Tag:

mold testing

Which is Better, the ERMI or the EMMA?

by Catherine 10:42 pm

The Pros and Cons of Using ERMI and EMMA Tests to Assess Mold Exposure Risk Inside a Home

(Note: This article was originally posted on Sinusitis Wellness. I have added some additional content for this post.)

It is likely that you are reading this article because you are exploring options for testing for mold in your home or perhaps in a home that you are intending to purchase or rent. Maybe you are looking to test because you know that you are mold sensitive and want to be careful, or maybe you want to test because someone in the home is experiencing health symptoms, and you suspect mold to be the causative factor. Whatever the reason, I realize that making heads or tails of testing options that assess the potential health risk that a home may pose is difficult, to put it mildly. And, while no single testing method is perfect, and nothing beats professional, extensive visual and mechanical inspections, I am a fan of not guessing when it comes to mold and mycotoxins. Thus, in this article, I am going to attempt to simplify, explain, and compare two of the most popular, analysis-based testing options for mold, the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI), and the Environmental Mold and Mycotoxin Assessment (EMMA).

10:42 pm 23 comments

Cleaning Tips Healthy Home Interviews Mold Prevention Q & A's

My Interview With Indoor Air Quality Extraordinaire, Author, and Scientist Jeff May

by Catherine 6:04 pm

How to Know If Your House is Killing You With Jeff May

When you are looking for someone to trust on all matters concerning indoor air quality, hidden leaks, mold problems, weird or unpleasant odors, contaminated mechanical systems, and the overall “health” of your home, Jeff May should be at the top of your list. I know he is at the top of mine. As a matter of fact, I learned about Jeff and became acquainted with his expertise in the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and home inspections fields when my family was going through our mold nightmare. At the time, I was desperate to find information on how to fix our home, and found one of Jeff’s popular books, My House is Killing Me! The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma, at our local public library. It was the most comprehensive and helpful guide on the myriad things that can cause a home to get “sick” I had ever seen. Needless to say, I couldn’t put it down and later ordered his book, The Mold Survival Guide: For Your Home and for Your Health on Amazon—I can’t recommend it enough to others navigating the confusing world of mold in their home or anyone suspecting that something in their home is making them sick. To this day, I find myself referencing sections of the book when I am working on articles about below-grade spaces, like basements or crawlspaces, or wanting to understand more about proper attic ventilation or ice damming and mold growth. If it has anything to do with mold in a home, believe me, that book covers it!

6:04 pm 2 comments

Healthy Home Mold Prevention Mold Remediation Products

Micro Balance EC3 Candles

by Catherine 5:22 pm

Do the EC3 Air Purification Candles REALLY Work to Reduce the Mold Load in a Indoor Environment?

I get many emails from readers asking about the true efficacy of the Micro Balance products—most specifically the EC3 Environmental Products. If you are new to my blog, or not familiar with the EC3 products, the line includes solutions for keeping mold and mycotoxin counts down on surfaces, belongings, an in the indoor air. LOTS of my posts include one or more mentions of the EC3 products and the ways in which I use them in our home as a means of cleaning for mold, or for mold hygiene and mold avoidance. These are the products that I am trusting to keep my home and my family well and safe. I wouldn’t be posting all of these articles if the EC3 products didn’t work, right?

Well, I can assure you that I would NOT be touting any product or service that I didn’t actively use, trust, and believe in. I try to keep my posts informative, science-based and not sales-y. I do have an affiliate relationship on this blog with Micro Balance and any money earned helps me to keep this blog going as a labor of love to help as many people as I can. More than that, though, I want you to know that I mold test frequently in my home to make sure that what I am “saying” on this blog is true to the best of my knowledge. I even conduct experiments, and I put any products I write about to the test DAILY to make sure that I am not leading anyone astray or causing anyone to throw money down the drain on products that do not do what they say they do.

5:22 pm 11 comments

Healthy Home Interviews Mold Prevention Mold Remediation

Mold Research Study

by Catherine 8:59 pm

Can One Area of Mold Growth Make an Entire Home Unsafe?

I realize that reading mold research and scientific studies about mold is not everyone’s “thing,” but unfortunately for my husband and close friends, it has sort of become mine. The many nuances of our built environments, how each component influences indoor air quality, and how indoor air quality then influences our health (good or bad) totally fascinates me. I truly cannot consume enough information on the subject these days. When a home or building with mold growth is making people sick, there is so much more going on than just the mold. Often, there are bacteria, yeasts, viruses, excess humidity, dust mites, ventilation issues, damaged and decaying building materials, and much, much more. In my opinion, examining how each of these factors influence and affect indoor air quality is at the crux of us figuring out how to prevent mold and environmental illness and how to actually make those that are already sick become well again. My belief is that if we fully understand what is causing the illness, then the cure will become clear, right?

8:59 pm 2 comments

Cleaning Tips Healthy Home Interviews Mold Prevention Mold Remediation Q & A's

A Candid Chat With a Professional Mold Inspector

by Catherine 4:17 pm

Brian Karr Discusses Mold Inspections, Mold Testing, and Why Some Mold Remediations Fail

Of all of the questions I get from readers of this blog, the vast majority are from people completely exhausted and burned out from dealing with mold inspections, mold testing, and remediation companies. Some have been mold testing, inspecting, and remediating their homes exhaustively for years, and are still not feeling any better. Many have had multiple mold inspectors come out to their homes to help them find and “solve” their mold problems. They take all advice and have their homes remediated, only to find days, weeks, or even months later that they are just as sick and just as reactive as ever. They embark upon further home inspection and investigation, only to find that the mold is still there, or that the real source of the mold was never found or properly remediated. In some cases, there were even additional mold problems and sources that were not found or addressed in the first place. Then, the mold ordeal begins again, kind of like the movie Groundhog Day, where individuals and families are forced to relive the same experience with only a slightly altered perspective. For some people, this nightmare goes on for years! It is emotionally exhausting and financially draining. In the end, the people who write to me don’t know who to trust, and don’t have any confidence that spending more money on inspections or remediation is even worth it. At the point when I am finally reached out to, the person is just plain ready to give up entirely.

What Can I Do to Help?

Even though I have been there, done that, and know my fair share about mold inspections and investigations, I am obviously not a certified mold or microbial inspector. So, while I can give advice and share heartfelt “if I were you, what I would do,” feedback from my own experience, I am not out there working in the field, so speak, investigating homes and seeing what other homeowners are dealing with. Thus, in order to really do my part to help the people who need guidance, I thought I would reach out to one of the best and most knowledgeable mold inspectors I know, Brian Karr of We Inspect and creator of the Mold Masterclass. (For my in-depth post about Brian and my experience of taking the Mold Masterclass, click HERE.)

4:17 pm 4 comments

Uncategorized

Help! We Just Uncovered a LOT of Hidden Mold in Our Home!

by Catherine 12:37 am

How to Stop Mold and Mycotoxin Cross-Contamination Once Mold Has Been Exposed and/or Disturbed

Recently, I recieved the following email from a reader who found herself in the middle of a mold and mycotoxin cross-contamination nightmare after starting on demo for a home renovation:

Dear Catherine,

Thank you for your time and willingness to share your expertise. We are just getting started on this mold journey…Here is what was behind my vanity where I wash my face and brush my teeth. It is perhaps why my eyes have burned since January! Sadly, we didn’t really know and just had regular contractors doing the demo. No serious containment. I’m now trying to figure out the next step. Any advice on what we do from here? Also, did you consider hiring a company like SERVPRO to help with the cleaning process?

Before I share my answer, I need to tell you where I stand on any kind of indoor demo without containment, especially if you are mold sensitive–I DON’T THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE THAT KIND OF CHANCE WITH YOUR HEALTH. Setting up containment is not that time consuming, not that expensive, and not difficult enough to not do it, in my opinion. Because my family is mold sensitized and we have already been taken out by a significant toxic mold exposure in our home, I am NOT willing to take chances these days. When it comes to work being done on our home that requires demo and opening up walls, ceilings, or ripping out building materials, we always set up proper containment around the area where we are doing the work before we begin. It is a non-negotiable precaution for us these days.

12:37 am 0 comment

Healthy Home Mold Prevention Mold Remediation Treatment & Recovery

I Think My Home is Making Me Sick. Now What?

by Catherine 8:59 pm

Learn How to Identify and Remediate Mold and Mycotoxin Exposure With the Mold Masterclass

If you are reading this post, you have probably wondered about or faced the health implications of living in a moldy environment at some point. Having to deal with the whole “mold question”—whether or not mold exists in your home and if it is dangerous to your health or not—can be daunting, to say the least. Most people know very little, if anything, about where to begin with a mold inspection or what they should even be looking for, other than obvious mold growth. So, when the decision is made to investigate a home for mold, the goal is usually to find a professional to guide the process with clear diagnostics and methodologies that will yield answers and solutions. Unfortunately, many times, the inspection procedure ends up being far from clear, and homeowners, including myself at one point, end up with a bunch of test results that are hard to interpret, but no definite answers, next steps, solutions, or piece of mind. In the end, questions remain and the home and people in it often remain sick, confused, and out the money that was spent on an inconclusive mold inspection.

The main breakdown here, in my opinion, is that not all mold inspectors are created equal, nor do all mold inspectors truly understand and respect the health concerns associated with mold. In addition, in some states there is little barrier to entry to the profession. Some mold inspectors are even allowed to perform both the inspection and the remediation—a clear conflict of interest. Within the profession, there is also no clearly established lens through which an inspector is required to view the definition of a healthy home or healthy levels of mold inside of a home. This is particularly important, because, depending on your method of mold evaluation and testing, it can be like comparing apples to oranges from one inspector’s point of view to another. For example, if one mold inspector bases her diagnosis of your home solely upon the airborne mold counts indoors in comparison to those outdoors, she may decide that the home is safe, while another inspector who employs thermography, moisture readings, and mycotoxin testing, in addition to airborne mold counts, might deem the exact same home as needing major remediation to be safe.

What is the solution, especially if you are mold-sensitive and already not in a state of good health?

8:59 pm 0 comment

Healthy Home Mold Prevention Personal Stories Q & A's

The Problems Caused by False Negative Mold Tests

by Catherine 7:08 pm

How to Get an Accurate Diagnosis When Air Testing for Mold

Recently, during some email correspondence with a fellow mold sufferer, I was reminded of a problem that afflicts many people trying to find out answers about mold in their indoor environments: The prevalence of false “negatives” or “safe” spore count results in certain air testing methods for mold. It is a problem that I am intimately acquainted with, because my family also got an “all clear” verdict on our extremely toxic home from the first mold inspector that we hired.

In this person’s case, the mold inspection and mold testing were also performed by a professional. The inspection only consisted of the collection of spore-trap air samples that were sent off to a lab for analysis. No “problematic” molds or spore count levels were identified in any of the samples collected. Spore trap air sampling was also the testing method used in our home that didn’t indicate our very big mold problem. It is a testing method that typically compares indoor air samples to outdoor air samples. Types of molds and number of spores are analyzed by microscopy to determine whether or not a mold problem exists with the indoor air. (I think determinations made on indoor environments that are solely based on outdoor mold comparisons is faulty logic. You can read my post HERE about why.) The home was then “cleared” or declared “safe” and she and her husband put mold out of their minds and continued living there.

7:08 pm 8 comments

Cleaning Tips Healthy Home Mold Prevention Mold Remediation Personal Stories Q & A's

Mold Testing: KNOWING is Half the Battle

by Catherine 3:40 pm

Don’t Let Mold-Testing Fears Prevent You From Having a Healthier Home

I get it. Mold testing can be scary. Well, actually, I get that the testing itself is not the scary part. The results or the potential results and what they could possibly mean for your living situation, the well-being of your family—both emotionally and financially, and the future of your health are what’s scary. But, today I want to reassure you that fears of the unknown or worst-case scenarios should NOT deter you from testing and from continuing to test your home for mold. This is because when mold and your health are concerned, ignorance can be far from bliss. The continual exposure to mold can eventually take such a toll on your body that your symptoms will no longer allow you to ignore it and you’ll be forced to act. For mold-sensitive children, the effects could last a lifetime. To help you avoid such situations, I want to explain, with a real-world example from a reader, exactly how testing for mold and continually knowing what is going on in your home in terms of mold can be extremely helpful and beneficial to your peace of mind and health.

Do any of the following scenarios sound like you?

You are finally to the point when your health symptoms make you suspect mold in your home or indoor environment, and you want to test.
You have obvious high indoor humidity, musty odors, visible mold growth, or had a known leak, a wicked storm, or a water incident that lead you to want to test your home for elevated levels of mold spores or growth.
This isn’t your first rodeo, as they say, and you have done some remediation work yourself or had your home professionally remediated and are re-testing to make sure that all of the work to eliminate the mold is working.

Whatever the case, you decide to mold test your home, and await the results. This waiting time is when all of the “what ifs” start invading your mind: What if the tests come back showing that my house is moldy? Is it safe to stay in? Will I have to leave my home and all my things? What if I can’t afford to fix the problem? What if I have to leave my home? Where would I/we go? What if the “the fix” attempted doesn’t work?

3:40 pm 2 comments

Interviews Mold Prevention Wellness

Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) Testing: A Valuable Self-Screening Tool for Mold Illness and Treatment Progress

by Catherine 9:55 pm

If you are experiencing health issues and have been exposed to mold in your home or workplace, or you think you may have a mold issue in one of your indoor environments, it is hard to know where to turn for initial symptom assessment and testing without spending lots of time and money on doctors visits that often don’t yield conclusive information. Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) Testing, an online self-assessment of your ability to discern black/white/gray contrast, can help. The test was useful to me in facilitating a connection between my environment and my illness and has continued to be helpful for me in evaluating the effectiveness of my various treatments and new living environments. Thus, I would like to share the details of VCS testing with you today.

Whenever mold exposure is a health concern, the obvious first step should be to address your environment and to figure out whether it has a problem. There are few tools as helpful as environmental testing with EC3 Mold Screening Test Plates to determine this. These biologically-based Petri dishes are conclusive in determining the presence of mold. But, when it comes to your body and knowing whether or not it has been or is being affected by mold, there can be confusion and conflicting information. That is where some online tools and self-screening tests can be very useful. While none of these are conclusive without a doctor’s further testing and diagnosis, they can combine circumstantial evidence that can collectively be relied on to make the difficult and elusive mold diagnosis. Getting diagnosed early can save valuable time and money and is priceless in helping the family manage through any mold hardships impacting their lives.

In my opinion, the best place to start, especially if you are considering medical treatment, is the Free Sinusitis and Mold Sensitivity Evaluation available for FREE at SinusitisWellness.com. It includes questions about both your medical history and home and work environments. Your responses will help to generate valuable information about whether or not your symptoms point to mold as the possible culprit for your health issues. This valuable information can then be used to seek further medical help, or to take practical steps in mold hygiene, or for useful products and follow-up. Since I have already featured this evaluation in a previous post, today I am going to shift my focus to VCS Testing, another self-screening tool, and what it can offer in terms of possible mold exposure insight.

What is the Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test?

The VCS Test is not an eyesight or visual acuity test, but rather a test to see how discretely you can distinguish black/white/grey contrast. Contrast sensitivity testing has been historically useful in cases of cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and a number of other vision-related concerns. Now, thanks to the research and validation done by Dr. Hudnell, PhD neurotoxicologist of the US EPA, and Dr. Richard Shoemaker, it has also been proven useful in determining potential biotoxin illness. So, while there are no routine lab tests to measure biotoxins, these doctors found that you can measure their effects on the human body, with VCS testing. While not conclusive, The VCS demonstrates deficiencies and specific deficits in people exposed to biotoxins.

But, how?

9:55 pm 6 comments