Testing for mold may help relieve your allergy symptoms.
Similar to pollen allergies, the presence of mold in your indoor air environment may cause identical symptoms. Therefore, many times, we may blame symptoms on seasonal allergies when in fact, mold may be actually causing the problem. Testing for mold can sometimes provide more answers about your home’s indoor air environment.
Case Study: Testing for mold in a Mountainside home helps resolve allergies for family members
Titanium Laboratories was called out to a private residence in January 2013, where each person in the family suffered from allergy-like symptoms. The family included an adult woman, adult man, and two young children. Each morning, all family members reportedly awoke suffering from sinus congestion and headaches which they attributed to seasonal allergies. Throughout the day, several of the family members reported constant post-nasal drip and coughing. However, “allergy-season” ended, and due to the cold winter weather, the windows in the home have been closed.
The family reached out to Titanium Laboratories to test their home’s indoor air quality, specifically for allergens to get to the bottom of their allergy problems.
Titanium Laboratories’ Indoor Air Quality specialist responded to the service call. Upon entry to the home, Titanium Laboratories’ inspector noted a “stuffy” air quality throughout the indoor environment. He proceeded to conduct a visual inspection of the home, seeking clues to the family’s indoor air quality concerns. The family did not keep any pets, therefore dander was ruled out as a potential indoor allergen. Nor were there any signs of pest activity, excluding cockroach and rodent allergens. In fact, the home was well maintained and meticulously clean. The family clearly took great pride in their home by regularly cleaning, vacuuming, and dusting thoroughly.
Upon further inspection, the specialist did notice a slight discoloration surrounding the air vents in each room. This particular home was equipped with a central heating and cooling system. The furnace and air handler were situated in the basement. When asked about the history of water intrusion inside the basement, the family advised the inspector that the basement had flooded on occasion, most recently during Hurricane Irene in 2011.
Read about the NJ Flooding in 2011 and learn how to prevent further mold growth
Titanium Laboratories’ inspector questioned the family about the duct cleaning history and frequency. His question was met by a blank stare…
The family took residence of their home in the late 1990’s and since then have never had their air ducts professionally cleaned.
Because pollen counts were recently very low during the time of inspection, the presence of possible mold growth around the registers, and the history of duct cleaning (or lack thereof), the inspector recommended testing for mold as a possible solution to this family’s indoor air quality concerns. Air samples were collected from the interior of the family home, as well as an outdoor sample to serve as a control. The samples were immediately submitted to an AIHA accredited laboratory for incubation and analysis by a certified mycologist. At the family’s request, the air was also sampled for indoor allergens. These samples were also submitted to the laboratory.
The laboratory results arrived, indicating significant elevated levels of mold throughout the home’s indoor air environment as compared to the outside air. A variety of common species of mold were found to exist in the sample by the mycologist. Similar to pollen, mold can cause a host of adverse reactions in individuals. All species of mold are considered to be allergenic and it was suspected that mold was a potential contributor to this family’s allergy symptoms.
The family responded immediately by hiring a reputable duct cleaning contractor from their local area. Substantial amounts of dust and debris were removed from the ducts by the cleaning contractor. On a side note, the family also had the dryer vent cleaned for the first time since taking residence within the home. This is important to note, as a clogged dryer vent poses serious risk of fire.
Since the professional duct cleaning, all family members noticed immediate relief from their allergy like symptoms.
In this case, the presence of mold was not specific to an individual area of mold growth within the home. Instead, mold spores were evidently present within the ducts of the home’s heating and cooling system, causing the mold to disperse throughout the home’s indoor air environment. By testing for mold, Titanium Laboratories was able to conclude the presence of mold in this home’s indoor air environment. More importantly, testing for mold led to a resolution for the cause of the mold growth in the first place.
See the American Lung Association’s Health House Maintenance Guide to ensure a healthy indoor air environment in your home.
Homeowner Tip!
Consider Cleaning Your Air Ducts
Cleaning your air ducts may benefit you in certain cases. For example, as in our case study above, if family members are suffering from allergies inside your home, air duct cleaning may resolve the issue. Also, visible mold growth, rodent infestations inside the ducts, and excessive dust and debris are other reasons to consider having your air ducts cleaned in your home.
Are You Suffering From Allergy Symptoms Inside Your Home?
Contact Titanium Laboratories today if you or your family members are suffering from allergy like symptoms inside your home. Depending on your situation, allergen testing or testing for mold may resolve your allergy symptoms, too.
Image for this blog post courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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