HNST Environmental

10/19/2026

Better Move Out Part 2:
When consultants, practitioners, health coaches, or anyone else tells someone dealing with environmental illness to pack up, leave their home, and move somewhere else, I have one simple question:

WHERE EXACTLY ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO?

Have you helped them figure out where they’re going to live? Have you determined whether the next home is actually safer? By what standards? By what criteria?

And most importantly, how do you know the next house isn’t going to be worse than the one they’re already living in?

This is an inherent problem in our industry, and we need to start talking about it.

Telling people to abandon their homes without a realistic plan or objective evidence that their next environment will be better is not necessarily helping them.

In many cases, it’s fueling fear, increasing stress, and creating even more uncertainty for people who are already struggling with chronic illness.

We need more common sense, more practical solutions, and a more measured approach to environmental illness.

There are certainly situations where leaving a home may be appropriate, but those recommendations should be based on evidence, individual circumstances, and a realistic plan.

We need to stop driving the fear narrative and start helping people make informed decisions.

Facts, not fear.

10/17/2026

My dogs are usually pretty predictable. They generally p**p around the perimeter of the yard, making it easy to find and clean up.

However, every fall, they have a tendency to start mixing things up. I think they’re fu***ng with me. Literally. LOL. 😂

With all the leaves on the ground, finding dog p**p becomes that much more challenging.

So, like any good IEP (Indoor Environmental Professional), how do we find the p**p?

We break out the infrared camera, of course! 🌡️💩😂

Have a great day, everyone. Stay informed! LOL.

❤️

10/17/2026

When consultants, practitioners, health coaches, or anyone else tells someone dealing with environmental illness to pack up, leave their home, and move somewhere else, I have one simple question:

WHERE EXACTLY ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO?

Have you helped them figure out where they’re going to live? Have you determined whether the next home is actually safer? By what standards? By what criteria?

And most importantly, how do you know the next house isn’t going to be worse than the one they’re already living in?

This is an inherent problem in our industry, and we need to start talking about it.

Telling people to abandon their homes without a realistic plan or objective evidence that their next environment will be better is not necessarily helping them.

In many cases, it’s fueling fear, increasing stress, and creating even more uncertainty for people who are already struggling with chronic illness.

We need more common sense, more practical solutions, and a more measured approach to environmental illness.

There are certainly situations where leaving a home may be appropriate, but those recommendations should be based on evidence, individual circumstances, and a realistic plan.

We need to stop driving the fear narrative and start helping people make informed decisions.

Facts, not fear.

10/15/2026

When working with environmentally sensitive clients, paying attention to the smallest details is extremely important.

In this case, ground moisture at the basement cove joint contributed to mold and bacterial growth immediately adjacent to the air handler.

Pressure differentials and air movement can aerosolize contaminants from these areas. When an air handler or return air system is not properly sealed, these contaminants can be drawn directly into the HVAC system and redistributed throughout the home.

This is particularly important when working with individuals suffering from Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), where minimizing unnecessary exposure to potential contaminants, including endotoxins and actinobacteria, is an important consideration.

Small details can make a big difference when evaluating potential exposure pathways in a home.

10/14/2026

Come on gang!! Please help us out with this survey!!

Take the Survey https://changetheairfoundation.org/research-surveys/

670 voices. 330 to go. We are almost there. 💪

Homeowners and renters across 48 states have already shared their experiences with mold inspections and remediations. Their responses are building something that has never existed before. The first national picture of what consumers actually go through in this industry.

But we need yours too.

Whether your experience was straightforward or frustrating, whether the work was done well or left you with more questions than answers, it all belongs in this dataset. Every response makes the picture more complete and a more complete picture means stronger data for the people working to improve consumer outcomes.

That data goes directly to lawmakers, journalists, industry organizations, and advocates who are working to raise standards, strengthen consumer protections, and drive meaningful reform.
Your 10 to 15 minutes does all of that.

👉 Take the survey: https://changetheairfoundation.org/research-surveys/

👤 Who: Anyone in the U.S. who has had a mold inspection or remediation in the last 12 months. Good experience or bad, we want to hear from you.

⏱️ Time: 10 to 15 minutes

Still missing: Alaska and Rhode Island. Know someone there who qualifies? Please share this with them today. 🗺️

If you do not qualify, please share this with someone who does. We are so close. 🙏

10/13/2026

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win a free consult with me!!!

A home can look beautiful and still leave you wondering: is it actually supporting your health?

That question is why I’m speaking at the Healthy Home Summit, a free, virtual event October 15–19.

Across four days, more than 40 building biologists, physicians, architects, inspectors, designers and researchers will share what they’ve learned in the field.

You can join the sessions that matter to you and bring your questions to the breakout rooms.

The public sessions run October 15–17, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. PT; October 19 is a Design & Build day, open to everyone.

Live attendance is free. If you can’t join in real time, a VIP ticket includes lifetime replays and daily speaker Q&As.

Healthy Home Summit Page:
https://healthy-home-4f9d6f.circle.so/healthy-home-summit-october-2026

HNST Giveaway Signup:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScA4IBb6ih7QrBtKw016kZ-3Y725wbhz4LpvD_92pNZPH1ayg/viewform?usp=dialog

10/13/2026

Did you know that as much as 30% or more of the air inside your home can originate from your basement or crawlspace?

When mold or other contaminants are present in these areas, air movement through gaps and openings can provide pathways for those contaminants to enter your living space.

One commonly overlooked pathway is the gaps around HVAC floor registers and duct boots. These openings can allow air from the basement or crawlspace to enter the rooms above, potentially carrying mold spores, dust, and other airborne contaminants.

Addressing mold and moisture problems in your basement or crawlspace is important, but so is sealing the air gaps around floor registers and duct boots to help prevent unwanted air movement between these spaces.

10/11/2026

I find improperly installed HVAC boots all the time!

One of the most common issues is boots that have not been properly sealed around their perimeter edges. This creates an air pathway that allows air from the environment below to migrate directly into the living space.

This can become a two-pronged problem.

First, moisture and condensation. In this particular home, the basement below was unconditioned, and the homeowner was not managing humidity levels. The air-conditioning system also appeared to be slightly oversized, resulting in excessive cooling of the metal boots. This was contributing to repeated condensation, as evidenced by the rust and oxidation on the metal surfaces. When these surfaces are cooled below the dew point of the surrounding air, condensation can develop, leading to moisture accumulation around the perimeter edges of the plywood subfloor and subsequent mold growth.

Second, contaminant migration. If you have an existing mold problem in your basement or crawlspace, these unsealed boots create direct air pathways between those environments and your living space. Depending on pressure differences, air carrying mold spores, dust, and other contaminants can migrate upward.

Properly sealing HVAC boots is a relatively simple detail that can make a significant difference in moisture management and indoor air quality.

10/10/2026

Wooden support columns, or timber posts, are commonly used in Jersey Shore construction.

This particular house was built slab-on-grade and does not appear to have a functioning v***r barrier beneath the concrete slab or an adequate capillary break beneath the wooden support column.

What’s happening? Moisture is wicking up through the concrete and into the wooden support column, subsequently affecting the surrounding drywall.

Wood moisture readings above 20% indicate conditions that can support mold growth when sustained over time.

All affected drywall will need to be removed.

The other issue here is that the drywall is installed in direct contact with the wooden column, allowing moisture to transfer from the damp wood into the drywall through capillary action.

This is why proper moisture management, v***r barriers, and capillary breaks are so important in building construction.

mold

10/10/2026

This is why we inspect all accessible components of an air handler, including the supply and return plenums.

In this case, you can actually see mold growing on some of the paper labels inside the plenum. Paper is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture from the surrounding air, creating conditions that can support mold growth.

This is also why metal ductwork is ideal. Unlike fiberglass-lined ductwork, metal is nonporous and does not absorb or retain moisture.

Air-conditioning systems are designed to remove moisture from the airstream during the cooling process. However, condensation, elevated humidity, and drainage issues can create conditions that support mold growth on interior components.

Mold growth inside an air handler is not necessarily unusual, which is why periodic inspections and cleaning are recommended.

In this particular case, the return plenum had sustained water damage. 2×4 lumber had been installed in the ductwork to support the unit, and the basement had experienced water intrusion. We observed rust inside the drain pan and return plenum, along with mold growth on interior materials.

Given the extent of the water damage and deterioration, the return plenum will need to be removed and replaced.