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Mold In Carpet Will Impact Your Health

January 7, 2022/0 Comments/in Cleaning, Sick House /by sickhouses

You Carpet is a Homes Largest Air Filter That Does Not Get Changed

By Cesar Collado

While many people enjoy the warmth and comfort of wall to wall carpeting, Vacuuming often is a significant commitment. Carpet does not only capture crumbs, dirt and hair. It captures small particulates that include VOCs, toxins, mold, bacteria, and other harmful compounds. Furthermore, these particulates can settle at the base of the carpet where they cannot be seen or might not be accessible by a standard vacuuming. The following article provides additional information on the challenge of keeping your home safe for family and pets on carpet. A carpet can weigh up to 8 X its normal weight when it is removed. That is significant accumulation of dust and dust components. As important, carpets retain moisture for lengthy periods of time.

We recognize that children and pets spend a significant amount of time on carpet. They touch the carpet and are capable of placing their hands to their faces and mouths.

Learn more about how to care and clean your carpet HERE.

The Laundry Room and Clothing Can Make You Sick

January 7, 2022/0 Comments/in Sick House /by sickhouses

The Science of Washing Machines, Detergents and Removing Mold from Laundry

by Cesar Collado

It is common knowledge today that the laundry room can be a mold incubator. It is exposed to significant moisture in the washer and dryer, inevitably leaving the room humid. Front load washers can also harbor mold if they are not cleaned by hand or by using mold removing solutions.

When mold stays in clothing, it is carried with you throughout your day providing continuous exposure. In addition, clothing can spread mold to anywhere you go. It only takes a few spores in ideal conditions to generate significant mold colonization.

The following article was written to explain how washing machines work using the science of laundry soap and physics to remove dirt, mold, and bacteria. Surfactants are the “soapy” or “bubbly” vehicles that encapsulate particulates and escort them out of the laundry into the rinse to wash them away from clothing.

Why You Should Consider Mold Fogging?

April 26, 2021/0 Comments/in building science experts, Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Sick House /by sickhouses

A Very Effective DIY Tool to Address Systemic Mold in a Home

By Cesar Collado

Patients experiencing sensitivities in their home will face many difficult decisions regarding alternatives when a physician suggests their home is making them sick. There exists a little known, but well validated, method for addressing systemic mold in a home. Many mold professionals use “Hot Fogging” when remediating a home if they want to avoid chemical toxicities. This is often at the request of the client. These products come with simple to use instructions for DIY options to reduce the mold counts in your home in order to breath higher quality indoor air. Sometimes, this is a necessity when waiting for a home to be inspected and remediated.

DIY Hot Fogging can reduce mold counts to close to zero and reach almost all exposed surface area in a home at the same time. This coupled with HEPA vacuuming and air purification can reduce levels to where you can feel better in your home if it is not too far gone. There are cases where certain home situations can be hopeless. You need a proper building science professional to determine if that is the case.

Mold takes a while to get a foothold, but maintenance can be a short-term solution or even a longer term solution for people who rent and may not have a choice. Systemic fogging also provides valuable information regarding symptoms, the source of the mold, home leakages identified where the fog escapes, and retesting the home after you fog. Time can also help a home owner to manage their financial alternatives and possibly prevent “scope creep.” This can occur when less experienced mold remediators who are also general contractors suggest more remodeling in the remediation than necessary. this can drive costs up significantly. In addition, when using a remediator who is not grounded in building science and mold expertise, mold will often reemerge in the remodeled home.

Unfortunately, the debilitating symptoms from mold exposure will not go away until you are no longer exposed. The EPA estimates people spend on average of 93% of their lives inside. In fact, the Air we breath can be 5 times more important than all medicine, doctors, or treatments available to patients¹. Clean air is essential for medical healing.

For clarity, this means that if you do not remove both the mold and the source of the moisture in your home, it is unlikely that you will get better due to continuous living in a moldy home. More and more literature suggest that clean air is essential in helping a body heal. The body cannot heal if inhaled mold is continuously taxing your immune system.

Mold Everywhere?

Mold is ubiquitous, both inside homes and outside. Mold can exist in home walls and floors while being dormant. It is impossible to remove all mold from a home. When it dries naturally within a day, it can simply becomes dormant until new moisture reactivates it again. Mold plays an important role as part of the normal decaying process in nature. We all see it outdoors, in our bathrooms, and other places inside and outside our homes. This is normal and we accept it.

When there is a leak, moisture issue, or water damage in a home, today’s most popular building materials create fertile ground for many dangerous mycotoxin producing molds. Today, gypsum/paper-backed drywall and cellulose products are standard in all homes. These product can absorb water and are nutrients for many toxic molds such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys, Chaetomium, Alternaria, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Wallemia, and. Cladosporium. Solid wood has been replaced with particle board products, and other furnishings that contain formaldehyde, cellulose, or adhesives along with other toxic chemicals used as flame retardants. Unfortunately, when mold contaminates a home, it is insidious, resilient, and difficult to completely eradicate from both decaying materials and the air. Mold is also common when cosmetic building materials are used to create a facade of brick, stone, or simply wallpaper. Anywhere, there is a gap between materials, moisture can accumulate.as

The Removal of Airborne Mold Requires a Physical or Mechanical Effort.

To completely remediate a home, mold must be removed from building materials as well as the breathable air and airflow of an HVAC. Decaying materials cannot be salvaged and must be removed all together. The near impossible challenge is that in order to clean mold, it will be disturbed during the wiping, scrubbing or physical removal of material processes. When this occurs, airborne spores are readily released and have the ability to remain airborne for hours and contaminate other rooms in homes, and possibly distributed throughout the home by the ventilation system. Professional mold remediators will often have to completely seal portions of the home and HVAC systems using floor to ceiling plastic sheets sealed with tape. They will also either create negative or positive pressure within the contained area to funnel moldy exhaust outside the home, or filter the air through a HEPA air scrubber. Air scrubbers will quickly clean air in a space. They become essential when removing mold disturbed spores will become airborne. Hot fogging a home after remediation is another way to address all areas in a home as well as to treat hidden surface areas that may not have been not treated during remediation.

Surprisingly, the dry or hot fogging innovation was originally developed by the entertainment industry for special effects during the 1970s using dry ice. In fact, one of the preeminent fog machine producers in Germany, Gunter Schaidt, Safex Chemie GmbH, received an Academy Award in the category of Technology in Cinema (“Oscar”) for “non-toxic liquid for artificial fog” in 1984. The entertainment industry has also worked closely with the EPA to establish safety by conducting an extensive scientific study, “Health Effects Evaluation Of Theatrical Smoke, Haze, And Pyrotechnics”.

Mold sensitive patients are often chemically sensitive. This means that chemical cleaning products can be especially toxic or harmful to sensitive occupants. Building science experts, knowledgeable IAQ professionals within the HVAC industry, and a select number of mold remediation pros that work with physicians will, as a policy or by request, turn to all-natural products known for their antimicrobial activity. Using a hot fogging method, they are able to physically remove mold from the air and surfaces rather than just kill the microbes and leave remaining debris and toxins in the air or on surfaces.

Botanical Fogging Safety

Propylene glycol fogging has been used in the entertainment business and as a necessary training tool for fire fighters, military, and other rescue professionals. Hot fogging has also been adopted by the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals, and food production, and manufacturing for cleaning. Hot fog is cost and time effective when cleaning and sanitizing hospitals, clean rooms for manufacturing electronic components, and research labs. Fogging is also used with large scale food production equipment. Prior to fogging, instruments would need to be disassembled after each use which is time consuming, expensive, and created opportunity costs.

The hot fog can reach everywhere in a room including holes, crevices, and beneath and around large furnishings. Pressure manipulation in the form of positive and negative pressurization can be used to drive the fog into the near impossible to reach areas in a room or to funnel exhaust and airborne particles such as mold spores, bacteria, dust, and other microbes outdoors.

How Does Botanical Fogging Work?

Mold, bacteria, and other microbes are social organisms. In an earlier article of mine, Biofilms in Chronic Inflammation and Infections, I explain how diverse microorganisms form together with sugars to make a film that protects the microbes from any antimicrobial threats. An example of biofilm is the thin film that developed on teeth when they haven’t been brushed for a while. In the air, the coming together activity is called agglomeration. The small particle ions are attracted to other ions and cluster together.

When heated, propylene glycol fog creates a “fog, smoke, or vapor” with microscopic droplets that can rise to reach all areas in the room. Hot Foggers can disburse 1,500 to 20,000 cubic feet per minute into a room. The fog is composed of heated mini-droplets of the botanical that are approximately 10 microns in size. Fogging at this rate allows the fog to become dense in the room to the degree that you cannot see through the fog. The fog droplets are also social and adhere to the floating fragments & spores that continue the agglomeration. the botanical blend is a combination of natural oils from a variety of citrus seed extracts known for their anti fungal properties. Lemom and lime juice has been used as a preservative for many perishable foods for ages.

Allowing the fog to settle over a period of 12 hours is sufficient for the botanicals to be directly exposed to the mold spores where time and gravity to pull the particles, organisms, and debris to the floor or other horizontal surfaces. The fog then evaporates, leaving a microscopic layer of the botanical. Now the spore remains (which may still be allergens or toxic) can be removed using a HEPA vacuum. If you do not use a HEPA vacuum, the debris will simply be redistributed by the vacuum into the air!

The Propylene glycol used as a carrier is food grade and is regarded by the FDA as Generally Regarded As Safe (“GRAS”), and the microscopic layer left of the all-natural botanical is safe to the touch and for food preparation surfaces. Following the settle time, a thorough cleaning of all surfaces must be done with a HEPA vacuum and surfaces wet wiped with microfiber cloths or disposable rags.

DIY Hot Fogging

DIY fogging takes some planning, settling time (up to 12 hours) and effort. However, it is a safe activity to do yourself to improve home safety and save money. DIY fogging will fully saturate the room with fog, which will agglomerate with the mold spores and other pollutants so they will fall to floor and horizontal surfaces.

A HEPA vacuum will remove virtually all of the biological debris and particles. (Note: it must be a HEPA Cannister vacuum designed for this purpose or an upright vacuum with HEPA specially designed bags.)

Regular home vacuums and shop vacs will collect microscopic particles and will recirculate them into the air. Bagless cannister vacuums create significant risk as you are exposed to an overwhelming number of disturbed or airborne toxic particles of dust when emptying. Mold spore debris is just as dangerous as mold spores when inhaled.

One benefit of hot fogging is that you do not have to remove all of the contents of the room to fog. The fog will reach all of your items on all sides. It is sometimes recommended to open cabinets, drawers, closets, etc. to allow the fog to reach all belongings. It is also recommended that individual items be cleaned with an appropriate product or concentrated hydrogen peroxide.

DIY Misting

Cold fogging or misting is often used in a similar manner to the hot fog. The cold fogger aerosolizes the liquid into droplets of approximately 25 microns in size. The mister is limited to the spray pattern of the mist and gravitational drop once the droplets reach their peak. It can reach many hard to reach places; however, it will not force itself into cracks, seams, and crevices or the back side of objects being misted. Misting still requires cleaning before and after if being used as a means to remediate. Given the limitations, misting can still be used very effectively if done regularly. It is also effective in removing putrid and musty odors that come from bacteria, yeast, and mold. On the downside, larger cold foggers can be heavy to handle for many. The HavenMister by BioBalance is the smaller quality fogger that is an effective misting alternative that will weighs in at less than 7 lb. and can easily be maneuvered.

You can learn more about foggers and other products by clicking on Products That Our Experts Recommend button above or click HERE. with regards to all the products I recommend, each company is very responsive when called with questions. BioBalance, in particular, provides exceptional phone support by experienced experts in fogging when their products are purchased.

If you would like to share your story or have a question, please feel free to comment on this article or you can email me at cesarrcollado@gmail.com.

Manchanda, Rishi MD. “The Air We Breathe”. Ted Talk. September 15, 2014
Moline, Jacqueline MD et. al, Department of Community and Preventive Medicine Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “Health Effects Evaluation Of Theatrical Smoke, Haze, And Pyrotechnics”. Equity-League Pension and Health Trust Funds. June 6, 2000.
Robertson, O. et. al. “The Bactericidal Action of Propylene Glycol Vapor On Microorganisms Suspended in Air.” Journal of Experimental Medicine. June 1, 1942.
McNary, Dave. “Richard Glickman, Engineer and Fog Machine Inventor dies at 91. Variety. Feb 23 2018.
“Science And Technical Oscars Awarded” Los Angeles Times. March 18, 1985
Marlow, Jeffrey. “Microbes are More Social Than You Think, But Not Always in a Good Way” Discover. August 22, 2016

Mold Illness: The Direct, Indirect, and Human Costs

March 24, 2021/0 Comments/in building science experts, Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Sick House /by sickhouses

Mold Problems Impact the Entire Family

Environmental Hazards in Your Home Sick Houses

By Cesar Collado

When someone suffers from chronic, debilitating illness caused by mold exposure, they are often met with a lack of understanding or empathy. Questions about the legitimacy of their symptoms from others often leads patients to delay seeking help, and an accurate diagnosis becomes further delayed or elusive. In addition to this personal turmoil (human cost) the illness causes, it is also very costly economically and burdens entire families with medical and remediation bills for years to come. All of these costs seem immediate, but formany, they are drawn out and span years. Many patients are even suffering with and paying for the treatment of other chronic conditions for years before they ever figure out that mold was the main trigger or cause of ALL of the suffering. Moving into a house with a mold problem can begin to trigger any number of diverse illnesses that can impact each member of the family different ways. Some may have no symptoms. Others may have debilitating symptoms. Regardless, no-one will get well as long as they are breathing in antigens that keep the immune system working during all times at home, especially sleet, when your body heals.

To properly elucidate this sensitive topic, I want to really examine some of the long-term indirect costs of mold illness from more of a “other” symptom perspective. I will also go discuss some of the intangible costs or sacrifices some people have to endure. Due to mold illness, some patients are unable to pursue aspirations that can include their careers, dreams, and family.

Long-Term Costs of Mold Illness

There are many long-term costs, direct and indirect, that should be taken into consideration when mold begins to affect someone’s health. Important, but often not recognized are some of the long-term disease states brought on by mold illness and toxicity, especially when not properly diagnosed. It is therefore important to examine many of those chronic conditions to see where mold fits into the equation. Doing so can help to speed proper treatment, recovery and health. When this occurs, patients have an easier time winning the economic battle that often accompanies mold illness.

Respiratory Disease

Mold can lead to many inflammatory syndromes leading to inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. Respiratory illness such as asthma is commonly developed in children exposed to moldy conditions. With 50 million Americans currently living with an autoimmune disease and the prevalence of chronic disease rising addressed.

Diseases such as asthma can last a lifetime. In addition, children with Asthma may face quality of life limitations. Physical activity or physically demanding careers requiring fitness may no longer be options for these individuals.

Neurological/Cognitive Problems Due To Mold Exposure

Environmental Hazards in Home Sick Houses

The impact of mold and mycotoxin exposure on neurological and psychiatric disorders is relatively unrecognized, but very real. The medical challenge is that a neurologist does not have any diagnostics, treatment, or medicines at their disposal to treat or remove mycotoxins. This is partly because that the highest concentration of toxins in the body will often lie in infected sinuses with close proximity to the blood brain barrier. In addition to neurotoxins, the brain’s inflammatory responses to foreign antigens contribute to tissue damage. These toxins have to be removed through detoxification over time. Sometimes, people need a “mechanic” to physically remove the cause through surgery or detoxification along with proper nutrition and supplements.

Headaches or migraines, also neurological disorders, can be triggered by mold exposure. Migraineheadaches have a significant impact on a patient’s livelihood and productivity. Migraines are a neurological disease characterized by recurrent episodes of severe headaches accompanied by other symptoms includingnausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and changes in vision. More than 36 million Americans have migraines. Although the overall cost attributable to migraines is difficult to measure, most of the impact has been associated with disability and decreased functional status and consequent indirect costs to employers.

Migraineurs are estimated to require 3.8 bed rest days for men and 5.6 days for women each year.⁴ This figure can be divided into partial days as well, such as having to leave work early. This does not include the pain and suffering for patients who continue to work through the episodes.

For patients suffering from neurological difficulties, their potential family and societal contributions, ability to pursue a career, and career advancement can become impossible to quantify. The loss of cognitive and functional abilities impacts the individual and his or her family in profound ways. Caring for adults with cognitive impairments is often very stressful and demanding. Caregivers cope with their loved ones’ memory loss, behavioral and personality changes, chronic care needs and the high costs of care. Caregiving can span decades, can impact both the physical and mental health of the caregiver and can result in extreme economic hardship.

Psychiatric Disorders

Related to neurological disorders, but distinctly different, are depression and anxiety morbidity with moldthe common symptoms of lack of energy and fatigue. These often affect mood in a tremendous way. In addition, anxiety resulting from strained relationships, financial uncertainty, and PTSD brought on by re-exposure are common with mold illness. Regardless, the cause of the psychiatric symptoms must beaddressed for the person to get better.

Inflammatory Diseases

Virtually any of the over 100 named autoimmune disorders (there are many that have not yet been formally identified) can be triggered by inflammation due to mold. Diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, etc. can develop due to chronic inflammation. In these diseases, it is the body’s own immune that is causing the disease. These diseases can last a lifetime requiring continuous treatments. Although the AARDA estimates that 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease, the report notes that there is insufficient epidemiological data available to determine the full direct and indirect costs to the overall health care system due to autoimmune disease.”5.Autoimmune disease is one of the top ten causes of death in women under the age of 65, is the second highest cause of chronic illness, and is the top cause of morbidity in women in the United States. Exactly what triggers an autoimmune response is unknown; however, researchers do know that autoimmune diseases occur where there is a genetic predisposition in the family towards autoimmunity and the presence of an environmental trigger, such as viruses, bacteria, medications, pollutants, hormones, or stress. 6.Mold and mycotoxins would also fall under this description

For patients with other inflammatory diseases, such as digestive diseases, like ulcerative colitis, Celiac or Crohn’s disease, quality of life is disrupted, and on-going treatment can be paralyzing for most middle- to low-income Americans. Average total charges for patients treated with biologics for the mild, moderate, and severe disease groups were $6,277, $10,033 and $37,135, respectively.1.These medications have been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization. According to a study that examined costs related to IBD conditions, the average total cost of hospitalization is $35,378.6. These costs include diagnostics, imaging, and endoscopic procedures.

Chronic Sinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complex inflammatory disease affecting the nose and sinuses of an estimated 16% of the United States population. Those affected by CRS experience a significant decrease in quality of life and productivity. CRS often results in long-term impairment and, for some, disability. The direct cost of CRS treatment per individual ranged from $5,560 to $5,955 USD per year.7. The indirect costs are similar to migraines as episodes impact the patient’s ability to function and may require absence from work or school.

Earnings Loss

Due to the chronic nature of most autoimmune diseases, patients often miss extended periods of employment. Because of this, patients are faced with thousands of dollars in medical expenses that they can no longer afford due to lost wages. With over 60% of families depend on dual incomes, any disability can have a profound impact on the family’s financial security. In addition, debilitation impacts parenting responsibilities. When a person is facing a severe autoimmune disease, the ability and tenure to work is compromised. For example, approximately 50 percent of Rheumatoid Arthritis patients become unable to work within ten years of disease onset⁵.

Lost Opportunities Due to Mold Illness

While it cannot be quantified, the impact of mold sickness can impact a child or adult’s career aspirations. The inability to pursue education has a direct impact on earning potential of an individual. There are substantial differences in lifetime earnings based on level of education.⁶

Finally, a cost figure cannot be placed on the inability for a person to pursue their dreams. A recent discussion with the mother of a teenager who suffers from mold sensitivity brought awareness to the difficulty for her son’s inability to pursue his chosen career. He comes from a multi-generation family of military officers and cannot follow his father’s footsteps. No price can be placed on that.

Preventive and Mold Hygiene Maintenance to Improve Long-Term Wellness

When getting at the heart of preventative care, so that these long-term costs do not become a part of your reality, there are quite a few steps that you can take to improve your outcomes.

Perhaps the single most effective treatment a patient can do is regular sinus rinsing with a saline rinse reality, there are quite a few steps that you can take to improve your outcomes. and Agrumax Dietary Supplement. A Nasal rinse system will physically remove mold and mycotoxins from the point of entrance.
Burning Remedy Air Purification Candles will remove mold and mycotoxins from the immediate air inindoor spaces, especially those spaces that you have no control over, like hotel rooms, offices, rentals;
Using an Cold fogger with BioBalance Haven Mist can be invaluable when maintaining an area free of mold. This is especially applicable when you cannot leave and must live in a less than ideal water-damaged environment.
For a more complete eradication of mold, BioBalance Haven Fog is the most complete solution. It requires a full day. A fog is created to fill the home with positive pressure to to push the fog into all crevices, cabinets, and drawers. This will reduce the mold spores in the home and AC to close to zero. It doesn’t address any structural or moisture For more information problems. So mold will eventually come back if the cause is not addressed.

Each of these solutions can contribute to removing the cause of inflammation to help your immune system keep up with the mold.

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New Homes Have As Many Mold Problems As Old Homes.

March 19, 2021/0 Comments/in building science experts, Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Sick House /by sickhouses

6 Places Builders Cut Corners in the Construction Process That Lead to Mold Issues

By Cesar Collado

When I mentioned to a colleague the fact that just because a home is new; it doesn’t mean it is mold free, he was surprised and alarmed. He had just made a recent investment in a new home and thought he had made the “mold-safe” choice by opting for new construction over an older home. Well, unfortunately, there are two facts that exist regardless of newness or expense: 1) The laws of physics apply to all homes; 2) Even well known, quality builders have been found to cut corners. Before you read further, I must caveat this information with the disclaimer that following the advice from this article may mean that your builder may not be a fan of yours for questioning them in the end. But, in the end, it is your investment, and I’m sure they have experienced many buyers armed with similar wisdom. What is important for any new home buyer or existing home dweller to know is that there are some key mold problems that can be identified and fixed before a full blown, overly expensive, mold remediation nightmare.

To help me with this article, I consulted an expert, Danny Gough of Energy Solutions Inc., Lewisville, NC. He has over 40 years’ experience investigating and solving building failures. His expertise spans building science, mold, and mechanical engineering. It just so happened that he recently finished teaching a class to builders on the very same topic. We had a long discussion on some of the key themes people can look out for with their homes. This information does not replace the need for a qualified and licensed professional with the experience and tools to identify and remedy every potential problem. It does, however, provide a homeowner or mold sufferer enough information to use some common sense, do a little research online, and make a phone call, if needed.

Potential Mold Issues Inside the Home:

1. Air Conditioner Size Selection

The term “Bigger is Better” is definitely not true for homes. Oversized air conditioners are common in housing developments. An oversized air conditioner can cycle on too often allowing for moisture accumulation in many areas around the home. Air conditioners and ductwork should be selected and designed to meet the specifics of the home. Calculations are required that include size of home, ceiling heights, windows, floor plans, and more. Today, a quality HVAC technician will measure, count, and tour the entire home from top to bottom. They will then utilize this data in a program to determine the proper size and selection for an HVAC system. A homeowner can always ask for a copy and explanation of the calculus. In some states, HVAC companies are required to provide this information. This important calculation is often overlooked by volume builders. For example, a new housing development may be built by a single developer. They may have 5 or more different floor plans and models they want to sell to make each home appear distinct and provide diversity for a neighborhood feel. Every floor plan typically requires a separate calculation because the air ventilation differs, but also the placement of the home can differ as well. But every floor plan has its own way of managing the flow of air, The air conditioner is meant to “condition” the air. It has a filter to remove pollutants, refrigerant coils to cool, and it should provide fresh, outside air into the home. In a single development, it is very possible that all of the homes have the same HVAC system and size. Homes with foyers, high ceilings, balconies, and open floor plans will behave differently from more closed floor plans and require different HVAC schemes.

If there are any large windows, the physics of the building will behave differently

when those windows are facing a different direction. The sun always rises in the same place. Southern exposure will differ from northern exposure. This can be explained by the fact that in many neighborhoods, some homes need to do much more snow shoveling in the winter than their neighbors across the street. The heat of the sun changes the behavior of the heating and cooling inside. This is why there are zone systems. I also spoke with a career homebuilder after this discussion. He validated, understandably, that builders and subcontractors cut costs everywhere they can to maintain profitability and timelines. It is very likely that the builder-grade ductwork and HVAC units are purchased in bulk at a discount. Any new home buyer or existing homeowner can ask for specifics regarding he HVAC sizing and effectiveness.

2. Kitchen and Bathroom Exhaust/Ventilation Fans

This one will surprise you. It surprised me. A majority of bathroom and kitchen fans work but they do not exhaust to the outside. I had to validate with my professional friends and check my own home before writing this. This means that the humid bathroom or stove hoods route the steam into a wall space. To illustrate, many people, like myself, have microwave ovens above our stoves that are equipped with exhaust fans. You

purchase the microwave and have it installed. Where does the steam go? It is not sucked up and exhausted outside of the home, unless it has been specifically routed to do so with a hood and separate ducting. If it is just installed as is, with no ductwork running from the fan to the outside, it just blows the steam away from the stovetop and around the kitchen. This does nothing to remove moisture or smoke from cooking. In the bathroom, to test if your bathroom fan is sucking up moisture, you can fold up some toilet paper to where it will hold into the vent. After showering with the fan on, you can check to see if the toilet paper is wet. You should be able to trace the ductwork for bath fans to an outside exit point on the roof or to the side of your home. You want as direct a path as possible, with as few turns or corners as possible. Remember, moisture can be caught in the ducts as well. You should never find ventilation ducts culminating in your attic or crawlspace. This is a definite mold issue when it occurs. Contact your builder or a licensed tradesman to properly ensure bathroom or kitchen fans are diverting the humid air to the outside or a proper place where materials do not serve as mold “food.”

3. Houses Settling

When a home is built, it is common for the house to settle over time. This usually becomes evident during the first year, but can span a longer timeframe as well. Buyers will often see cracks in drywall, tiles, etc. The builder will usually ask the homeowner to come up with a punch list of defects that they will fix prior to the initial year portion on the warrantee. However, settling can disrupt PCV pluming pipes. Construction workers often take creative license when installing mechanical, electric, and plumbing (MEP) due to timelines. These specialty installations are often subcontracted to licensed subcontractors. Quality by subcontractors is not the same as most licensed and branded residential tradesman. Sloppy installation or any element not up to building code can falter. In addition, weather or other natural phenomena can always be problematic.

Do your own inspection of each room looking for discoloration indicating water or any moisture. Proactive inspection of your home on a regular basis or after storms can give you an early indication of a problem and allow you to DIY to fix affordably.

Potential Issues Outside the Home:

4. Groundwater

Many homeowners fall in love with a home prior to taking a good hard look at some not so obvious details. The topography around the home is critical. It is not uncommon for a neighbor’s home’s groundwater to flow into another home’s foundation or vice versa. If groundwater settles against a home, moisture problems will likely occur. As a former member of the BOD of a HOA for a new neighborhood, I listened to countless “Water Wars” between neighbors, where water flowed into on neighbor’s yard or home, causing several types of problems from a wet foundation to plant disease or pest issues with landscaping. I personally encountered this issue with a house being built next door to me. It sat on a higher foundation where there was an incline from my home to their slab. I initially spoke with the builder (who was different than mine) about the problem and he dismissed me. After some research, I learned that he could build a “swale” (ditch) around my fence line to direct water to a neighborhood drain. I made this proposal with the notion that I worked from home and will educate potential buyers on our future water disputes. He begrudgingly agreed and was able to have someone dig the swale in a couple of hours once they started. Problems avoided!

When you purchase a home, it is wise to imagine flooding rains to determine if there may be a problem. There may also be evidence of a problem, like pooling water in your yard. You can then decide whether you want to proactively prevent the problem with the builder or construct a remedy. To that end, I also had French Drains installed around my crawl space and some trees to prevent future groundwater problems.

5. Gutters and Flashing

Gutters and flashing are installed to direct water on any pitched or flat roof. They are usually made of aluminum and come standard on any home. They redirect water away from the home. Their very important function is often neglected as debris from trees can clog the gutters or disrupt water flow, allowing water to accumulate in almost any location. These should be inspected and cleaned at least yearly during the autumn, rainy seasons, after big storms, or after leaves fall. Gutters can also become detached due to improper installation and need to be re-attached to avoid a systemic malfunction. Downspouts should be attached to piping or along a declining hill away from the home.

In some neighborhoods, front, back, or side doors may not have any direct roofing to protect you from the elements while fiddling with keys. When this happens, the door frame, jamb, and trim can be exposed to excess water and deteriorate. Many homes have small porch roofs or canopies to provide shielding from the elements and direct water away from the home. If a side door, for example, does not have a canopy, homeowners must pay attention to the wood or other materials around the door for water damage or wood rotting. These can be easily inexpensively repaired with a quick trip to the

hardware store, and DIY directions can be found online. Periodic checking of window frames is also a good practice.

Flashing can be installed sloppily and lead to water intrusion. Flashings are usually metal components used to seal roof system edges, perimeters, penetrations, walls, drains, and any other areas where the actual roof coverings meet on a pitch roof.

6. Crawlspaces, Basements, and Attics

Crawl spaces exist on many homes where a concrete slab is deemed unnecessary or in some standard home styles, like Ranches. This empty space above ground and below the floors is often neglected by builders due to lack of building code requiring preventive strategies. Many crawl spaces have vents around the home to allow ventilation in the crawlspace. No crawlspace is ALWAYS best from an air quality standpoint, but sometimes this kind of construction cannot be avoided. The following list details a few must-haves if you have a crawlspace:

Seal the venting in humid geographies. Because it is often more humid outside than below the home, the vents allow moisture into the dark space. This accumulation of moisture leads to a variety of problems like mold, termites, and dust mites. Due to the “stacking effect,” the air from the crawlspace moves upward into the home including multi-floor homes. The dirt and dust below can lead to a catastrophic mold build-up under the home which will permeate the entire home over time. Remediation of crawl spaces can be expensive.

Adding Dehumidification to a crawl space is inexpensive and valuable. Running a dehumidifier continuously will keep the moisture low at levels where mold will not grow or reproduce. Having a vapor barrier in the crawlspace prevents moisture and ground gases from entering the home. It also prevents mold, termites, other pests and should be considered a necessity for the mold sensitive. In addition, it makes any electrical or home entertainment wiring work in the home readily accessible.

Entering a moldy crawlspace is a safety hazard without all safety equipment. It can be dangerous enough for an individual exposure to cause someone to reach their “toxic load.” Read more about toxic load HERE. While MEP technicians and other contractors should be responsible for taking safety precautions, they seldom do so in my experience. I personally feel more comfortable having a clean and safe crawlspace for whatever reason that may cause someone to go below my home. Much of this of this information also applies to basements. Periodic hot or cold fogging of basements and crawlspaces for mold with BioBalance Haven hot or cold fogging can reduce mold counts and buy time to address potential mold problems. It only takes minutes and can prevent mold from entering your home with the stacking effect.

A new home for many of us is a celebration or milestone. As with everything, most good things in our lives require some work. For mold sufferers, keeping up with these building variables and turning the building experience into a conversation around these important items will pay you back multifold over many years of safe living and improved health.

About the Author:

Cesar Collado is a former pharmaceutical R&D executive, venture capitalist, and seasoned strategy consultant in biotechnology and technology industries in general. He currently works as an advisor to multiple technology start-ups across several industries including several companies that provide medical care, remediation products, and other services for environmental illness. Read More…

Your HEPA Vacuum and Air Purifier Can Become Your Best Friends!

March 19, 2021/1 Comment/in building science experts, Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Personal, Sick House /by sickhouses

The Critical Importance of Removing Microscopic Mold Debris After Cleaning or Fogging

By Cesar Collado

Mold exists everywhere! If you are allergic to mold or have a genetic predisposition where your body may not be able to identify and remove mold antigens from your system, removing mold spores from your environment becomes essential to getting well. Approximately 25% of the population have the HLA-DR genetic defect that causes the sensitivity.

Fogging your home is often necessary to reduce the mold counts in the air you breathe. This is accomplished by hot fogging or cold fogging (misting) with a non-toxic, natural, and safe product that can be aerosolized and dispersed in microscopic particles that can fill the air and reach mold spores everywhere in your home. The size of these particles can range from 5-30 microns, similar in size to mold spores. The fog will address mold spores floating in the air and on surfaces. It will be able to reach corners, crevices, and blind objects leaving nothing untouched.

After fogging or misting, dead mold spores are likely to drop to the floors, furnishing, and surfaces due to the weight of the air droplets. The next important step is to remove the mold spore debris and any secondary metabolites (mycotoxins) by wet mopping/wiping hard surfaces and vacuuming carpets and fabric goods with a HEPA vacuum.

HEPA History

The original HEPA filter was designed in the 1940s and was used in the Manhattan Project to prevent the spread of airborne radioactive contaminants. It was commercialized in the 1950s, and the original term became a registered trademark and later a generic term for highly efficient filters. Today’s filters have government standards that ensure HEPA filters remove 99.97% of particulates of 3 microns or more. A “micron” is an abbreviated term for “micrometer”, or a millionth of a meter (1/1,000,000 meters). A human hair is about 75 microns across (depending on the person). Bacteria can be between about .2 microns and 3 microns in size.

During the 1950s and beyond, HEPA filters were commercialized to provide air filtration used in applications that require contamination control or “clean rooms”, such as the manufacturing of disk drives, medical devices, semiconductors, nuclear, food and pharmaceutical products, as well as in hospitals,^[8] *Should this reference be linked in the article?*homes and vehicles. Hospitals utilize HEPA for sanitation reasons. Airplanes have adopted the use of HEPA filters to remove infectious pathogens from the circulating air in an airplane to aid in preventing the spread of infections.

HEPA Vacuums

High-Efficiency Particulate Air (“HEPA” ) vacuums have powerful suction that pulls the vacuumed particles through a HEPA filter designed to trap bacteria, mold, and viruses in addition to dust, dander, pollen, dust mites, etc. in order to capture these microscopic elements.

When fogging, the cell walls of mold spores remain in the room. HEPA vacuums are most often closed cannister vacuums with carpet, floor, and upholstery tools in order to be able to vacuum more than just floors. Surfaces, home furnishings, and all upholstered items can be vacuumed easily to remove harmful particulates.

The best vacuums have both a pre filter and a HEPA filter that is enclosed. Regular vacuums remove dust and objects with a much simpler filter system where smaller particulates are blown out and redistributed in the environment. As a result, HEPA vacuums are more densely filled and are heavier. Proper care and containment is necessary to change filters by avoiding exposure to antigens captured in the filter.

While the best HEPA cannister vacuums can be pricey ($400- 1000), there is a cost effective alternative. You can purchase regular, old school vacuums that accommodate HEPA filter bags. For less than $140, you can buy such a vacuum. Please make sure they use HEPA bio-bags. You will be amazed at the number of bags you will fill, even with a previously vacuumed carpet.

Carpets can weigh up to 8 times their installed weight when removed. This is due to the abundance of microscopic particles that get captured in carpet fibers.

Finally, there are “HEPA” vacuums that are bagless. For allergy or mold sufferers, these are not recommended because patients can experience a significant exposure to antigens when emptying the compartments.

HEPA Air Purifiers

Portable HEPA air purifiers are often recommended by physicians to keep running in rooms where you spend the most time. These are usually reliable and be maintained by changing HEPA filters periodically. They are very effective filtering the air in a single room regularly over time.

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems can be equipped with whole house HEPA filters that will filter all the air as it is conditioned in your HVAC system. This is not inexpensive; however, it can provide peace of mind for mold sensitive people. Practically, professionals have recommend the use of MERV-11 rated filters in normal HVAC systems, which are not as efficient as HEPA filters, but do increase particle removal over normally installed HVAC filters. MERV-11 filters can be purchased at your local home improvement store and are fairly easily identified, as the packaging typically states that they remove allergens and mold spores.

Air purifiers do not replace the need to identify the source of moisture and mold and fix it, nor do they replace HEPA Vacuuming.

IQ Air Austin Air

Bio-Balance Hot Fogging Solutions

Haven Fogger (up to 4000 sq. ft.) Haven Mini Fogger (up to 700 sq. ft.)

These solutions will reach all areas of the home including corners and crevices to reduce the fungal air count dramatically, down to close to zero. These packages do not replace identifying the source of mold, removing it, and fixing it when possible! To earn more about Bio-Balance DIY Fogging solutions, click HERE.

Fogging rooms with the Bio-Balance Fog Kit (for <750 sq. ft.)
Fogging the entire home with Bio-Balance Deluxe Package (for <3000 sq. ft)

Bio-Balance Cold Fogging Solutions

Maintenance misting using a cold fogging solution that aerosolizes Bio-Balance Maintenance Misting Solution diluted with distilled water is a quick and easy way to treat regularly to reduce fungal concentrations in the air and on the surfaces of the home.

The Bio-Balance Home Maintenance Mister is an inexpensive way to spot fog rooms, furniture, carpets, cars, and closets. This fogger weighs less than 5 lb. so you can ably reach all areas including cabinets and above furnishings to fog your home.

The Bio-Max Commercial Maintenance Mister can be used for large homes or regular maintenance fogging of commercial spaces. This fogger weighs less than 10 lb. and comes with a shoulder harness to carry the weight, with a delivery hose to allow for agile fogging throughout the area to be treated like the smaller fogger.

DIY Mold Inspections

March 19, 2021/0 Comments/in building science experts, Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Sick House /by sickhouses

Identifying Water Damage and Mold

Environmental Hazards, Mold in Homes, Sick Houses

By Cesar Collado

When looking for a new home, anyone who suffers from chronic illness should be interested in identifying red flags that identify structural or unhealthy microbial contamination. In addition, the must find clues for further investigation of toxic substances in your home. In my opinion, anyone suffering from chronic illness, autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, young children, elderly, and pregnant women, should avoid any home where you identify red flags.

Because the real estate industry has such clear objectives in terms of selling as many homes as quickly as possible to maximize income, human safety is not a primary concern. In reality, my experience has shown me that they will often minimize health concerns and inspections. It has been very clearly pointed out to me by real estate professionals that Sickhouses.com is not a welcome collaborator. Fortunately, I have found some professionals that identifying the need for matching safer homes with people that have chronic illnesses.

Home inspection services do not always have the expertise and training to identify microbial issues. Mold inspectors have limited training and certification. There are only a limited number of building professionals that truly understand the cross discipline sciences and industries that contribute to a safe or unsafe homes. Knowledge of building science, materials, moisture and ventilation physics, HVAC and ductwork utility, mycology (to identify specific bacteria, fungi, and the toxins they produce, etc.

My Ultimate Objective

My goal here is to help a buyer identify red flags that suggest that home being avoided altogether because of the potential to make the occupants sick(er). Some home issues are very obvious in the sense that proper reparation may be costly (10’s of thousands). Less obvious is the further contamination in the home that result from the specific issues. It is simply not worth the risk. Water damage is by far the biggest risk factor in any home that is considered for purchase. It almost always leaves bacterial and fungal growth, even if dormant when dry.

Identifying the source of the mold is a critical step to validate you physician’s or your concerns. However, the source of mold can be systemic or concentrated to a specific part of the home. Even when that is the case, physical laws enable mold to spread throughout a home.

Accepting this fact is difficult as it may require a significant investment to fix your home. In the meantime, you and your family must live in it. What can you do? If you are seriously sick from mold and mycotoxins or diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) or Lyme Disease, your physician will likely recommend that you get out of your home, take nothing but the clothes on your back with you, and spend significant time in a safe environment to see if symptoms improve.

This is obviously ideal except for the fact that we all don’t have the financial resources to do so. That doesn’t change the prognosis or the need to get out of the home. Physician recommendations simply are not followed for a variety of practical reasons such as financial constraints or that we may be renting the home or apartment.

Science and Medicine are now recognizing that the body needs clean air to heal. If you are mold sick in a contaminated home, continuous breathing of mold spores will maintain an assault on your immune system and prevent the body’s natural healing process and detoxification from occurring. The only way for the human body to remove toxins is to excrete them. For that to happen, clean air, food (proper nutrition and supplements), and water is needed to heal.

Time and Cost-Effective Steps You can take to Identify Home Issues

First and foremost is to ask questions in the beginning to the realtor. Unfortunately, they may not provide clear answers. There are two questions that should always be asked, even if they are not answered.

To the best of their knowledge the home had any extensive water damage due to flooding, leaks, or weather?
Do any of the occupants suffer from allergies, sensitivities, autoimmune disease or other chronic diseases? This question has privacy issues; however, for what is likely one of your biggest investments in your life, you have nothing to lose.

You can ask the real estate agent to take the questions back to the listing agent and owners.

Recognizing that we are not all comfortable inspecting or fixing our homes, we must rely on some practical steps we can all do to identify potential problems and provide some band aid solutions to remedy.

Safety Equipment and Helpful Tools

To inspect your home, you only need a few supplies and an able body to assist you if you are too sick. For starters, you need a bright LED flashlight. LED light allows colors to be seen more clearly than other forms of light. Other supplies needed include a hygrometer (measures humidity) and a phone camera for documentation, and safety equipment (N95 mask, Tyrek suit, goggles, and latex gloves. You can buy all for < $25). Optional equipment includes an infrared camera and moisture meter.

Start With The Outside of the Home, Followed by The Unfinished, Then inside

Outside:

Walk around your home to see if there is any water, puddles, or moisture settling against your home.
Look at the topography of the neighborhood and imagine flooding conditions. Where will the water flow. It is better to buy a home on the hill rather than at the bottom. Water flows down. If the home is on the incline, take a closer look to see if there are swales (small ditches to help water flow around the home vs into it. Any type of drains that force the water away from the home.
Check around all gutters and make sure all water is steered away from the home. Identify any portion of the roof where gutters and flashing is absent. Many builders leave unprotected portions of the roof, often at the front door.
Inspect windows and entrances for rotting wood from water.

The Basement, Attic, or Crawlspace:

Check for visible water under the home in the crawlspace. Ideally, a well built home will appear clean due to a vapor barrier.
A moldy smell or stench can often be detected in basements and crawl spaces and may be enough to have it checked out by a professional. If you do enter the crawlspace, proper safety equipment is essential to avoid a particularly harsh exposure that can make you sicker.
In a basement, check the water heater and HVAC system for leaks or evidence of leakage. If the entire HVAC unit is dusty and moldy, there will likely be a systemic mold issue in the home as the HVAC will distribute through the duct ventilation. Check for moisture in concrete. Moisture will stain and it can travel through concrete. Check all visible pipes for leaks and condensation.
Check to see what type insulation and ductwork is used. Is the insulation the typical blown loose fiberglass insulation? Is it neatly packed in a clear or colored wrapping.
Use a hygrometer to check the humidity. Higher humidity in unfinished space is common so be prepared to get a dehumidifier and a fan for air ventilation in basement. A humidity reading above 50% is a concern and action should be taken to lower the levels so that mold will not grow.

Inside your Home:

With a flashlight, you can inspect walls, ceilings, floors and carpets for water stains or moisture. Moisture stains are often visible. Take pictures and measure the stain for documentation. Walls exposed to water can appear to be swollen and be soft to the touch. If you have wallpaper, peel back a corner to look for mold. Do the same with baseboards.
Inspect wood floors for warping, buckling, stains, & rotting.
Inspect all carpet for discoloration or dampness. If carpet is damp, it is likely that carpet pads are damp as well. This can be a major source of mold and must be professionally removed, fixed, and treated.
Inspect windows for interior condensation that indicates excess interior humidity inside or faulty seals. Check internal windows and door frames for mold spots, paint erosion, stains or rotted wood.
Check your thermostat or use a hygrometer to determine humidity. Humidity over 50% is conducive to mold growth. Keep in mind that common dust is all that is needed for mold to grow with moisture.
Inspect all visible pipes under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. and check for water or water stains, which can indicate that a pipe or sink is leaking.
Check bathroom tiles for missing or loose caulking, moldy grout, mold and mildew spots.
For any area where there is plumbing, potential for roof leaks, or water damage (below sinks and behind and below sinks, an infrared camera is helpful in identifying moisture behind walls and ceilings and below floors.

Attic

If you find ceiling stains, check the locations directly above the stains for water leaks.
Check all attic pipes for excess condensation. Insulating them can prevent the excess moisture, dripping and subsequent mold growth.
Check the attic for stains, especially where the roof meets the walls. Check insulation for dampness. Check flashing around roof vents and chimneys.
If you suffer from sinusitis or respiratory disease, loose fiberglass insulation is a continuous concern. Microscopic fiberglass shards can be inhaled and form divots in lung and sinus tissues. Your immune system will identify and mobilize to the area creating a larger crevace. After that, bacteria and mold can form a matrix of biofilm which is impervious to antibiotics. This leads to chronic sinusitis or chronic respiratory disease.

When mold is visually found or the source of the musty odor is obvious, it is helpful to tap test areas of concern in the the home. ImmunoLytics Mold Test kits can be sues for visual observation, or to send for testing by the laboratory. All of this information will enable you to properly evaluate mold remediators.

Once you have inspected your home and taken pictures, take some time to review them to determine whether they are small enough to fix yourself or hire a handyman to fix them. This is very cost-effective maintenance to avoid future, bigger problems. Regardless of the job, I have yet to be in a situation where I could not find a very helpful YouTube video to walk me through step by step. If you discover a significant source of mold confirmed with visual or odor evidence, it is my opinion that you should pass on the home if the specific repairs exceed $25 K. You can almost count on that amount being doubled if the mold has been systemically distributed into the home. You will not know if the problem is local or systemic to the household at this time. If you really want the home, it is likely best to have a professional inspect for mold to determine the size and scope of the issue.

This process can be frustrating for home buyers. He current “hot” real estate market where homes are being sold at a premium, on the listing day, or sight unseen make it impossible for families with members who have chronic illnesses to participate. The health risk, financial costs, and human costs are too high in my opinion.

For Renters

All of the internal inspection steps above are practical for renters. A proper inspection with pictures will be conducive for landlords to address the issues. In cases where you discover mold, it is always more effective to test for mold with an ImmunoLytics test kit that has been properly documented and lab tested for a more urgent response from you landlord. Once the issues are fixed or if there is a long delay. You can use any of these Bio-Balance fogging and misting kits to address the systemic mold in your indoor air

Fogging rooms with the Bio-Balance Fog Kit (for <750 sq. ft.)
Fogging the entire home with Bio-Balance Deluxe Package (for <3000 sq. ft)

These solutions will reach all areas of the home including corners and crevices to reduce the fungal air count dramatically, down to close to zero. These packages do not replace identifying the source of mold, removing it, and fixing it! To earn more about Bio-Balance DIY Fogging solutions, click HERE.

Maintenance fogging using a cold fogging solution that aerosolizes Bio-Balance Maintenance Misting Soltuion diluted with distilled water is a quick and easy way to fog regularly to reduce fungal air count and surfaces in the home.

The Bio-Balance Home Maintenance Miste r is an inexpensive way to spot fog rooms, furniture, carpets, cars, of closets. This fogger weighs less than 5 lb. so you can ably reach all areas including cabinets and above furnishings to fog your home.
The Bio-Max Commercial Maintenance Mister can be used for entire homes or regular maintenance fogging. This fogger weighs less than 10 lb. and comes with a shoulder harness to carry the weight with a delivery hose to allow for agile fogging throughout the home like the smaller fogger.

Bio-Balance Home Fogging Solutions

© 2020, Cesar Collado, All Rights Reserved

What Exactly is Brain Fog?

March 18, 2021/0 Comments/in building science experts, Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Sick House /by sickhouses

Mold Patients and Doctors Use This Term with Limited Understanding of Specifics

By Cesar Collado

“Brain Fog” remains a commonly used term by patients and doctors. To find an official definition for the term, I searched through countless medical dictionaries and publications. I was searching for a consensus and understanding but found little success and more questions than answers. Today, I am going try to help readers understand what “Brain Fog” actually means by using with patient-reported specifics and examples of their experiences.

In my search, I did find one vague definition for “brain fog” in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary describing it as “a usually temporary state of mental capacity marked by inability to concentrate or to think or reason clearly.”It was funny to find the only marked definition there as many medical dictionaries provided no answers, nor did they provide clear descriptions of the condition. In addition, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) used by psychiatrists does not have “Brain Fog” listed as a recognized medical condition. As it turns out, Wikipedia (albeit not a standard source for official definitions or facts) provided the clearest explanation I could find that sounded anything like the “brain fog” that mold patients describe experiencing the condition and the doctors that treat them are referring to: “A condition that affects all ages and which is characterized by confusion, decreased clarity of thought, and forgetfulness. It is not regarded as a real condition.”

Symptoms and Fear

Physicians who treat environmental illness and mold patients that have experienced “Brain Fog” describe their symptoms as feelings of confusion, forgetfulness, the inability to focus and comprehend, and lack of mental clarity. These seemingly small disruptions in thinking can divert any action or conversation significantly, especially when in a professional capacity.

It is important to note that neurological and cognitive symptoms suffered by mold patients are often reported as the “scariest,” regardless of the magnitude of the impact of their daily function. The fear is rooted in “genuine concern that the symptoms are those of onset of dementia, or neurodegenerative disease.” In older patients above 50, the beginnings of Dementia or Alzheimer’s is a significant fear.

Here are some patient-reported descriptions of “brain fog”:

“Foggy,” describing feeling unfocused,” I just can’t think!” or inability to function normally. One patient who home schooled her children described her inability to teach her kids and the guilt of falling behind in their curriculums.
“Momentarily forgetting basic facts about myself, my life, or the world around me.” This includes forgetting names, favorite memories (movies, actors names, etc.) that you normally would never forget.
“Forgetting what you’re doing while you are doing it.” Here a patient described driving somewhere they normally go and not remembering how to get back.
“Placing items in different places than normal and not being able to find them.’’
“Forgetting how to operate an appliance you use every day.”
“Forgetting easy words.” A physician described to me that he forgot the word shoe when talking to a patient while suffering from brain fog.
“Using words in the wrong order.”
“Forgetting how to spell familiar words to the degree that I have to look them up and still cannot spell them.”

Brain fog can also be accompanied by the following physical symptoms:

Low energy or fatigue
Irritability
Headaches/Migraines
Low motivation
Depression or anxiety
Trouble sleeping
Difficulty exercising, dancing, or playing

Medical Causes

While I have previously described the unexplained mold illness symptoms of neurological or cognitive disfunction in my recent article: “What Happens When Toxins Get To Your Brain?, brain fog also is described in a variety of chronic medical conditions, some are well defined and others are not. Well understood causes include chemotherapy-induced (Chemo Brain), Brain injuries, Heavy Metal Toxicity, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurodegenerative Disorders, side effects from medications, and others. There are also recognized disease diagnoses that have limited or unknown causes such as Fibromyalgia, Silent Celiac Disease, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Yet another symptom of mold illness, Chronic Fungal Sinusitis in and of itself, can cause brain fog in a variety of ways. Some examples are:

When the nose is congested, breathing through the mouth results in a lower oxygen intake, and can result in fuzzy thinking.
Medications used to treat Sinusitis often make patients groggy and thinking disjointed.
Poor sleep or insomnia leads to the inability to concentrate or to learn and make simple cognitive connections.
Inflammation creates irritability, low concentration and an inflamed brain.

Further, it turns out the inflammation (caused by the inflammatory response to mold) often causes brain fog as a symptom. There are numerous diagnosable inflammatory diseases (Rheumatiod Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, MS, etc.) where brain fog is listed as a symptom. For mold sufferers, what is most relevant is that a variety of inflammatory, toxic, and allergic responses to the mold create imbalances with hormones, neurotransmitters, and nutrition.

Environmental Causes

Paying attention to environmental factors that we may have some control of throughout our day can help us be more proactive about modifying our lifestyles and behaviors to improve our wellness and eliminate brain fog.

What can be done?

Brain Fog is a symptom taken seriously by patients because it can mimic symptoms of dementia or neurological diseases. Unfortunately, seeing a neurologist first may take a patient down the road of expensive imaging diagnostics and a variety of medications focused on the symptoms.

A less-travelled path that may be highly productive is to see a physician, integrative or functional medicine, or Naturopathic Doctor that treats environmental illness. These healthcare professionals take more time with patients (often 45 min-1 hour) to listen closely to their symptoms and ask questions about their medical history and environment that can lead to finding the cause of the brain fog and mitigating factors that cause it, without medication that can mask some symptoms or create new symptoms to deal with. Avoiding the debilitating path of seeing a series of doctors and taking a long list of ineffective medications until the cause is addressed can prevent years of needless suffering.

In addition, if your environment is the cause, medication will unlikely be totally effective, because you are returning to the cause or behavior that is causing the symptoms in the first place.

Tips for alleviating “brain fog” for Mold and Chronic Sinusitis Sufferers:

Agrumax Dietary Supplement added to daily nasal washes and/or ingested by mixing into in a glass of water can provide the body relief from the continuous inhalation of fungi and can address candida or fungal growth in the gut.
Practicing good mold hygiene in your home by using the Haven Mister or cleaning with Citrisafe Remedy Mold Solution Concentrate can bring your fungal air counts down dramatically allowing you to rest and sleep in an environment without continuous inhalation of mold.
Washing clothes and especially linens with Remedy Laundry Liquid will remove mold on the things that touch your body and your face and can help reduce mold tracked into your home. This will make your environment and especially your bed less inflammatory, so you can sleep better and longer.
The addition of a HEPA Air Purifier or Remedy Air Maintenance Candles. The less mold you are bringing into your body, the less toxins your body collects and the less it has to fight the invader (mold) to be and stay well.

Perhaps, these descriptions can help provide a clearer understanding of your symptoms and ways it can be addressed without hopelessness or panic.

” I Am Severely Ill!”

March 18, 2021/0 Comments/in building science experts, Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Personal, Sick House /by sickhouses

Mold Illness, Debilitating Symptoms, and Explaining Why Doctors Aren’t Listening

By Cesar Collado

I have spoke to, in the past, with two normally healthy individuals seeking guidance about where to get help for illness brought on by mold exposure. Both have seen multiple physicians, spent significant amounts of money, and are at their “wits’ end.” Both have been trying to find solutions to their declining health for some time. Both are in their thirties and describe themselves as active and healthy prior to instances of mold exposure.

The first person was a former athlete in excellent physical shape who described his symptoms as “pulverizing”. He discussed multiple instances where he was exposed to moldy environments that instantly crippled him. Severe neurological and motor function symptoms were experienced; he felt like he had “dementia”. He currently lives separately from his wife and children. He has done extensive internet research on his symptoms and has read about several syndromes that may be the cause. He has not had luck with physicians. His core issue is finding a physician who will listen and explain his condition so that he can get the proper help with treatment. That led him to my newsletters and to reaching out to me. We discussed his situation at length. His objective is to feel healthy again and be able to return to living with his family.

The second person is an active professional who also exercises and eats healthy. She described a constant “brain fog” and the feeling of pain like “there are rubber bands around her sinuses” and headaches. She recalls that her sinus issues began when some water damage was repaired in her relatively new home. She has seen an ENT and had a CT scan that showed that her sinuses were clear. The ENT’s conclusion was that her issues were not in her sinuses, and she was sent along. She has since seen a “functional medicine” doctor who took numerous diagnostics at a significant expense. She is very concerned with the potential financial stress and wants to know how to get well.

Since I am not a physician, I can only provide insight and explanations focused on helping them find a path to the right medical professionals who will listen to and treat them. Both people also need advice on exploring what they can do in their home environments to mitigate further mold exposure.

I try to not lead people toward a path of expensive speculative solutions, endless doctor visits, and other professional interventions. This usually overwhelms individuals and can leave them “turned off”. If I do so, they feel like my advice is more of the same and another dead end.

Bedside Manner Counts

There are several reasons why integrative approaches are more successful with mold patients. First and most obvious, these physicians spend significantly more time with the patients and ask about their environment. They look at the entire body with all of its systems as a whole. A detailed medical history, including the history of mold exposure and water-damaged buildings exposure is explored in detail. Valid diagnostics by certified labs exist to identify evidence of mold allergy, mycotoxin exposure, and other causes of illness, such as heavy metals.

The desire and ability to provide medical attention and listen to the patient is essential for forming a relationship of shared responsibility. When a doctor and patient work together, there is better adherence to a treatment plan, and patients are more likely to adopt the behavior changes required to get well. There must also be trust and guidance from the physician towards having a patient’s home environment examined and made clean and safe; this is critical to getting better. Without a safe environment, the body will not heal with any medical interventions, because breathing in mold and toxins will perpetuate the inflammatory response.

Recent Recognition of Other Factors

While mold sickness has been around for ages, there are also other elements to healthy living that have changed over recent times. The impact of diet has immense importance. The introduction of processed foods as predominant components of the modern diet is finally becoming concerning, because obesity, metabolic diseases, and diabetes are skyrocketing. Read more about diet and gut health HERE.

In addition, the importance of indoor air quality for the masses is relatively recent. The continuous efforts to develop more energy-efficient and less costly homes have changed the building materials used for most homes. Homes have become tighter, but this has created moisture issues. In addition, standard drywall and particle boards used today absorb moisture, increase water damage, and contain organic matter that is conducive to mycotoxin-producing molds.

My Advice to the Readers Mentioned Above

I recognize that it is a ‘brain overload’ to learn about environmental illness. I do my best to inform people to take one step at a time. Acting on every possible solution without evidence can waste significant energy andfinancial resources. It is important to learn what they can about their illness prior to visiting professionals for treatment or service. These are the suggestions I made to these people. I try to focus my advice on inexpensive steps to provide direction to the patient initially.

Begin gathering information prior to visiting a physician.

Get out of the home and find a safe place to stay for several days to see if they feel better, think better, or sleep better. This is a critical hypothesis to test and provides valuable information to both the patient and doctor.
Do some research about mold illness and mycotoxins. I often refer to past articles I have written because the approach and audience targeted are normal people just like them. There are obviously numerous blogs, websites, and articles that offer significant expertise and experiences beyond my understanding. However, I am sensitive to their condition and try to keep it short and simple.
Test their homes with mold test plates. These are relatively inexpensive and easy to perform and will help to determine if the home tests positive or negative for mold.
Document every exposure to mold, water-damaged buildings, and symptoms you have experienced that you believe are due to mold exposure. Be prepared to share this with your physician as they may be accustomed to asking very few questions and spending little time with patients, especially in regards to their history or environment.

Do some research to find physicians who treat mold and mycotoxin illness.

There are several online databases that will direct patients to physicians who treat mold illness in their area. You can get a list from Jennifer Nitrio at MoldHelpForYou.com
Call the doctors’ offices and explain your symptoms to see if the physicians you are selecting specifically treat your illness. Do this prior to spending time and money on an office visit. In the event the visual mold test plates reveal potential problems, consider additional lab testing or hiring an accredited environmental inspector or Bau Biologist (HERE is my article on Bau Biology—I thought that might be a good place for an additional link) to validate your results.
You can purchase a Mold Diagnostic Test Kit. The mold plates will be directly sent to you by Immunolytics with directions and materials to send the plates back to the lab. Access to the lab results is included and will be emailed to you with valuable supporting information in approximately 7-10 days.
A more conclusive environmental test for mold and mycotoxins called the EMMA Test can be done through Real time Labs. There are some medical diagnostics that can be done at the doctor or on your own by ordering the tests on the internet. I caution this approach only because reading the diagnostic results can be confusing and overwhelming.

Going through a doctor or a lab who can help you go over your results in detail is always the best approach.

An IgG test for mold antigens will determine if your body has antibodies for specific molds. This can indicate an allergy to mold.
A Mycotoxin urine test is done by Real Time Labs or Great Plains Laboratory. While not foolproof or definitive, if you are actively secreting mycotoxins in your urine, it is a good indication of current or past mold exposure.

The Most Significant Challenge We All Face: Getting the Right Doctor to Treat for Mold

Proximity of Sinus Mucosa to the Brain

Since the majority of mold is inhaled, the largest concentration of mycotoxins exists in the sinus mucosal tissue. Currently, there are no diagnostics to test for mycotoxins in the sinuses. Because the sinuses reside adjacent to the cerebral spinal fluid around the brain, direct exposure to the brain can cause significant neurological symptoms without being detected in a urine test for mycotoxins. I know of few cases where ENTs have removed damaged tissue from the sinuses during surgery and have tested that tissue for mycotoxins after the procedure (similar to a cancer biopsy). This is NOT the norm for most ENTs I have encountered, though. In fact, I only know of one who has embraced this practice. Most ENTs refer patients with neurological symptoms to a neurologist.

Fungal Ball removed from Sinuses

It is a significant challenge to even find ENTs who treat fungal sinusitis other than surgical removal of “fungal balls.” I receive numerous accounts of patients seeing ENTs for mold without success or frustrated with the outcome. It is also rare for an ENT or any specific specialist to treat the body in an integrative manner. This is no fault of theirs as the specialty that they are licensed to practice is very focused. The burden to find such doctors falls on the patients.

I would be grateful to anyone who would share their experience of being treated for mold by their ENT. I know there are ENTs out there that treat sinuses for mold and mycotoxins. I would love to be able to direct suffering patients to see them. It is frustrating to attempt to find a local ENT that treats both fungal infections and mycotoxins in the sinuses. Knowledge of these ENTs successfully treating sinuses for mold and mycotoxins could be life-changing for people to know of their existence. Please feel free to comment on your experiences.

About the Author: Cesar Collado

Cesar Collado is a former pharmaceutical R&D executive, venture capitalist, and seasoned strategy consultant in biotechnology and technology industries in general. He currently works as an advisor to multiple technology start-ups and advises several companies that provide healthcare and other services for environmental illness.

The Body’s Toxic Load

March 18, 2021/0 Comments/in Chronic Illnesses, Environmental Illnes, Sick House /by sickhouses

Understanding the “Body Burden” is Important When Choosing a Home

By Cesar Collado

The Toxic Load (sometimes called the “Body Burden”) is the accumulated amount of toxins affecting your bodily systems at any given time. Toxins are significant stressors to all bodily systems, the immune system, and even your mental state. Every day we are bombarded with thousands of toxins. We inhale them, eat them, and can absorb them through the skin.

Toxins come from many sources in our industrialized world. There are 80,000 chemicals known to the EPA and just a fraction of them have been studied to know their toxic effects. Regardless, known or unknown toxins are utilized in the production processes for building materials, paints and finishes, flame retardants, household cleaners, personal products, air fresheners, candles, air pollutants, and even medicines and food products. Pesticides, preservatives and pollutants can contaminate the foods we eat and the water we drink, cook and bathe with. But, our bodies are equipped to metabolize only a fixed amount of toxins in our lives. Then, when a person is overexposed to mold, their body can reach its toxic tipping point, and an immediate, catastrophic health reaction occurs. What happens then?

Our Bodies and Toxins

Our body has natural abilities to metabolize and excrete toxins. When exposed to toxins, our livers and kidneys are somewhat effective in metabolizing them and removing them via the digestive and perspiration systems. However, if the amount of toxins exceeds the body’s ability to rid itself from them, they can be stored in fat and tissues. This is particularly important for those of us that carry little or significant excess fat. When we lose weight, these toxins are released into our bodies where they will continue to be circulated, absorbed, metabolized and excreted. In the event toxins reach organs or even the brain by penetrating the blood brain barrier, devastating disorders, including neurological and cognitive problems can result.

The “Body Burden”

Consider a bucket being filled with water. Once it is full, water spills over the side and can go anywhere. The body’s ability to metabolize toxins operates in a similar fashion. When a person is exposed to toxins from a variety of sources over time, their bucket fills until it cannot remove additional toxins. Whatever is in your “bucket” is your Body Burden or Toxic Load. Since our bodies can only metabolize a fixed amount of toxins over our lifetimes, our toxic load can be reached slowly over time or rapidly and all at once by a significant exposure to any toxin. Depending on a person’s life choices, circumstances, medical and family history, and body composition, it is possible for a person to reach their lifetime limit in just an instant.

Not everyone is exposed to hazardous toxins in their lives. Those who are exposed at work are trained to take necessary safety precautions, and workplace environments are regulated to manage the risk. On rare occasions, when a worker may be exposed to a specific hazard, medical treatment and protocols are followed.

However, many of the environments we live in contain toxic chemicals and pollutants that we will likely absorb in some manner over time. The air we breathe outdoors can be polluted. Chlorine and fluoride are present in our drinking waters. Some heavy metals are essential nutrients (typically iron, cobalt, and zinc). Others, such as cadmium, mercury, and lead, are highly poisonous.

Pesticides are used in landscaping and farming. New construction is built with materials that are treated with flame retardants, adhesives, and other processes that involve toxic chemicals. Paints can have Volatile Organic Compounds (“VOCs”). Home furnishings, paints, and carpets often off-gas chemicals for a period of time.

The critical message here is that once you reach your toxic burden, your body becomes ultra-sensitive to many environmental elements. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (“MCS”) can make almost any environment toxic to someone who has reached their Body Burden or Toxic Load. After your bucket is full, regular household and personal products become extremely toxic, even in miniscule amounts.

Why is Mold Exposure Critical to the “Toxic Load Discussion”?

Mold, albeit an antigen or pathogen, also triggers an immune response which is different than the histamine response produced by most allergens. In an allergic response, antihistamines and steroids may be prescribed and effective. The mold inflammatory response exacerbates debilitating conditions. To make matters worse, many common species of mold release potent mycotoxins (poisonous chemicals) that can impact the body slowly over time or severely, if they reach the many organs in the body, including the brain.

Mold and their mycotoxins make up a very small portion of the possible toxic elements to our bodies. However, when humidity or moisture, due to a common roof or plumbing leak, humid weather, or poor water management meet any organic material (including dust, fabric, wallpaper, wood, and carpet), mold can begin to grow. Mold reproduces at alarming rates and can proliferate throughout our homes to reach dangerous levels very quickly. Any disruption of the mold can release billions of microscopic mold spores into the air we breathe. (Mold most often is inhaled and then can reproduce rapidly in our bodies.) Mold mycotoxins can be inhaled into our sinuses where they are microns away from our brains. Therefore, mold is likely the greatest threat to any normal person in a normal environment to push them to reach their toxic load immediately. The fallout is a debilitating ultra-sensitivity that can handicap their ability to enjoy life.

Exposure Possibilities

Any mold infestation where you can see it or smell it is likely a very dangerous situation for even healthy inhabitants. If it is a minor infestation, any DIY person can take safety precautions like a N95 face mask and gloves and follow clear directions to remediate it themselves. Larger infestations that penetrate walls or severely water damaged homes are health hazards. These should be remediated by a professional. Also, musty, damp basements or crawlspaces can have an overwhelming amount of mold. Without professional containment, and removal you risk disrupting the mold and releasing spores and toxins into the air. If this occurs, the mold can then be distributed throughout the home through the HVAC system. Simply living in such environments can lead someone to reach their toxic load immediately, and have to deal with a lifetime of debilitating sensitivities when exposed to minimal amounts of mold or chemicals thereafter.

When you are living in a home with mold, regardless of whether it is during a repair or while you have little control of the situation, there are things you can do to limit the toxic burden on your body:

Treat the how’s with Haven Fog, a denser. smoke like fog, that rises and filled the entire space volume of HVAC to to flood the ductwork and hair handler. Read more about hot fogging HERE.
Cold fogging with the Haven Mister and Haven Mold Solution will easily keep the mold counts down while you await repairs or find another mold-safe home. You can also use Remedy Mold Solution Concentrate to do the job.
Using Haven Spray on virtually any surface will also keep mold levels down. It is less efficient and time consuming than cold fogging; however, it works.
Burning Remedy Air Purification Candles will quickly impact your immediate environment will significantly reduce mold and mycotoxin counts from the air in the areas you relax or work in.

Other Factors to Consider

Modern Medicine Limitations

When we go to the physician when we are sick, we are diagnosed based on our symptoms and treated with medicines. The medicines themselves could also be toxic. Where we are particularly vulnerable is that many symptoms of toxic burden are similar to those of many chronic illnesses. These symptoms can steer us to many medical specialists who will have us cycling through many medicines. Most general practice physicians and practitioners see numerous patients each hour; and there is little time to investigate every patient’s individual exposure to toxins in their environments. Unfortunately, most of the burden to recognize toxins in our environments and food falls on us, the patients. The only way to address this is to educate ourselves and seek physicians or other health care professionals that diagnose and treat environmental illness.

The Modern Diet

Over the past several decades, the industrialization of the food industry has introduced toxins in exceedingly high amounts to our diets. You can read more about gut health in an earlier published article HERE.

Ways to Ease Your Toxic Burden

Eat Organic. Non-organic foods expose you to pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones, artificial flavors and sweeteners.
Avoid consuming fish that are high in mercury.
Decrease your intake of sugars and other carbohydrates. These foods feed fungus and lead to fungal overgrowth in the body.
Switch to green or all-natural cleaning products. Avoid bleach and ammonia.
Hydrate well with filtered water. Water helps to dilute and flush out toxins.
Improve the quality of your air by cleaning for mold regularly and investing in an air purifier.
Try to use glass instead of plastic containers with BPA.
Choose natural, organic personal products.
Use natural fibers, like wool or cotton when decorating your home. Also, limit use of carpet in favor or natural fiber rugs, hardwood floors or ceramic tiles.
Service your HVAC regularly replacing HEPA filters every few months.
Consider seeing a physician that treats environmental illness when suffering from a mysterious illness your general practitioner has trouble diagnosing.

You Carpet is a Homes Largest Air Filter That Does Not Get Changed

The Science of Washing Machines, Detergents and Removing Mold from Laundry

A Very Effective DIY Tool to Address Systemic Mold in a Home

Mold Everywhere?

The Removal of Airborne Mold Requires a Physical or Mechanical Effort.

DIY Hot Fogging

DIY Misting

Mold Problems Impact the Entire Family

Long-Term Costs of Mold Illness

Respiratory Disease

Neurological/Cognitive Problems Due To Mold Exposure

Psychiatric Disorders

Inflammatory Diseases

Chronic Sinusitis

Earnings Loss

Lost Opportunities Due to Mold Illness

Preventive and Mold Hygiene Maintenance to Improve Long-Term Wellness

6 Places Builders Cut Corners in the Construction Process That Lead to Mold Issues

Potential Mold Issues Inside the Home:

1. Air Conditioner Size Selection

2. Kitchen and Bathroom Exhaust/Ventilation Fans

3. Houses Settling

Potential Issues Outside the Home:

4. Groundwater

5. Gutters and Flashing

6. Crawlspaces, Basements, and Attics

The Critical Importance of Removing Microscopic Mold Debris After Cleaning or Fogging

HEPA History

HEPA Air Purifiers

Haven Fogger (up to 4000 sq. ft.) Haven Mini Fogger (up to 700 sq. ft.)

Identifying Water Damage and Mold

By Cesar Collado

My Ultimate Objective

Time and Cost-Effective Steps You can take to Identify Home Issues

Safety Equipment and Helpful Tools

Start With The Outside of the Home, Followed by The Unfinished, Then inside

Outside:

The Basement, Attic, or Crawlspace:

Inside your Home:

Attic

© 2020, Cesar Collado, All Rights Reserved

Mold Patients and Doctors Use This Term with Limited Understanding of Specifics

Symptoms and Fear

Here are some patient-reported descriptions of “brain fog”:

Brain fog can also be accompanied by the following physical symptoms:

Medical Causes

Environmental Causes

What can be done?

© 2020, Cesar Collado, All Rights Reserved

Mold Illness, Debilitating Symptoms, and Explaining Why Doctors Aren’t Listening

Bedside Manner Counts

Recent Recognition of Other Factors

My Advice to the Readers Mentioned Above

The Most Significant Challenge We All Face: Getting the Right Doctor to Treat for Mold

Proximity of Sinus Mucosa to the Brain

Understanding the “Body Burden” is Important When Choosing a Home

© 2020, Cesar Collado, All Rights Reserved

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