clinical Mold, Pathogens, Allergens & Other Indoor Particles
2. MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE - What Does Black or Dark Indoor Mold Look Like? Black Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library. What toxic black mold or other indoor mold looks like in buildings.
3. MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, PHOTOS - What Does Mold Look Like on Various Materials & Surfaces? An extensive photographic guide to mold as it is found growing on various building materials & surfaces.
   
   Also see MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, TABLE OF - a Table of Kinds of Mold Growth Found on Building Surfaces, lists mold genera/species most often found on specific building surfaces, materials, or contents
4. MOLD in the PETRI DISH, PHOTOS. - Photographs of Mold Growing on Petri Dishes or Mold Culture Plates or Settlement Plates
5. MOLD by MICROSCOPE - Mold spores under the Microscope - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of toxic or other mold
6. MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMS - Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms. Readers should not rely on this document for medical diagnosis and instead should consult with their physician or with a specialist such as a medical toxicologist

Identification Photographs of Black Mold in Buildings - what does black mold look like?

Black mold in the laundry room may look like this extensive case. In cases of large areas of visible mold, unless the mold proves to be only cosmetic mold, professional cleaning is probably needed.

Look closely when inspecting or collecting test samples of "toxic black mold" because often there are other molds, sometimes more harmful and more easily airborne mold species on the same surface, on the hidden side of the same surface of drywall, or nearby.

These include lighter colored genera/species of Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp. etc. which are too often missed when investigators or building owners focus only on "black mold" testing.

Tiny Stachybotrys toxic black mold colony on drywall behind a laundry room baseboard. If this is all that's present this is a trivial cleanup and does not need testing and remediation.

But if this is a "tip of iceberg" clue of a larger hidden problem in the wall, or if it might be, further investigation, at least exploring the wall cavity, would be appropriate.

Black mold on rotting subfloor below a leaky sliding glass door - this "black mold" was Taeoniella rudus for which no medical issues have been reported - a wood rotting organism though.

An investigation of the source of outside leaks and extent of damage to the structure were needed at this building.

Black Stachybotrys chartarum black mold on wallpaper below a leaky window. The window had been left open more than once during rainy weather. We found that water was leaking into the wall cavity, not just behind the wallpaper.

Replacement of a small section of drywall, wall cavity insulation, and wallpaper were appropriate at this location where the first symptom was loose peeling wallpaper which exposed black mold.

Toxic black mold, Memnoniella echinata visible at a small test cut into the wall cavity and contaminating fiberglass insulation in a NY City high rise apartment after water leaked from an A/C condensate line into the metal track of the metal-stud wall.

Larger wall cuts to look for hidden mold and final demolition exposed a very extensive toxic mold colony in this building. Lab processing of a tape sample of this mold was necessary to identify it.

Notice the funny black mold growth pattern on the cavity side of the opposing drywall. This pattern maps the points of contact of the wall insulation kraft paper with the drywall surface, and the movement of moisture and spreading mold growth on the wall surface. It is characteristic of wall cavity mold and is different from the growth pattern of mold growing on a freely exposed-to-air drywall surface.

Black and hidden mold in fiberglass wall insulation in a basement exposed to prolonged wet conditions from a wall leak at a water pipe entry point. This mold was almost hidden except for a small mold-suspect patch and larger water stains on the exposed side of the drywall.

The wall cut exposed a surprise point of water entry. Black mold was visible on the insulation kraft paper.

The problematic mold in this case was not visible but was found by a special sampling technique we used to examine the building insulation for Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. (problem molds) in the fiberglass. 

It was found to be highly contaminated and was determined to be an active reservoir releasing high levels of airborne mold into the basement.

More Photos & Close ups of Black Mold on Building Surfaces 

 

Our mold photo at above left shows black mold colonies growing among green mold colonies on a laundry room ceiling, covering both plastic ceiling tile material (around the plumbing pipes) and drywall. It is often the case that multiple mold genera/species may be growing in the same area, often on the same surface, and at times, on top of one another.

As we advised earlier, look closely when inspecting or collecting test samples of "toxic black mold" because often there are other molds, sometimes more harmful and more easily airborne mold species on the same surface, on the hidden side of the same surface of drywall, or nearby. In this building that was still wet at the time we took this photograph, the airborne level of Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. (the green, gray, and light colored molds in the photo) was very high while the level of airborne Stachybotrys chartarum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Nigrospora sp. (black molds found on these surfaces) was very low.

Our photo at above right shows black mold colonies as smaller "spots" growing on the painted surface of cloth covering asbestos pipe insulation.

 

Our black mold photos above show dense black fungal growth on drywall (black mold on Sheetrock™ type wall surfaces) in areas that have been very wet. The distinct top edge of mold growth may mark a flood water level or a discontinuity in the wall material, such as a tape joint in drywall that affected the moisture gradient in the wall and thus the mold growth pattern.

Close up Photographs of Black Mold on Building Surfaces

 

Here we begin to "zoom in for a closer look at dense black mold growth on indoor building surfaces in a wet basement. Notice that the mold growth on drywall and often on other surfaces includes a family of circular growth patterns (upper area of photo at above right) until the mold growth has expanded to form a solid black covering (left wall of photo at left and lower wall of black mold in photo at right).

 

Our photo at above left shows black mold colonies as individual rounded "rings" on the cavity side of drywall on a building crawl area wall. The black mold photo at right shows how dense black mold may be hidden from view behind wall baseboard trim (removed for this picture) in a building that has suffered wet floors.

 

Black mold growth on furniture is obvious in these two photographs, of a mold on a leatherette surface (left) and on an upholstered chair (right).

 

In our photo at above left we see black mold and other mold growths on the kraft paper facing of fiberglass building insulation. Our black mold photo at above right shows that mold colonies do not always grow in the neat round ring-like colonies shown in some our earlier photographs.

 

Here we start to zoom in our photographs of black mold on building surfaces to show what mold colonies look like on close inspection in-situ. At left is mold on water stained drywall in a basement utility area. At right are small mold colonies that have appeared on a kitchen ceiling in just a few days after a heating system leak led to high indoor moisture and humidity levels.

 

Much more closely we can examine an individual black mold colony on a painted drywall ceiling (above left). In the microscope at 1000x we can see individual spores of Stachybotrys chartarum - a well known black mold that is often found on indoor building surfaces.

Other Examples of What Mold Looks Like in Buildings

Question: Is this stuff on my ceiling mold?

I just moved into a rental trailer and it had a strong musty smell. I thought, maybe it hasn't been aired out. well, after two days of doors and windows open, it still smells. I found the brown discoloration on the ceiling in the kitchen cabinets. Is it mold? Thank you, - L.B. 

Reply: maybe not, but those water stains mean there may be a significant risk of hidden mold indoors

Your photo shows some heavy staining on what looks like suspended ceiling tiles. The brown stains themselves may not be mold but rather brown materials carried by roof leaks into the ceiling structure. Older trailers and mobile homes often have leaky roofs.

It looks as if water has also run down the wall surface and quite likely the wall cavity of the home below those same stains.

In this case the stains you see might not be mold but they do indicate that there is a high risk of mold in this home. Here are spots where I'd suspect a more hidden but possibly larger problem reservoir of mold when we see leak stains like yours:

• The ceiling tiles may themselves be moldy on their upper or hidden surface, depending on what they are made-of. Even plastic-faced fiberglass suspended ceiling tiles that might not look moldy may in fact be contaminated if they have been wet.
  See INSULATION MOLD TEST.
• The back side of wallpaper that has been soaked is often moldy.
  At HIDDEN MOLD in OTHER PLACES we include a photo of mold found behind wallpaper that looked just fine from the room side.
• If the walls are covered with drywall behind that wallpaper, its cavity side may be moldy, though more likely your walls are paneled. Un-painted cavity side of wood paneling often supports mold growth and of course insulation within the wall cavity may be wet and moldy too.
• Finally, where we see significant stains at a wall/ceiling juncture indicating a history of roof leaks that sent water into and down the wall, we take a close look at carpeting, carpet padding, and insulation that may be under the floor below.

I suggest having someone take a look at the insulation and floor condition in the area of leakage from below the mobile home. If that area is wet and damaged you can pretty much expect that there is hidden damage and mold in the ceiling and wall above.

If the damage is not so extensive that immediate major repairs to the structure are needed, but if there appears to be anything greater than 30 sq.ft. of moldy material, professional cleaning and repairs are needed. And the cleaning and repair work cannot be concluded before the leaks are fixed. 

Watch out: in some mobile homes where there has been chronic leakage we have seen floors that were badly deteriorated and even collapse.

Answers to Home Inspection Cost and Services

What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house, from the roof to the foundation.

What does a home inspection include? 
The standard home inspector’s report will cover the condition of the home’s heating system; central air conditioning system (temperature permitting); interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement and structural components.

The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) publishes a Standards of Practiceand Code of Ethics that outlines what you should expect to be covered in your home inspection report.

Why do I need a home inspection?
Buying a home could be the largest single investment you will ever make. To minimize unpleasant surprises and unexpected difficulties, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about the newly constructed or existing house before you buy it. A home inspection may identify the need for major repairs or builder oversights, as well as the need for maintenance to keep it in good shape. After the inspection, you will know more about the house, which will allow you to make decisions with confidence.

If you already are a homeowner, a home inspection can identify problems in the making and suggest preventive measures that might help you avoid costly future repairs.

If you are planning to sell your home, a home inspection can give you the opportunity to make repairs that will put the house in better selling condition.

What will it cost?
The inspection fee for a typical one-family house varies geographically, as does the cost of housing. Similarly, within a given area, the inspection fee may vary depending on a number of factors such as the size of the house, its age and possible optional services such as septic, well or radon testing.

Do not let cost be a factor in deciding whether or not to have a home inspection or in the selection of your home inspector. The sense of security and knowledge gained from an inspection is well worth the cost, and the lowest-priced inspection is not necessarily a bargain. Use the inspector’s qualifications, including experience, training, compliance with your state’s regulations, if any, and professional affiliations as a guide.

Why can't I do it myself? 
Even the most experienced homeowner lacks the knowledge and expertise of a professional home inspector. An inspector is familiar with the elements of home construction, proper installation, maintenance and home safety. He or she knows how the home’s systems and components are intended to function together, as well as why they fail.

Above all, most buyers find it difficult to remain completely objective and unemotional about the house they really want, and this may have an effect on their judgment. For accurate information, it is best to obtain an impartial, third-party opinion by a professional in the field of home inspection.

Can a house fail a home inspection? 
No. A professional home inspection is an examination of the current condition of a house. It is not an appraisal, which determines market value. It is not a municipal inspection, which verifies local code compliance. A home inspector, therefore, will not pass or fail a house, but rather describe its physical condition and indicate what components and systems may need major repair or replacement.

What is ASHI?
Since 1976, ASHI has worked to build consumer awareness of home inspection and to enhance the professionalism of its membership. The ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics serves as a performance guideline for home inspectors, and is universally recognized and accepted by many professional and governmental bodies.
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Who belongs to ASHI? 
ASHI is an organization of independent, professional home inspectors who are required to make a commitment, from the day they join as ASHI Associates, to conduct inspections in accordance with the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, which prohibits engaging in conflict-of-interest activities that might compromise their objectivity. ASHI Associates work their way to ASHI Certified Inspector status as they meet rigorous requirements, including passing a comprehensive, written technical exam and performing a minimum of 250 professional, fee-paid home inspections conducted in accordance with the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Mandatory continuing education helps the membership stay current with the latest in technology, materials and professional skills.
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When do I call a home inspector?
Typically, a home inspector is contacted immediately after the contract or purchase agreement has been signed. Before you sign, be sure there is an inspection clause in the sales contract, making your final purchase obligation contingent on the findings of a professional home inspection. This clause should specify the terms and conditions to which both the buyer and seller are obligated.
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Do I have to be there?
While it’s not required that you be present for the inspection, it is highly recommended. You will be able to observe the inspector and ask questions as you learn about the condition of the home and how to maintain it.
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What if the report reveals problems? 
No house is perfect. If the inspector identifies problems, it doesn’t mean you should or shouldn’t buy the house, only that you will know in advance what to expect. If your budget is tight, or if you don’t want to become involved in future repair work, this information will be important to you. If major problems are found, a seller may agree to make repairs.
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If the house proves to be in good condition, did I really need an inspection? 
Definitely. Now you can complete your home purchase with confidence. You’ll have learned many things about your new home from the inspector’s written report, and will have that information for future reference.
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Home Holiday Safety Tips

 With more cooking, decorating and rituals that include candles and open flames, the risk of house fires and pediatric burn injuries increase drastically during the month of December.

These holiday traditions can all lead to a devastating house fire when there are young children in the home. The U.S. Fire Administration reports there are approximately 128,700 fires during this festive month that account for 415 deaths and 1,650 injuries.

Burn Awareness 
According to Dr. David Herndon, M.D., with Shriners Hospitals for Children® in Galveston, there are three types of pediatric burns that are common during the holidays. They include scalds from steam or hot liquids, contact with heat or flames and electrical burns. Understanding these common injuries and how to avoid them can help your family to stay safe this season.

Holiday Fire Safety Tips
Look out for loved ones and prepare for the holiday ahead with these simple fire safety tips from Shriners Hospitals for Children:

Holiday Decorations

• Make sure your tree is at least three (3) feet away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles or heat vents. 
• If you have a live tree in your home, keep it well watered and remove it after the holiday or when it becomes dry.
• 
  

Holiday Lighting

• Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots and excessive kinking or wear before use. 
• Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet.

Candle Care

• Consider using battery-operated, flameless candles. 
• Never leave lit candles unattended. When using lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and placed where they cannot be knocked down easily. 

Holiday Cooking

• Cooking is the primary cause of home fires and fire injuries, so keep an eye on what you fry. 
• Stand by your pan and turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so children cannot reach them. 
• Wear short sleeves or roll up long sleeves when cooking. 
• Keep a pan lid or cookie sheet nearby to cover the pan if it catches on fire.

Be Prepared
To protect your loved ones, make sure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. The holiday season is a great time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and to check fire extinguishers. 

Have an escape plan for your family and always cook with care. Most importantly, if you or your child experiences a burn, consult a physician immediately. 

The Gift of Prevention

The holiday season is a great time to spread safety awareness to all of your family and friends. Here are some gift ideas to present to loved ones, stuff stockings or to tuck under the tree:

Escape Ladder
The National Fire Protection Association recommends homeowners keep one escape ladder in each room located above the ground floor. Many models are built to stow easily under the bed or in the closet.

Smoke Detector
Some new smoke detectors offer advanced technologies, including a text message alert when a risk is detected or batteries are running low.

Flameless Candles
While a candle is always a classic gift, a flameless candle is a safer way to add ambiance to a room.

Fire ExtinguisherThis safety equipment makes a great addition for the kitchen, garage or wood shop.

Batteries
Fill those stockings with plenty of batteries to ensure smoke detectors are in working order for many months to come.

Home Buying Mistake to Avoid: Skipping the Home Inspection

1. Using the wrong real estate agent. Just because your sister’s college roommate’s friend just got a real estate license doesn’t mean she’s the right agent for you. San Francisco real estate agent Herman Chan suggests vetting agents and looking for someone who does real estate full time and knows the local inventory. “You can lose an offer if you’re not responsive in a couple of hours,” he says. Request the agent’s sales data, and find out how he or she communicates. Chan recommends asking questions like these to gauge the agent’s tech-savyness: “Is it OK if I text you? Is it OK to DocuSign things? If I can’t make an open house on Sunday, can you shoot me a video?” If you prefer to check texts and emails on your phone, you may not want an agent who insists on faxing contracts.

[Read: The Best Online Tools for Your Housing Search.]

2. Shopping before you get preapproved. Before you get serious about buying real estate, find out how much mortgage you qualify for and get a preapproval letter from your lender. “If you fall in love [with a property], write that offer and then find out you can’t afford it, it’s an emotional roller coaster you can’t afford,” Chan says. Many agents won’t even take buyers to showings until they have a preapproval letter for that very reason.

3. Maxing out your spending power. Qualifying for a half-million dollar mortgage does not mean you should buy a McMansion. Jon Sterling, regional sales manager for Chase International Real Estate in Lake Tahoe, Calif., says he’s seen people, especially first-time buyers, make this mistake. “It’s wiser to be a little more conservative,” he adds. Homeowners have additional expenses such as property taxes, condo fees and maintenance that renters do not, so some first-time buyers fail to budget for these extra costs and assume they can afford a monthly mortgage equivalent to the rent they paid. “If you buy into a [homeowners association], you don’t know what their future plans are,” Sterling says. If, for instance, a storm rips the roof off the clubhouse or the association decides to upgrade the common areas, you may get hit with a special assessment to cover those costs. For these unexpected situations, it’s a good idea to keep a cash reserve on hand. Some dual-income couples choose to qualify based on just one income to give themselves a financial buffer.

4. Taking advice from outsiders. Parents, relatives or friends who haven’t bought property in the local market may not understand local pricing and market conditions. Parents or in-laws who own houses in the suburbs may also have unrealistic expectations about what the equivalent amount of money buys in the city. “Be careful about people that are giving you advice from across the country,” Sterling says. When parents are gifting money for a down payment, their input may be necessary, so Sterling tries to show properties only when “all the decision-makers are in the car.”

[Read: What to Know Before Gifting a Down Payment.]

5. Skipping the inspection. Home inspections can help alert potential buyers to problems such as structural issues, faulty wiring and other problems a layperson probably wouldn’t spot. But if you’re in a market that moves quickly, you might be tempted to skip an inspection to make the offer more appealing, Sterling says. Insisting on an inspection might slow the process, but as he points out, “any seller that is going to knock you out because of that is probably hiding something anyway. You’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, [so you want] to make sure you’re getting what you think you’re getting.”

6. Overdoing contingencies. While home inspections are recommended, Michael Alderfer, a Washington, D.C., agent with the national real estate brokerage Redfin, says some homebuyers include so many inspection-related contingencies that it can scare off the seller and his or her agent. “Some buyers are nervous, so they’re looking for extra ways to change their mind and walk away,” he says. “You can write a competitive offer without all these extra things and leave yourself a couple of ways to get out.” He suggests talking to your agent before submitting the offer, so you’ll feel confident your interests are protected.

[See: 6 Tips for Boomers Leaving Big Homes Behind.]

7. Getting too attached to one property. In competitive markets, you may have to put in offers on several properties before one is accepted. Alderfer says some buyers get so infatuated with one property that a rejected offer hits them hard. “It’s OK to feel anxious, but you need to be able to fall in and out of love during a home search,” he says. “If you find a home that you think is perfect for you and you don’t get it, you can’t stay down too long. You have to recognize that wasn’t the house for you.”

Home Window Blinds and Child Safety

About once a month in the United States, a child between 7 months and 10 years old is strangled in the cords of window blinds and shades.

Typically, the child wraps the cord around his neck or pulls on cords—which are not clearly visible but are accessible—then gets tangled up in the loops. Strangulation deaths and injuries can happen quickly and silently, and they occur no matter how vigilant parents are. More than 180 kids were strangled in the cords from 1996 to 2012, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The CPSC has recalled (PDF) millions of window coverings with cords in recent years. Manufacturers operate under voluntary safety standards, a situation that does not adequately address the problems. The rate of injuries and death has not significantly declined over the years that Consumer Reports has covered the hazards of cords on window coverings.

Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, has pressed companies to make window coverings safer, and we’re part of a coalition that has petitioned the CPSC to develop formal rules. The group includes the Consumer Federation of America, Independent Safety Consulting, Kids In Danger, Parents for Window Blind Safety, Public Citizen, and U.S. PIRG. In a unanimous vote last month, the CPSC agreed to move forward on our petition and begin the process of rulemaking.

The coalition has pointed to the fact that safer window coverings are already on the market and that such designs can be used on the vast majority of blinds and shades. Since the industry has resisted calls to eliminate dangerous cords even though those safer options exist, we believe a mandatory standard is necessary to ensure unsafe products will no longer be sold.

Consumers Union and other groups will continue to work to get a strong rule established as soon as possible.

How to keep your child safe

Follow this advice from the CPSC.

• Examine all shades and blinds in your home. The CPSC recommends cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.

• Make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the window covering.

• Keep cribs, beds, and other furniture away from windows with shades or blinds. Children can climb on the furniture and gain access to the cords.

• Make loose cords inaccessible.

• If the window shade has looped bead chains or nylon cords, install tension devices to keep the cords taut.

To learn more about what you can do to avoid a tragedy in your home, visit the CPSC’s window covering information center.

Guaranteed Property Inspection & Mold Investigation Receives 2014 Best Businesses of Irvine Award

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Guaranteed Property Inspection & Mold Investigation Receives 2014 Best Businesses of Irvine Award

Irvine Award Program Honors the Achievement

Irvine, November 19, 2014 — Guaranteed Property Inspection & Mold Investigation has been selected for the 2014 Best Businesses of Irvine Award in the Home Inspectors category by the Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program.

Each year, the Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Irvine area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2014 Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About the Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program

The Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Irvine area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.

SOURCE: Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program
CONTACT:
Best Businesses of Irvine Award Program
Email: PublicRelations@BestBusinesses.biz
URL: http://www.BestBusinesses.biz

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How to Find the Best Home Inspector

Hiring a professional home inspector before purchasing a home is a smart thing to do,

but how does one find the best inspector?

Only one state recognizes the potential conflict of interest when a real estate agent selling a home also recommends a home inspector to the buyer. 

Some people may ask, “what’s wrong with the real estate agent recommending a home

inspector to a prospective buyer?” The answer is: A real estate agent works for

a sale, (a thorough home inspection can just get in the way.) A good home inspector works for the person who hires him/her (the prospective homebuyer) and not the real estate agent.

 There have been many cases of unhappy buyers and court case involving agent referred home inspectors.

http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/courts/appellate/a6252-99.opn.html

Hiring the cheapest home inspector, rather than one certified by the American Association of Home Inspectors: (ASHI); will make sure you get an inexpensive inspection, but not a good and thorough one. 

Cheap home inspectors are new, non-certified and low balling prices to get work in a very competitive industry. They also want to please the real estate agent, to get future referrals.

Always verify that your potential inspector in certified by ASHI by going to http://www.ashi.org. The ASHI website will also list any special skills your inspector has such as mold certifications. 

Hiring anyone who is not ASHI certified, is taking a dangerous gamble: with a very large investment and the safety of your family (for hidden safety hazards, that a good inspector will find).

The is truly a service, where you get what you pay for.

One in five homeowners said they wish they’d inspected the home more carefully before moving in— a according to a survey by Trulia.

Health Effects of Mold

Here is a video on the Health Effects of Mold produced by IAQA.org.

Toxic Mold and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS

Here is an article on mold as it relates to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome found at the Washington Post:

What is chronic fatigue syndrome, and why aren’t we doing more to treat the illness?

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(Jon Krause for The Washington Post)

By Julie Rehmeyer October 6

Eight years ago, collapsed on a neurologist’s examining table, I asked a naive question that turned out to be at the center of a long-running controversy: “So what is chronic fatigue syndrome?” I had just been diagnosed with the illness, which for six years had been gradually overtaking me.

A week earlier, I had woken up barely able to walk. Fatigue hardly described what I felt. Paralysis was more like it. My legs seemed to have been amputated and replaced with tubes of liquid concrete, and just shifting them on the table made me grunt like an Olympic weightlifter. My bones hurt; my brain felt like a swollen mass. Speaking required tracking down and spearing each word individually as it scampered away from me. I felt as capable of writing an article about science — my job — as of killing a rhino with my teeth.

“We don’t understand it very well,” my neurologist said, his face blank. He could recommend no tests, no treatments, no other doctors. I came to understand that, for him, the term chronic fatigue syndrome meant “I can’t help you.”

My neurologist’s understanding of the illness mirrored that of many doctors, who believe two things about CFS: that it’s probably psychosomatic and that there’s nothing doctors can do for it. One survey found that nearly half of doctors thought that CFS was or might be psychosomatic, and 58 percent said there wasn’t enough information available to help them diagnose it.

An examination of medical textbooks found that CFS was underrepresented, even compared with less-prevalent illnesses.

When author Laura Hillenbrand developed chronic fatigue syndrome at age 20, her internist sent her to a psychiatrist. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

A study published in March reported that some doctors have little understanding of the condition and are skeptical that it exists. Researchers and clinicians specializing in the illness argue that science long ago showed that the disease has a biological basis and that there are treatments that can help, though not cure, it. Because of doctors’ lack of knowledge, patients don’t get the help they need, but they often feel they get a helping of scorn. 

For example, Laura Hillenbrand — who went on to write the bestsellers “Seabiscuit” and “Unbroken” — came down with the illness at age 20 and, finding herself unable to read, speak coherently or stand up, took a leave from college. Her internist sent her to a psychiatrist, told her the symptoms were those of puberty and wrote in her chart, “Couldn’t handle school. Dropped out.”

A big part of the reason patients don’t get the help they need goes back to my question on the doctor’s table: What is CFS? There is no single, widely accepted definition of the illness, and some are so broad that patients under the CFS umbrella can have almost nothing in common with one another. This disparity stumps doctors, leading them to consider the illness psychosomatic.

Recent efforts to address the problem have led to infighting, with patients and experts arguing that the effort may only lead to further confusion. Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services commissioned the Institute of Medicine to develop yet another definition of the illness for clinicians. But about 50 doctors and researchers who specialize in CFS revolted and wrote to HHS requesting cancellation of the contract. Hundreds of patient advocates wrote to HHS to support them. The specialists argued that the $1 million effort was wasteful and poorly planned and that HHS should simply endorse the definition these experts had already created. Spend the money on research instead, they argued.

“We chose the Institute of Medicine because it is the gold standard for recommendations in the medical field,” says Nancy Lee, HHS’s deputy assistant secretary of health, “and it has credibility and reach that nobody else does.”

HHS continued with the contract, and the final report is expected in early 2015.

This is just the latest clash in a long string of disputes between federal agencies and the CFS community that have hamstrung efforts to understand a disease that, according to a 2008 economic analysis, costs the nation as much as $24 billion each year.

Worse, better, worse

At the time of my diagnosis, I was focused on learning to cope, not on the politics of CFS. A couple of weeks after seeing the neurologist, I felt well enough to venture to the grocery store. By the time I put the bags in the car, though, I was quivering with exhaustion. That night, I was too weak to turn over in bed. Overexertion, I realized, was my enemy. So I began a program of aggressive rest, and, gradually, I got stronger.

But over the next five years, I got worse again, then better, then worse. I consulted doctors, but they couldn’t help much. Each time I was stuck in bed, I scoured my activities, my diet, my environment, seeking a reason for my misery. I finally gave up the search, saving my scarce energy and money for living my life. I worked when I could and rested when I had to.

Then in 2011, I disintegrated. Day after day, I couldn’t get out of bed, couldn’t work, couldn’t even focus my eyes to read a novel. I flew to the University of Miami and staggered into the office of Nancy Klimas, an immunologist and CFS expert. She smiled and said, “Your legs aren’t working too well for you there! We should be able to get you feeling better.” I nearly cried.

She told me that although CFS didn’t yet have a cure, she and other researchers had discovered quite a bit about it. At that time, many thought a retrovirus called XMRV might be the cause. Klimas was skeptical (and soon thereafter the theory was disproven). Regardless, she told me, she and other researchers were certain the illness wasn’t psychosomatic. The physiological abnormalities in CFS patients were too consistent for that.

She soon confirmed those patterns in me: Some parts of my immune system barely functioned, while others were in overdrive. Several viruses had become reactivated in my body, causing mischief long after the initial infection was past. My heart couldn’t pump enough blood to my brain when I stood up: After six minutes of standing still, my blood pressure plummeted to 80/52, my heart raced and I begged to lie down lest I vomit or pass out.

Klimas couldn’t cure me, but she helped. She gave me immune modulators so my immune system wouldn’t overrev as though I were fighting an eternal flu. She worked to improve my sleep, suggesting a monitor to study my patterns. She prescribed beta blockers to steady my heart rate when I stood. The most effective treatment was astonishingly simple: Gatorade. Electrolytes increased my blood volume — typically 20 percent low in CFS patients — thereby stopping my blood pressure from dropping so dramatically. She also aggressively monitored me for cancer, since my natural killer cells, the immune system’s main cancer assassins, barely functioned, as is common in CFS patients.

I improved enough to work a little bit, and it was a tremendous relief to have a knowledgeable and compassionate doctor behind me. Still, Klimas (who also treats HIV/AIDS) says that if she had to choose between having HIV and having CFS, she’d unquestionably choose HIV.

I was fortunate to get such competent care. There are perhaps a couple of dozen U.S. specialists to treat the 1 million Americans with CFS, and most non-specialists are as hamstrung by lack of knowledge about the illness as the neurologist who diagnosed me.

That’s the precise problem that HHS says it is trying to solve by having the Institute of Medicine create a new definition for doctors. A recommendation from this prestigious body is what is needed, HHS says, to educate rank-and-file doctors about the illness.

Many CFS activists and researchers have grown suspicious of the federal agencies, however. They say that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has exacerbated the definitional muddle, having contributed to the creation of multiple, broad definitions for the illness.

These varying definitions have not only confused doctors; they’ve also made a hash of the research, with different studies analyzing patients who may have nothing in common. The name “chronic fatigue syndrome,” which became widespread after the CDC endorsed it, has also reinforced skepticism about the illness. After all, aren’t we all chronically fatigued? (The Institute of Medicine has also been charged with recommending whether the name should be changed.)

Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health spends only $5 million a year on CFS research; by comparison, it spends $3 billion on HIV/AIDS research (which, like CFS, affects about a million Americans). Mariela Shirley, an official at the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, says funding is determined by the number of researchers in a field, their experience in competing for NIH funding and other factors.

HHS’s handling of the latest controversy has only intensified skepticism.The majority of committee members chosen to develop the new definition have no professional experience with the disease, says Derek Enlander, a CFS specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. As he put it, “Do you want a podiatrist to treat your grandfather with lung cancer?”

In addition, Klimas told me, “I’m afraid they’re about a year early.” If HHS had waited, she said, the agency could have developed a definition grounded in data. Several large studies (including one by the CDC) are collecting tissue from more than 1,000 patients and controls, looking for biological indicators that most effectively distinguish the two groups.

Without that evidence, Klimas said, a committee might dismiss the results of the many small studies that point toward such indicators — a dismissal that could lead to yet another broad, confusing definition.

(Klimas, now at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., accepted a position on the committee after she was interviewed for this article.)

These disputes are heartbreaking when the needs of CFS patients are so great. Even the high-quality treatment I got from Klimas helped me only slightly. A year after I saw her, I heard from some patients who had significantly recovered from CFS through assiduously avoiding exposure to mold and other environmental contaminants. Although I considered the theory wacky, I was desperate enough to experiment. And for me, it worked. Two years later, I can go running, write articles and travel with my new husband. Every time I do, it feels like a miracle.

But I don’t think it is. My recovery has almost certainly come through physiological changes in response to my avoiding mold.

After spending two weeks in the desert with none of my own stuff to get clear of toxic molds, I found when I returned that my own home and belongings could cripple me within minutes. By staying away from any building or object that made me sick, I felt dramatically better and got healthier over time.

The role of mold in CFS has received nearly no scientific study, just like many other promising areas of research in the illness.

Yes, we need a sound, accepted definition, but we also need so much more. It’s time to treat patients with respect, to move beyond political squabbling and to make an investment in researching this illness that is in proportion to the devastation it causes.

Rehmeyer is a math and science writer in Santa Fe, N.M. A version of this article appeared originally at the science writers’ blog The Last Word on Nothing.

Related: The definition of chronic fatigue syndrome keeps changing