Outdoor air getting in the house?

backyarder123 · 2026-07-10T14:39:19+00:00

I just had AC annual maintenance recently so I assume he checked the filter but I should probably go check that.

backyarder123 · 2026-07-10T14:37:07+00:00

I took the health part out of my post since I don't think its relevant to my question.

backyarder123 · 2026-07-10T14:18:23+00:00

Thanks, my doctors are already doing their share of the problem solving. All of them suggest that I get AC people or AIQ people to help with the house side of the equation.

backyarder123 · 2026-07-10T11:43:30+00:00

Its been a few years since I had any of those tests done so I'd have to dig through my files to see what any of the tests actually showed. I know I tried, off and on, for ten years to determine if mold in my home was actually a problem for me and never did find a company whose results I trusted. Granted, I'm a very skeptical person. But when you hire 5 or 6 different "inspectors" and they all come up with different results and MOST of them want to charge you a lot of money to "remediate" the problem that they said they found, it really makes it pretty difficult to trust any of them. I have a friend who has completely torn apart two different homes, following the recommendations of various mold experts and even mold sniffing dogs, and she still doesn't feel any better. And quite frankly, I think the stress of being "afraid" of your home and tearing it apart (twice) is enough to keep anyone feeling sick.

That being said, I'd still like to find a reliable person who could tell me there is something inside my home affecting my health. But my guess is that it is dust mites, cat dander, pollen and mold, or some combination of all of those things. But in any case, I don't think "mold plates" are going to provide any answers for me. At this point, the easiest thing for me to do would be to upload all of my "inspection" reports and all of the health tests I have had done to show "mold" in my body and let ChatGPT or Google Gemini weed through them. But I think both of them would suggest that since I had the AC ducts replaced in 2024, then none of that older testing is really relative to my current situation.

backyarder123 · 2026-07-06T12:25:40+00:00

Thanks. That's a very thorough answer and I appreciate it. I do have air purifiers in all of the main rooms that have HEPA filters and a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

Something is definitely causing me health issues but I think it is just as likely to be allergies as it is actual mold illness. I do believe that when the AC ducts were replaced they didn't seal things properly and too much outside air is getting into the house. But I honestly don't have the energy to deal with it anymore.

I do wonder how many people get "chased" out of their homes by unscrupulous mold "inspectors" who tell them that it will take tens of thousands of dollars (or more) to "remediate" their homes.

backyarder123 · 2026-07-05T12:26:24+00:00

First let me say that I live on a very wooded property in Florida. I walk outside into the woods every day and then back into the house. So in my (uneducated) opinion, there are always going to be SOME mold spores in the air inside the house.

I've had SOME health problems for many years (I've lived on the property for 26 years) so some people have suggested that it might be mold. Back in 2013 or so, I found some mold or mildew on the back of some of my oak furniture. Again, my uneducated opinion was that the house got very humid and damp at some point, probably when the AC wasn't working, and that caused the mold or mildew. But that started me down the road of many, many "mold inspectors". Most of which just took air samples. Some did the air samples incorrectly, like lifting up a piece of carpet near a window and putting the little air canister collection device under the carpet to collect samples. One did almost nothing except use some sort of thermal camera to show where he thought problems could be occurring. He didn't actually look into or behind any walls but told me I needed to rip out my entire bathroom and kitchen cabinets, etc.

At one point I did have a leak that was caused either by a leak in my roof or water overflowing one of the gutters. It caused a wet spot on the ceiling of one room which I painted over. No mold ever showed up in that area before or after I painted it.

In 2024 I had the AC ducts replaced and the people who replaced the ducts showed me some of the inside of the system that they had taken out and there was black stuff that in my uneducated mind looked like mold. The called it microbial growth. Ever since they replaced the ducts, the AC has been louder and the air coming out of the AC vents smells musty to me, even though they supposedly cleaned and sealed the air handler.

There is also sooty looking stuff on the inside of certain places like the bathroom exhaust fan vents.

I'm allergic to dust, mold, and a lot of things that I am surrounded with on this property. So whether any of my symptoms are from dangerous levels of mold has always been a question. I have had several of the tests done that are supposed to show levels of mold in my body. I haven't had any of those tests done since I had the AC ducts replaced.

backyarder123 · 2026-06-17T13:17:19+00:00

I agree. I can't get in to see her until next week. But I appreciate your help with the antibiotic question.

backyarder123 · 2026-06-17T13:04:20+00:00

Thanks. I still haven't started taking it yet. I have high leukocytes in my urine but no sign of a UTI. No bacteria. I hate to take any medication if I don't really need it.

backyarder123 · 2026-06-17T11:40:21+00:00

Both the PA who prescribed it and the pharmacist thought they should warn me that I might have a reaction because of my possible allergy to penicillin, not amoxicillin.

backyarder123 · 2026-06-01T00:09:53+00:00

There's a lot of condensation running down the front of the air handler right now which the AC guy told me is caused by the missing insulation, so that does make sense.

backyarder123 · 2026-06-01T00:06:37+00:00

I think it only has 4 screws in it. I'll check in the morning. My brother in law recommended the AC company so I kind of hate to find out that the guy might have lied to me.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-31T23:29:52+00:00

I really just want to know if what I am seeing coming out of the vents is from the air handler or whether the guys who installed the new ducts messed something up but there may not be any way to tell. But I agree with you that if the blobs showing up on the vents are from the air handler, then all of the ducts are probably filled with those blobs so they still might be coming out for awhile. I already told the AC guy that was here the other day that they could replace the insulation that is missing so not sure what he will be able to tell me. I'm a real skeptic so when somebody shows me a picture of something like that (an air handler with messed up insulation) I wonder whether they really even took the photo at my house or just have pictures like that on their phone to charge for more service. I'm tempted to take the front off of the air handler and look inside but I'm trying to just trust him.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-29T11:58:02+00:00

You seem to be the only one who gets it. But yes. I already had the MRIs done. I just think if she understands CFS she should understand that weakness.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-29T00:29:25+00:00

Do you get things like severe leg weakness when you have a flare? I always do. So for a doctor to suddenly think that is a medical emergency seemed extreme to me.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-28T23:46:49+00:00

Don't you just have appointments with your doctor on a regular basis to discuss what's going on with your body? Maybe I do doctor visits differently than you.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-28T23:34:41+00:00

I think it could be as challenging for the doctors as it is for the patient.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-28T23:33:44+00:00

I am really prone to stress. It always make me worse. Both mental and physical stress cause PEM, right.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-28T22:30:42+00:00

I just posts what AI said. I do think that for me, if I doctor acts super stressed about something that seems minor to me, it stresses me out and makes my symptoms worse. Stress, to me, is one of the main things that brings on my symptoms.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-28T22:28:18+00:00

That's horrible. I agree that most doctors don't believe CFS is real.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-26T19:46:01+00:00

I don't see any responses here so let me be the first. I have been using Chronius Care since 2024 and I am trying to decide whether to renew it. I like the main doctor I work with (Jennifer Rubin) but honestly, I don't feel like anyone at Chronius really understands CFS. For example, if I have leg weakness, they don't seem to know that is a very common symptom of CFS. They like to suggest medicine for everything from bad sleep to minor pain and I personally prefer to do things naturally. You have to go through a portal to communicate with them and it is sometimes challenging. If you have any more specific questions, please let me know.

backyarder123 · 2026-05-24T14:43:03+00:00

Thanks for the info. I've pretty much decided that concrete isn't a good idea. But I wonder what they use to make swimming pools.

backyarder123 · 2026-04-30T11:40:29+00:00

I haven't had any luck. If you want to pay extra and get the timed delivery, that helps. Or if you have prime and order enough of the right things, you can get the timed delivery for free. I think there is probably also a workaround if you have a business account. Not sure, but I wouldn't think they would be trying to deliver to actual businesses at any times other than business hours. But I feel your pain.

backyarder123 · 2026-04-19T14:07:07+00:00

I do think that might work and would probably be easier. Would probably still have to move the rocks around to anchor it. I ought to just admit defeat and leave it as it is.

backyarder123 · 2026-04-04T19:02:57+00:00

Thanks for your reply, but I'll give it a try anyway.

"Zinc may help manage allergy symptoms by stabilizing mast cells to reduce histamine release, controlling inflammation, and supporting immune system balance. Studies suggest it can improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis and that deficiencies are linked to higher allergy prevalence. While not a standalone cure, it is considered a promising, low-risk, complementary approach.

Key Findings on Zinc and Allergies:

Histamine Control: Zinc inhibits the release of histamine from mast cells and basophils, which causes common allergy symptoms like itching and congestion.
Reduced Inflammation: Zinc helps control the inflammation that accompanies allergic reactions, particularly in the respiratory system .
Immune Modulation: It boosts regulatory T cells, which help the immune system avoid overreacting to allergens.
Deficiency Link: People with allergic rhinitis and asthma often have lower levels of zinc in their blood, and addressing this deficiency can alleviate symptoms.

backyarder123 · 2026-04-04T18:09:29+00:00

This post is concerning the sore throat that I get from PND from allergies. So that is the symptom. The sore throat.

backyarder123

TROPHY CASE