If your house is making you sick, schedule a home inspection

For the health conscious among us, it's easy to stay vigilant on all the conventional ways we may get sick: germs, dust, pollen, spoiled food and so forth. But there is a strong possibility that your house itself may contain some harmful irritants that can lead to poor health – and you may not even be aware of it.

The likes of asbestos, mold, lead and radon could be around your home and causing some serious health problems, in what the World Health Organization and Environmental Protection Agency call "sick building syndrome." Living in the presence of these contaminants can result in an array of symptoms, including rashes, fatigue and dry cough. A CBS affiliate spoke with Lindsey Jarvis, who, at just 22, is suffering from issues like these.

"I get really shaky," said Jarvis. "I'd have muscle weakness at times and couldn't stand up and an ongoing list."

While battling her illnesses, Jarvis lost 50 pounds in six months, combating bronchitis, nausea, asthma, acid reflux and more. When doctors suggested a home inspection to find environmental reasons for the sickness, the inspector discovered an astronomical amount of toxic mold in the home's basement.

"This [house] had so much mold [the meter] had overload," said Dan Howard, a home inspection contractor. "[The meter] couldn't count how much was there."

The enormous quantity of mold, combined with a series of carbon monoxide and natural gas leaks throughout the property, had wreaked havoc on Jarvis' health. Now her home has been sealed up for cleaning, as the Jarvis family contemplates the next steps.

Don't let your finances or your health be caught off guard like this. Maryland residents should schedule an appointment for a home mold inspection to ensure that their house is safe and healthy to inhabit.

How to save on energy this summer

With the sun no longer hiding behind clouds and thermometers hitting 90 degrees, summer is officially on. Many tenants and homeowners fight the heat with central air conditioning, a luxurious but costly amenity. Keeping your home energy efficient isn't just good for the environment, but good for the wallet too. William Hadley, an energy inspector with the Conservation Services Group, performs home energy checkups — also known as home energy audits — for a living, checking for leaks, inspecting insulation, and performing similar tests to help keep homes as energy efficient as possible. Hadley shared some of his findings in an interview with the Boston Globe.

  • Older homes are more prone to inefficient behavior. Many historic and older buildings, like those found in Maryland, simply lack the insulation — in both walls and attics — to properly regulate how a home heats and cools. A lack of insulation leaves a home totally vulnerable to the elements outside.
  • Check for leaks. One of the best ways to insulate your house is to seal up air leaks, which can occur in ducts, attics, basements and even from recessed lighting fixtures. Air leaks can cause uneven room temperatures, thereby raising your home energy costs.
  • Don't keep the thermostat running all day. Keeping your thermostat set at 60 degrees all day and night may keep your home cool, but it's unnecessarily wasteful and expensive. When leaving the house or going to sleep, reset the thermostat to save energy.

These are just a few of the reasons for energy inefficiency at home and how the summertime can expose these vulnerabilities. For help in ensuring that your house is sealed and energy efficient this summer, make an appointment for a home inspection today.

College in North Carolina to repair mold-infested building

Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) in Wilmington, North Carolina, recently asked the Board of Commissioners for more than $600,000 in a recent meeting to fund necessary repairs to one of the main facilities on campus. 

According to local media outlet WECT News, the McLeod Building – constructed in 1976 – has a severe mold and mildew problem, which forced people who work there to move their offices to mobile units until the issue is resolved. Since the fungus is growing exclusively on the bottom floor, staff members are still able to hold classes on the upper levels of the facility, but in order to prevent the infestation from getting worse, immediate action is required. 

In a letter to a town official, CFCC president Ted Spring noted that a home inspection contractor had determined that the mold "far exceeds acceptable levels," writes the Greater Wilmington Business Journal.

"It's a major building," said CFCC spokesperson David Hardin. "It's on the ground floor so it's important we can get this problem fixed correctly and don't put a band-aid on it. We want it fixed the right way. It affects the air handling for the entire building so we need a new air conditioning unit."

The school will use $600,000 to replace the floor, ceiling, doors and walls and an additional $47,781 to purchase two new hot water boilers. 

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals that exposure to such mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your residence or business isn't infested with black mold, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

Flooding victims should follow this advice to prevent and treat mold

As flooding affected parts of Michigan over the past week or so – with Grand River reaching a water level of 22 feet – the Detroit Free Press reports that hundreds of homeowners were evacuated from their residences as a precaution. Now, people are finally beginning to return to their houses, but officials have suggested that they'll have a number of new challenges to face, including the presence of mold, which thrives in moist conditions. 

"Damp environments are going to promote mold growth if we don't dry out homes quickly," Health Homes Coalition of West Michigan's executive director Paul Haan told local ABC affiliate WZZM 13. "Mold is everywhere in our environment and what we want to avoid is the house being a conducive place [for mold] to propagate rampantly."

In order to effectively treat this hazardous fungus, the Healthy Homes Coalition recommends the following: 

Dry out your property and possessions as quickly as possible – Ideally, this should happen in 24 to 48 hours after the flooding occurs. Items such as clothing and furniture, which have the ability to retain a lot of moisture, can promote the growth of the fungus, so if you can't dry them out in a day or two, you may need to dispose of them.

Check ceilings and floors – If materials like carpets or drywall have gotten wet, they may need to be removed. 

Use fans and dehumidifiers – If the air is too humid, mold can develop more easily, so try to keep the humidity below 50 percent.

Mold is a problem that should never be taken lightly, as it can lead to some serious health issues. To make sure your home or business isn't infested with this potentially dangerous fungus, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

Survey reveals homeowners’ top concerns about mold

In an April 21 press release, Mold Inspection Sciences, a company in San Diego, California, announced the results of a survey it had given its clients, which asked the following question: "What concerns you most about mold?"

Let's take a look at the three most common answers they came across: 

Buying new house with hidden mold issues – Becoming a homeowner is a huge commitment – both emotionally and financially – and the last thing people want to have to worry about is investing in a place that already has problems. This is why it's essential to hire a home inspection contractor who is trained to find mold and other potential issues.

Dealing with property damage that could be expensive to repair – Left untreated, this fungus can infest an area and require a significant amount of time and money to get rid of. Early detection is key to remedying the problem, so at the first sign of moisture or mold, it's a good idea to take action.

Getting sick from being exposed to the hazardous fungus – The source states that this was the number one response, and the main reason for having a professional conduct mold testing. 

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals that exposure to such mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your residence or business isn't infested with black mold, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and determine if you're safe. These experts can also help you rid your home of the fungus quickly and effectively.

Woman with lung cancer linked to radon exposure becomes advocate for home testing

After receiving a lung cancer diagnosis in December 2011 following years of exposure to radon, Kentucky resident Lois Dees has become an advocate for home testing for the radioactive gas. 

According to a University of Kentucky News press release, Dees knew that her house of 11 years was in a high-risk area, but didn't do anything about it until it was too late. Being a non-smoker, she said she never imagined that she would have to worry about lung cancer, but when she started dealing with a persistent cough that didn't respond to typical remedies, she knew something was wrong. A few months later, Dees was diagnosed with the potentially deadly disease and began undergoing chemotherapy to treat it.

Shortly after she went into remission and thought she was getting better, doctors found two new tumors. Currently, Dees is enrolled in a clinical trial at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and is spending part of her free time trying to promote radon awareness.

"I understand that checking for radon levels is not a top priority for many people because it wasn't for me," said Dees. "Most of us are very conscientious about having smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in our homes. Having a radon test is also vitally important, as I have learned the hard way. I encourage people to get a test kit and check the radon level in their homes."

If you want to have your home inspected for signs of this deadly gas, it's a good idea to reach out to a home inspection contractor. These professionals will conduct radon testing at your current property and determine if you are safe. Additionally, it's essential to get a house inspected before you buy it, since it's impossible for the untrained eye to pick up on these kinds of hazards.

New Jersey offers mold remediation training courses to residents affected by Hurricane Sandy

When Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast at the end of October 2012, it affected thousands of New Jersey residents, destroying and badly damaging houses that were in its path. Now, almost six months later, homeowners are still struggling to fully recover from the impact of the storm.

For properties that were flooded, mold remains a serious problem, prompting Governor Chris Christie's administration to release a Mold Guidelines for New Jersey Residents pamphlet and announce a series of training classes to assist people with assessing and removing the hazardous fungus. 

The pamphlet focuses on a number of key issues, and recommends that people hire professionals to perform home inspections and conduct remediation work on affected areas. It also encourages homeowners to wear gloves, a respirator and protective clothing if they plan to tackle the mold on their own.

"As New Jersey recovers and rebuilds from Superstorm Sandy, mold and its remediation may become a significant issue for many New Jersey residents," said New Jersey Health Commissioner Mary O'Dowd in a press statement. "Although molds are common in our environment, mold may become a problem when it grows inside homes."

Individuals in New Jersey interested in attending the training classes can register online by clicking here.

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals that exposure to such mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your residence or business isn't infested with black mold, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

Minnesota lawmakers consider bill to raise radon awareness

Lawmakers in Minnesota are taking radon seriously – as they should – by introducing a new bill called the Minnesota Radon Awareness Act. If passed, this would require that anyone selling a home disclose information about whether or not the radioactive gas has been detected within the property. Additionally, real estate professionals would be provided with educational information about radon from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) that they would be expected to give to homebuyers as part of a transaction.

This is all part of an effort to decrease exposure to the hazardous gas, which, according to the MDH, is present in one out of every three Minnesota houses. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, causing an estimated 20,000 deaths in the United States each year.

"The problem with radon is that it can decay and cause radioactive particles to injure your lung and cause lung cancer," Mayo Clinic Health System oncologist Dr. Stephan Thome told Minnesota media outlet KEYC News 12. He added that there are two important ways to avoid this potentially deadly disease. "The first thing to do is not to smoke. And the second thing is if you buy a new home [or] sell a home – make sure you have the radon checked."

If you want to have your home inspected for signs of this deadly gas, it's a good idea to reach out to a home inspection contractor. These professionals will conduct radon testing at your current property and determine if you are safe. Additionally, it's essential to get a house inspected before you buy it, since it's impossible for the untrained eye to pick up on these kinds of hazards.

Minnesota homeowners deal with mold infestations following 2012 floods

If parts of your home have ever flooded due to a snow storm, hurricane or any other weather-related event, it's important to do whatever you can to limit the presence of mold and remove it as quickly as possible when it appears. This hazardous fungus thrives in moist, damp environments and can quickly turn into a full-on infestation. 

According to Northland's NewsCenter, a Minnesota NBC affiliate, flooding that occurred throughout the state in 2012 has left many homeowners dealing with serious mold problems. And, as warmer weather approaches, experts say it's essential to raise awareness about the negative health issues it can cause as well as the permanent damage that mold can do to a property.  

Sarah Diepolder – who found the fungus growing on the walls of her basement – spoke with the source about her experience. 

"It's not something I expected. If somebody hadn't come in to inspect my house I would have never known I had a mold problem," said Diepolder. "We had someone come in and clean the house because of health issues we wanted that taken care of right away." 

Unfortunately, state funding and flood relief programs only cover a homeowner's primary residence, so Diepolder's cabin is still infested with the fungus. 

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals that exposure to such mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your residence or business isn't infested with black mold, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

Florida couple’s mobile home infested with black mold

It's essential for prospective property owners to hire experts to perform a home inspection before signing papers and finalizing transactions. These experienced professionals can often identify problems that aren't visible to the untrained eye, which can save you lots of stress and money in the long run.

After purchasing a mobile home in Middleburg, Florida, Kenneth and Amanda McGill soon began to realize that the starter house of their dreams was going to cause them more trouble than they ever expected. Both exterior and interior parts of the residence are considerably damaged, according to local media outlet First Coast News. There is evidence of rats chewing through walls in addition to windows that aren't adequately sealed that allow water to leak into the property.

Even worse, Kenneth claims that he has seen evidence of black mold – a toxic fungus that can lead to health complications – growing throughout the home. The condition of the house is so severe that the couple and their children are staying with relatives.  

"The biggest thing is, the next step, is to get a house inspector out here," Kenneth told the source, noting that he hadn't arranged to have this done before they bought the property. "For him to inspect the house and him to evaluate what's going on with the house."

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals that exposure to such mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your residence or business isn't infested with black mold, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.