December 2025

effects of mold in kids and children

What Mold Did to My Kids: Behavioral and Developmental Changes To Never Again

What Mold Exposure Can Do to a Child’s Developing Body What Mold Exposure Can Do to a Child’s Developing Body (And Why So Many Parents Miss the Signs) By Ava Hartwell I can handle a lot when it comes to my own health. I’ve lived through brain fog so thick I forgot what I was

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mold clean how to the right way clean mold in house

How to Clean Mold the Right Way (And the Wrong Ways That Made Me Sicker)

When I first tried cleaning mold in my home, I had no idea how many of the “normal” methods were actually making me sicker. Bleach, scrubbing, fogging—every shortcut failed because I didn’t understand the real root of the problem. In this article, I share what finally worked, what absolutely didn’t, and the simple, safe method I now use to clean mold without spreading it or triggering symptoms. If you’ve been cleaning mold the hard way, you’re not alone—this is the guide I wish I had years ago.

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Why My First Air Purifier Didn’t Help (And What Finally Made a Real Difference)

Why My First Air Purifier Didn’t Help (And What Finally Made a Real Difference) Why My First Air Purifier Didn’t Help (And What Finally Made a Real Difference) By Ava Hartwell, IndoorAirInsights.com I still remember unboxing my very first air purifier like it was some kind of rescue device. I’d been sick for months, my

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Why Winter Is the Most Dangerous Season for Hidden Mold (and Why So Many Sick Homes Are Discovered Right Now)

By Ava Hartwell, IndoorAirInsights.com If you had asked me a few years ago when mold is “worst,” I would have confidently told you summer. Humidity, warm weather, condensation—classic mold season, right? But the winter I got sick… the winter my beautiful custom home betrayed me… the winter my body fell apart while my walls quietly

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Toxic indoor mold risk

The Rising Risk of Indoor Mold Toxicity in Homes: Understanding, Prevention, and Solutions

Introduction to Indoor Mold Toxicity Indoor mold toxicity refers to the adverse health effects that can result from exposure to mold growing within indoor environments. Mold, a type of fungus, thrives in damp, warm conditions and can develop on various materials, including wood, drywall, and carpets. Conditions conducive to mold growth often arise from moisture

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The Air-Purifying Plant Myth: What Actually Helped After My Home Made Me Sick

By Ava Hartwell, IndoorAirInsights.com I used to believe that buying more houseplants would “fix” the air in my home. It sounds ridiculous now, but when you’re desperate — when your body is falling apart and you’re waking up every day feeling foggy, inflamed, and anxious — you cling to any tiny spark of hope. And

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"Why Your Home’s “New Construction Smell” Might Be Making You Sick — And What I Wish I Had Known Before Building Mine"

Why Your Home’s “New Construction Smell” Might Be Making You Sick — And What I Wish I Had Known Before Building Mine

I can still remember the first night in my newly built home — the one I poured my heart, savings, and imagination into. Everyone talks about the joy of walking into a freshly finished space, but nobody talks about the smell. That oddly sweet, plasticky, “new house smell” everyone seems to admire. I didn’t admire

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Mold growing under window of newly built house. toxic black mold

Why So Many People Feel Sick in New Homes: The Hidden Crisis No One Warned Me About

By Ava Hartwell, IndoorAirInsights.com I still remember the day I walked into my “dream home.” Fresh paint. New appliances. That intoxicating smell of newness that builders love to sell you on. I didn’t know then that the very walls I was admiring were already harboring the thing that would nearly take me apart — physically,

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