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Home Mold and Mycotoxin Testing and Remediation

  • Author I AM
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  • Blog entry read time 5 min read
If you are not familiar with my story, I am being treated by Dr. Irma Rey at Nova Southeastern (in Dr. Klimas' group). Dr. Rey believes that ME/CFS is an environmental illness with MANY factors coming together to create the condition. I have tested off the charts for 2 molds, almost all heavy metals, and other chemical toxins, plus high titers for EBV, HHV6, Parvovirus, and a bunch of other stuff consistent with ME CFS (like my 2-day CPET results). I was ill but when I moved into my current home I became extremely ill and was dying. So I've wanted to get the f*ck outta here. I made an offer on a house in Indianapolis where I lived before moving here to the pristine mountains. But I only want to move there if it will enable me to fully recover.

I found a company in Indianapolis called American Mold Experts that does mold and mycotoxin testing and remediation. They also have a sister company that sell natural enzyme remediation products and equipment. While that is normally a red flag, as of this writing I believe the company to be legitimate.

And here is why:
-- I spoke with one of the owners, Bill Niccoll, for easily 2-hours about my situation. He was extremely knowledgeable in many areas, way too much for me to detail right now, but suffice it to say he understands the severity of bio-toxin illnesses and what home environment creates mycotoxins and endotoxins and VOCs, as well as the proper steps necessary to test for and remove mycotoxins, as well as various building codes. Bill himself has overcome a bio-toxin illness working with a naturopath in Indy. And Bill has helped many very ill people be able to stay in their homes after remediation, where they could then heal.
-- What I wrote above is not only based on what Bill said to me, but also based on the reviews that I could find online on Google, Glassdoor, Yelp, Facebook, Home Advisor, and the Better Business Bureau.
-- Bill quoted me a price for mold testing and mycotoxin testing. When I made the appointment the admin Karen said the price was $200 higher. It was obviously an honest mistake on his part but Bill honored the price that he quoted me. I was extremely appreciative. That shows integrity. I doubt he is making any money on the inspection because I see how much the tests are on the Realtime Labs website.
-- Even though they did not have any availability for several weeks, they called an inspector in early to do my inspection last week owing to my project being on a super tight timeline. The inspector was there at 7am.
-- Their price for the comprehensive inspection is below what other mold inspectors are charging. They are running mold and mycotoxin panels with Realtime Labs, air samples, dust samples, moisture and humidity tests, and I believe thermal imaging.

They travel all over the country to do remediation work.

Bill suggested that I try a product for myself from their sister company US Enzyme. He says it will clear my brain fog. It only cost $40 for the cool-mist humidifier and $85 for the Renew-Air 1 gallon concentrate air cleaner (mix 16 oz of product with 112 oz water). I bought an $800 air filter from another company that was highly rated and doesn't seem to provide any benefit. So I will be very delighted if the Renew-Air and humidifier helps me. They also sell the products and equipment for you to do your own remediation, if you feel that you are up to this daunting task.

I will update this post when I get the test results back. This is being conducted on a house that I am under contract on. After a good discussion here on Phoenix Rising forum, I've decided if the test shows there are mold colonies in the house then I am going to not move forward on the house rather than ask the seller to put funds in escrow for remediation. I don't imagine being able to handle the stress of going through that on top of having to address the problems in my home -- I ended up in the ER already.

Lisa Petrison, PhD has useful information on her website about environmental mold testing https://paradigmchange.me/testing/

Dr. Shoemaker's website has a short mold remediation plan written by a mold inspector https://www.survivingmold.com/docs/CondensedRemediationPlan_v2-1.pdf

Dr. Lisa Levine Nagy has a mold getaway plan that includes some good ideas and resources that you can take away even if you don't follow the entire plan https://lisanagy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Getaway-Plan-for-Mold-victims-w.pdf

Dr. Neil Nathan's book TOXIC is required reading. It details how to get better, and even how to drop the #@^&^$& fat that we gain! https://amzn.to/2H1HXWJ

UPDATE: While I do not have the mold report in hand yet, Bill Niccoll of American Mold Experts did discuss their findings with me over the phone. The house is highly infested with several species of dangerous molds from bottom to top and there is rotting wood in the house as a result of water damage and too much moisture (humidity levels 80%).

To the naked eye the house looks clean and beautiful. My realtor said it was one of the cleanest homes he had ever been in. That goes to show how important a REAL mold inspection is (not the kind done by your general home inspector). And we haven't even gotten the mycotoxin report back yet.

What most people don't understand is that mold and bacteria will be present once humidity is ~65% although you most likely will not see the mold, as in the case of the house I had inspected. What is even worse is that bacteria release endotoxins and mold releases mycotoxins -- these are poisons that lead to chronic disease.

I would be very sick in the house, but anyone would get sick overtime and probably never know it was from their house.

UPDATE 2: Mold reports can be hard to understand. What is an safe level of mold? That's somewhat subjective and John C. Banta writes in the book TOXIC by Dr. Neil Nathan that "it is necessary for a home to work for the most sensitive person in the household." American Mold Experts who inspected the home that I wanted to buy had this to say about safe mold levels: In regard to safe levels, any species of mold that is over 500 spore count or a total of 1,000 spore count in an area we deem as unsafe and we recommend remediation. For example, in the dining room the total spore count is 9,000 and it should be no more than 1,000. The Basidiospores count is 8,400 and it should be no more than 500." I sent the report to John C. Banta for a second opinion and he replied, "I agree that the place you wanted to buy is going to be a challenge and may not be worth it."

BTW, John C. Banta recommends hiring an IICRC-certified firm for remediation. He has a website full of information and resources https://www.johncbanta.com/current-project. However, I would NOT even consider a firm who does not thoroughly understand MYCOTOXIN remediation. And I want it in writing on their website as that is a legal document. You can "locate a certified pro" on the association website https://www.iicrc.org/page/IICRCGlobalLocator I also wonder if Realtime Labs offers referrals. I recall Bill Niccols at American Mold Experts said they were one of two firms certified or something like that in IN with Realtime Labs... sorry but I don't recall his exact words.

I've attached a snapshot from the mold report.
  • dining room and master mold spores.png
    dining room and master mold spores.png
    85.7 KB · Views: 340

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I AM
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