Even though the Oregon home of Nathan and Jennifer Blakely is still standing, it has been essentially destroyed and is no longer a suitable living environment.

The young couple moved into their new Eugene home one year ago, but after a contractor installing a new window discovered that a wall was rotting due to a mold infestation, the family had no choice but to consider finding a new place to live.

The Blakely children also started having severe respiratory problems, including pneumonia and bronchitis. The family has been out of their home since January because of the mold growth after a home mold inspection determined that living conditions inside were not healthy.

According to Nathan Blakely, the home's siding did not contain any moisture barrier, so mold had a fertile environment in which to grow. Even given the often wet weather in Oregon, the Blakelys were still surprised to find mold, mushrooms and fungus growing in the sides of their home. The family is currently working with the insurance company for Home Depot, which installed the siding, to try to reach a settlement. They have even hired a lawyer.

"It's so rotted, it comes apart in your hand," Nathan Blakely told Oregon news source KVAL. "My daughter actually said that she would give us all the money out of her piggy bank, if we could just move home."

Although weather patterns in Oregon generally involve more wet weather than those that affect the Tri-State area, homeowners living there still need to protect themselves from mold growth that favors these locations. These individuals should contact a Washington, D.C. home inspector to take a look at their homes every so often, particularly if family members begin to exhibit symptoms that could suggest mold is growing in a home.