Some mold appeared on the beams in the living room a couple of years ago. I wiped two beams clean with a bleach solution, and that (along with a dehumidifier) kept the mold away. So I did most of the remaining beams recently. That may have triggered the allergy symptoms, but I'm not 100% sure.

What I do know is that my nose is stuffed, and I'm developing a bit of a wheeze sometimes, just below my throat. When I breathe inside the house the air feels harsh against my throat, as if there's some smoke in the air. Thank heavens, there's no smoke. But there's something.

How do I track this down? Are there people who inspect houses for this purpose? Do they charge exorbitant fees? Is there an alternative?

Thanks for your help!!

Susan

Is mold a problem where you live? Are there any damp conditions around your house to promote the growth of mold?

There are companies which inspect for mold.
In the yellow pages of my phone book, the experts are found under Mold Remediation.

Good luck.

When we moved in 2000 we put on an electric air cleaner and tore out everything in the basement just to be on the safe side. The air cleaner filters dust wonderfully, but the mold and mildew spores are still present so it is back to the mopping with bleach water twice a year.

cleaning almost always triggers an allergy attack for me - especially at my mom's house, where the mold and my sinuses have an old feud going ;)

but the pollen is also off the charts this season (the first year in many I've had to resort to drugs) and I'm sure that's not helping.

getting tested to pinpoint whether it's a dustmite, a mold, or a whatever that's triggering you is fairly important.

an air cleaner really does help, as well.

really.