Re: feeling devastated

[Guest guest]

Dear Lori,

I’m so sorry about your reaction to your own house. I just had a reaction to the movie rental store and can’t go back there.

I do know something about mold in your house. First of all, it must be some one else following the directions, not you. You really should leave while some one searches for and cleans the mold.

Look first for a water leak. Under the kitchen sink is common, in the bathroom, and check the window sills. If you are lucky enough to find a point source then clean, clean, clean. Finish off with a spray of diluted bleach or full strength Hydrogen peroxide (better).

Do you live in an apt?

It is possible that the mold is in the walls from a building leak. If so, you will need to clean everything, your clothes, furniture, books, everything and that will buy you some time, but not kill the mold that you can’t get to.

You might have to move. Mold reactions build with continued exposure.

Let us know what you find, and good luck.

Pam

On 8/20/06 1:20 PM, " Lori Baur " <lori@...> wrote:

I just returned home from a short trip and I am completely devastated to find out that there seems to be something in my apartment that is making me sicker. I think it is mold but I am not sure.

I just don't know what we are going to do. I feel I am so sick after having been home for just a couple of hours that I shouldn't even be STAYING here!

Any advice about mold is appreciated. Don't even know where to start. : (

Lori in NY

[Guest guest]

Pam, thanks for the info. Do you know of any tests that we can do?

We do live in an apartment. They have very good maintenance here and are proactive but of course that does not rule out anything.

One thing that I am very worried about is that our former building had mold in it. We didn't realize it until after we moved here. We went back and visited the old apartment and there was mold all over the bathroom ceiling, walls, door frame, like big giant mushrooms. It was horrible. I couldn't breathe and I had to leave immediately. Obviously it was there already when we lived there (for 14 years!) but it wasn't that obvious while we were there, probably because we were fastidious cleaners. I am worried that perhaps we brought that mold with us, unknowingly. We recently got rid of our old mattress and noticed there was mold on the bottom surface of the mattress.

Of course I don't know for sure it is mold, but it seems it probably is because this is the same reaction I have to mushrooms and I don't react to anything else this way that I know of.

We live in a large building with lots of other apartments -- they are all connected but they are in separate kind of buildings. For instance, if there was a leak it would probably be confined to the apartments in our stairwell. Do you think it would be unwise to move into another apartment somewhere in the complex? I really love it here and it's the only thing we can afford. I wonder if we could somehow test in the new apartment for mold. I am scared. Also I don't know the ethics of it -- we already have our name on a list to move into a bigger apartment. Do we tell the landlords about the mold? I don't want them to not allow us to mvoe into another place if that's what we decide to do.

If there was mold in just one place, for example, under the kitchen sink, would that cause such severe symptoms?

Thanks so much. I'm totally overwhelmed by this.

Lori

[Guest guest]

Lori,

The mold on the bottom of the mattress worries me.

The mold spores float around in the air and can trigger your reaction in very small amounts. I worried about you searching around because if you found a concentration, the reaction could be more severe.

How did you react to the mattress when you took it out. Were you helping? There are many types of mold and you are not sensitive to them all.

Try turning your air filter up to high and running a dehumidifier to stop them from multiplying.

Allergy tests will tell you which type of mold you are sensitive to and the doctor can tell you where it is usually found. I was allergic to one that started with an A and only grew on houseplants.

In my Grandmother’s, she had mold in her window air conditioner and the back of her closets (where there was no air circulation).

There are tests, like Tami’s, but I’ve heard them discredited, and I really don’t know about them.

I have had success cleaning areas that were obvious. My husband reacts more than I do to mold.

If you have central air, keeping that on during these humid days will help. Change the return air filter (not you).

I’ll keep thinking.

Pam

On 8/20/06 3:24 PM, " Lori Baur " <lori@...> wrote:

Pam, thanks for the info. Do you know of any tests that we can do?

We do live in an apartment. They have very good maintenance here and are proactive but of course that does not rule out anything.

One thing that I am very worried about is that our former building had mold in it. We didn't realize it until after we moved here. We went back and visited the old apartment and there was mold all over the bathroom ceiling, walls, door frame, like big giant mushrooms. It was horrible. I couldn't breathe and I had to leave immediately. Obviously it was there already when we lived there (for 14 years!) but it wasn't that obvious while we were there, probably because we were fastidious cleaners. I am worried that perhaps we brought that mold with us, unknowingly. We recently got rid of our old mattress and noticed there was mold on the bottom surface of the mattress.

Of course I don't know for sure it is mold, but it seems it probably is because this is the same reaction I have to mushrooms and I don't react to anything else this way that I know of.

We live in a large building with lots of other apartments -- they are all connected but they are in separate kind of buildings. For instance, if there was a leak it would probably be confined to the apartments in our stairwell. Do you think it would be unwise to move into another apartment somewhere in the complex? I really love it here and it's the only thing we can afford. I wonder if we could somehow test in the new apartment for mold. I am scared. Also I don't know the ethics of it -- we already have our name on a list to move into a bigger apartment. Do we tell the landlords about the mold? I don't want them to not allow us to mvoe into another place if that's what we decide to do.

If there was mold in just one place, for example, under the kitchen sink, would that cause such severe symptoms?

Thanks so much. I'm totally overwhelmed by this.

Lori

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam, thanks so much. I did not react to the mattress being taken out, and my symptoms were never noticeably worse around the mattress.

We don't have a dehumidifier, but I guess we could get one. The puzzling thing is we have a hydrometer or however it's spelled which measures the humidity in the air and it is only at 41 percent, which does not seem to me to be mold-growing. I know for my husband's upright bass the humidity has to be at least 40 percent, and most mold websites I read said it should be under 61 percent.

We have a window air conditioner, not central air. How can we check that for mold? How did your grandmother know she had mold? Was it visible? I just don't see any visible mold around anymore. But it seems so much like a mold reaction to me.

My husband is going to ask tomorrow about another apartment -- I just hope that's not a bad idea.

Lori

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all the information, . We can't find anything obvious at this point but maybe we don't know what we are looking for. We don't have a dehumidifer -- again, it is only 41 percent humidity in here so I'm not sure if that would help anyway. Maybe it was more humid while we were gone on these trips and the mold grew while we were away.

I am overwhelmed because I feel I should leave the apartment. BUt I work from home and can't do my work anywhere else (it would require a huge amount of equipment to be moved and also would need to be somewhere with high-speed internet, which really limits our options).

Anyway thanks -- I am not seeing a clear path but I guess I will figure it out. First I just want to figure out if it IS mold or not ...

Lori

[Guest guest]

Another possibility is whether any of your neighbors have leaks. If you are in an apartment building or condo, where someone lives above or below you, or you share a wall or ceiling with another unit, it could be that your neighbor has a leak that is allowing mold to grow inside the walls and is affecting your health. It's my understanding that mold needs a fairly consistent water supply to grow and prosper. (But I live in Arizona where it's not humid, so perhaps this last statement isn't true for humid locations.) You can have an environmental company take air sample(s) to see if there are elevated levels of mold in your home.

Best of luck to you, Lori. I hope you are able to figure out the cause of this nasty turn for the worse.

Deborah

RE: feeling devastated

Lori I’m so sorry to hear this.

First thing is that you don’t do anything, please, get someone else to do the checking around.

As Pamela has already said check for leaks of any description. Is the shower floor completely sealed, because sometimes as they age they tend to let water in and this could be getting under your floorboards or into your wall cavities. Even a dripping tap can lead to mould. What about around your window edges where rain might possible get in.

We have a product here called Closet Camel that resembles a small carton that is a de humidifier and protects against mould and mildew in cupboards etc. Might be worth investing in a few of them.

Have you a large de humidifier that you can turn on for the majority of the day or night?

There’s special paint you can use that prevents mould and would be perfect in this situation – I have all my walls and ceilings painted in it.

There’s special mattress protectors too that will inhibit mould and also dust mites. Does your bed have ample room underneath it to allow the air to flow freely through?

All these products though are available in Australia so I’m assuming they’d be in the States.

I hope it all works out for your Lori, and please, keep us informed as to how you go.

From: samters [mailto:samters ] On Behalf Of Lori BaurSent: Monday, 21 August 2006 3:21 AMsamters Subject: feeling devastated

I just returned home from a short trip and I am completely devastated to find out that there seems to be something in my apartment that is making me sicker. I think it is mold but I am not sure.

I just don't know what we are going to do. I feel I am so sick after having been home for just a couple of hours that I shouldn't even be STAYING here!

Any advice about mold is appreciated. Don't even know where to start. : (

Lori in NY

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[Guest guest]

HI Lori,

Besides mold, some other possibilities that may be causing problems

are formaldehyde and Nitrogen Dioxide.

For mold testing you can also check your phone book under " Mold

Remediation " or Indoor Air Quality Testing " for professionals in

your area.

There is a disagreement among chemists whether bleach actually kills

mold or if it only bleaches is white.

Here is the link for that info:

http://www.bleach-mold-myth.com/

And

http://www.moldacrossamerica.org/notobleach.htm

An overlooked source mold is under the refrigerator-the drip pan. If

mold is growing there, when the fan comes on it can blow the spores

all over. The air conditioner is also another source of mold.

We used Hydrogen Peroxide to clean our basement. For Hydrogen

Peroxide to kill mold, it must be at a higher concentration than the

regular household kind. To kill mold in our basement, I bought

Hydrogen Peroxide at a Beauty Supply store (I think it was 35%). It

is a much higher concentration that you have to dilute. I'll look

for the link to that information and post later.

What is Nitrogen Dioxide?

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) can be a byproduct of fuel-burning

appliances, such as gas stoves, gas or oil furnaces, fireplaces,

wood stoves and unvented kerosene or gas space heaters. NO2 is an

odorless gas that can irritate your eyes, nose and throat and cause

shortness of breath. In people with asthma, exposure to low levels

of NO2 may cause increased bronchial reactivity and make young

children more susceptible to respiratory infections. Long-term

exposure to high levels of NO2 can lead to chronic bronchitis.

Here is the link with more details:

http://www.epa.gov/asthma/no2.html

A new source of FORMELDAHYE is also a possibility, although there is

some debate on whether it affects indoor air quality enough to

exasperate asthma. Has there been any new construction your apt?

New carpeting? New cupboards or furniture or mattress? If you have

ductwork, did they clean it when you were gone (this stirs up things

in the ducts).

Here is a link with some info:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/Formaldehyde.HTM

http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/toxic_contaminants/pdf_zip/formaldehyde_f

inal.pdf#search=%22formaldehyde%20asthma%22

http://www.oehha.org/air/acute_rels/pdf/50000A.pdf#search=%

22formaldehyde%20asthma%22

A link from National Jewish on Indoor air Quality

http://www.njc.org/disease-info/wellness/indoor-air.aspx

Hope this helps.

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Lori:

There are tests. When I moved into my house they brought in a bunch of

little air compressors with filters on them then sent the filers out for

testing. You should be able to get info from local home inspection

services.

ie

[Guest guest]

Lori,

I looked for info on using Hydrogen Peroxide to kill mold, but can't

find it now. Using it at the higher strength must be used cautiously

as it can burn if skin contact is made.

Here is an article on mold testing:

http://www.epa.gov/mold/i-e-r.html#Sampling

Elaine

[Guest guest]

> If there is mold in our window air conditioner does anyone know

how I find it and also how to get rid of it? I guess we can get a

new air conditioner if we have to.

>

> Thanks again

Lori,

If the " guts " of your air conditioner are removable, take them out

and clean every surface you can get to. I prefer a/c units with

removable guts because they are much easier to clean. You shouldn't

be the one to do it, but whoever does should wear a good face mask

(like one by 3M Radon mask that blocks 99.9%). We spray our air

conditioners out with the garden hose at the start and end of every

summer season, and then let dry in the sun for a few days. To clean

the fins, we use a soft brush and detergent and are careful not to

bend the fins. We also change or clean the filter often.

My ex-husband was an engineer for an air conditioner company. He

designed the compressor part of the a/c. What we found was that

some a/c manufactures actually make the unit so that water builds up

in the floor of the unit. This increases its cooling ability.

However, it doesn't drain completely, so the unit ends up with

standing water that promotes mold. We actually drilled holes in the

bottom of one of our unit so it would drain more. Several inches of

water built up and you could hear the fan swishing in. Also, when

it rains, more water can enter the unit through the discharge slots

on the sides. This can lead to more standing water in the unit and

more potential for mold growth.

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi Lori,

I'm right there with you. I'm currently getting ready to move a twin bed with a bug screen out to my garage. I'm going to stay in there for one week to see if there is any improvement. Dew points have been high this summer so I'm not sure if I'm going to see a huge difference until winter. My doc wants me to completely move out for a week, but owning my own business and working most days, and also needing to have my phones for speaking to my customers makes it a bit tough. I'd love to go and hide in a hotel for a week and just read books. You already have a good clue since returning from your vacation that your house is making you ill. I'm getting skin allergy tests for molds only, done next week. I wish I had some good advice, but am in such a pickle myself. At least I live in the country and can sleep outside if need be, it's just not practical. This winter I will be building a small room in my garage since mold clean up will be incredible, and I've heard that sometimes you can never get rid of it. All the carpets, furniture, etc. are all contaminated with mold spores by now. Winning the lottery may be a good place to start. Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide to do. I will keep you updated with medical and environmental things I am doing, and let you know which things work best.

Sincerely,

Tami

feeling devastated

I just returned home from a short trip and I am completely devastated to find out that there seems to be something in my apartment that is making me sicker. I think it is mold but I am not sure.

I just don't know what we are going to do. I feel I am so sick after having been home for just a couple of hours that I shouldn't even be STAYING here!

Any advice about mold is appreciated. Don't even know where to start. : (

Lori in NY