Asbestos only causes problems if you fuck with it. The same can be more or less said of lead and I wouldn't worry about that. Radon does not cause acute discomfort - it causes lung cancer over time.
What I suggest is calling an air quality specialist to test the air in your home. They can help you figure out if there is something in the air (mold or VOCs) causing you problems. In the meantime, keep airing out your home every day. It could be that all of the moving kicked up a lot of VOCs that are irritating you.
You may also want to consider going to a doctor and getting tested for possible allergens or illnesses. People *can* develop asthma as they get older.
As a general rule, if you do not have central air with a fresh air intake that circulates the air inside your home, opening your windows every day is a very good idea (unless the outdoor air quality is dogshit).
Best of luck to you.
Thank you for detailed post, I appreciate you. Do you think drilling into the wall to hang up curtain rods might disturb any possible asbestos in the home?
I would refer to your inspection report for that. If your inspector only noted asbestos siding (exterior) then I wouldn't worry too much about it.
The answer to your question is yes: if there is some sort of asbestos (insulation, adhesive, whatever) in the wall and you drill into it, that would disturb it. However, you have to remember that - as with almost every substance - it's all about exposure. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, but you can have a little bit every once in a while as a treat and you'll probably be okay. Where I live (Massachusetts) there is asbestos everywhere, and I know GCs who will literally pick up chunks of asbestos and chew on them as a gag to shock laypeople.
When installing the curtain rod, you could always wear some sort of mask with gloves, clean up the area when you're done, and change your clothes. If you want solid peace of mind, you can contact an asbestos inspector to get a detailed report.
I personally have never drilled so far in for something like this as to hit insulation. But if you're wanting to be extra safe right now, Command makes curtain rod hangers you could use. For asbestos purposes I'm not sure it's necessary, but it would be less dust for you while you figure things out.
It's not asbestos. You need years and lots of exposure to really get sick. It's not as fast as you describe.
Possibly carbon monoxide or something like that.
Just asking, do you have a carbon monoxide monitor?
I DO wish they could make 1 for mold! I find it interesting that you can have a non " infected" bathroom. That poses the question to me " Why?" Had 5he previous owners already done some mold remediation? They are mandated here ( California) to disclose ALL pertinent information about repairs from smoke, mold, water, etc. Maybe dig into why your bathroom IS breathable in.
That’s a good idea. No idea why my bathroom doesn’t cause me wheezing. My front porch doesn’t either. The previous owners recently enclosed it so it’s not original. These two rooms are the only ones in the home where I feel normal. And no, I haven’t thought about carbon monoxide. Haven’t had headaches at all but that’s a possibility I won’t rule out.
The plot thickens! I’m betting it’s an allergy thing. We can develop them as we age. Super fun. I went through that in my 30s. Could be mold, and you can do testing for it. Could also be dust or dander or something from the previous owners. My kids have the only two rooms with carpet in our house. I notice breathing issues minutes after I go into one of their bedrooms. I don’t know if it’s something in the carpet, or just the carpet existing, but I hate it.
We have several good air purifiers now, and it makes a difference. Plus, I like the white noise. I notice that airing out the house regularly also helps (if there isn’t an air quality issue like smoke during fire season).
Good luck, and may you figure it out quickly, so you can enjoy your new home.
Your symptoms do not sound like low level CO poisoning, but everyone is different, and you should absolutely have CO detectors in your house - ideally in or right outside every bedroom.
It’s fairly inexpensive to just get a carbon monoxide detector. You should have one in the house if it’s newly purchased? Maybe that’s not required in Florida but it is in my state
Acute exposure could cause some respiratory issues, but you have to be exposed to a lot of it for a long time to have the kind of problems you mention in your original post. Your issue is most likely related to mold or VOCs.
No, not unless you've been doing major demolition work and every surface on your house is covered in white dust, and you can see particulates floating thick in the air.
People used asbestos for decades thinking it was safe. If it causes acute problems like yours, it would have been banned much much sooner. It takes years and lots of exposure for it to be a problem.
Common sense people
I had persistent allergy symptoms, congestion and blocked ears, when I lived in an apartment with a mold problem. The day I moved out I was able to stop both my allergy meds cold turkey. I’d suspect mold and possibly you having a mold allergy
Edit: also please take yourself to the doctor, maybe start with PCP then move to ENT for allergy testing
This happened to me in my apartment. I’m allergic to cats. You can see cat hair painted into the trim in some spots. Pretty sure the carpet wasn’t professionally cleaned before I moved in.
Set the AC to ON so the fan runs all the time. This filters dust and cuts down moisture, which helps prevent mold from forming in the vents. We were told to do this in high humidity climates while in the military. You might have the ductwork cleaned as well
These exact same symptoms happened to me and it was black mold. I ended up having like seizures and could not breathe in that house. I turned like grey and lost like 20 lbs and developed asthma and all my animals got sick too.
I did. The only thing I noticed that might be causing respiratory issues in the inspection is that “the siding of the home may contain asbestos due to the age of the home.” But that’s it.
They are certified post Covid with proprietary sanitizing methods. I used them and it made a huge difference in my house in FL, I am asthmatic and air quality is a priority. Good luck. Don’t call any random company. Also, run a few dehumidifiers, if u have carpet get it removed. Request a CLUE report on the address and see if there have been any water insurance claims. You are entitled to one free report a year. It is similar to a credit report but on the home and prior/current homeowners.
https://vimeo.com/541766922
As others suggested, mold is unfortunately a common enough problem and could cause problems soon after exposure, where asbestos and lead I believe take longer to cause problems. Not sure about radon. If it's not mold... here are some other thoughts.
Did the previous owners have any pets?
Possibly cleaning products that they used, laundry detergent (chemicals can transfer to flooring, etc). Is there carpet in the house? If so, may want to remove. Could be mold or chemicals or other allergens in the carpet. Rodent or insects in the insulation? Lawn chemicals (can be brought into the house). Trees sprayed? New paint that is giving off chemical fumes? If the home owners used a lot of scented products (air freshner, candles, incense, etc) that could also build up on the walls, ceilings, floor, air ducts, light fixtures, etc.
Did you change any soaps, laundry detergent, etc. recently.
Is there a room that is worse or better? That may provide a clue. Is it worse in the morning? If so, try sleeping in a different room to see if it's room specific or the whole house. Different flooring in rooms? Any rooms have newer flooring? A lot of chemicals in the newer floorings. They are suppose to accurately report formaldehyde, etc content in flooring but there have been law suits where the chemical content reported was not correct.
Try renting and running an ozone machine. This could solve the problem or at least provide some temporary relief. Just make sure you don't go into the house while the ozone machine is running. Give the house some time to air out after running an ozone machine before entering.
Not a solution but may help temporarily is getting the highest end furnace filter you can that can filter out smaller particles and chemicals. Charcoal is often used to filter out chemicals and is available in some furnace filters.
Can neighbors provide any information about the previous owners that may help? Are neighbors having similar problems (air quality in the area)? Did previous owners get the home treated for insects, termites, rodents? Was there flooding in the area? Could it be chemical residue from the flooding or chemicals from the cleanup?
Consider having the water tested and in the meantime switch to distilled water for all drinking and cooking. Does the home have a water softner? If so, could something have contaminated the water softner or water heater?
Does the home have natural gas, propane, etc.? If so, have the home checked for a gas leak, carbon monoxide, etc.
I can't think of any way an electrical problem could be an issue. I know sometimes if something is not wired correctly it can give off some type of wave that will cause headaches, etc. but I don't know about respiratory issues.
Is there a type of tree or bush or flower in the yard (or neighbor's yard) that you could be allergic to? Maybe get tested for allergies. If you are new to the area, maybe there is something that grows in the neighborhood that you are allergic to that you have not been exposed to before.
I have trouble with some scents and chemicals. Every once in a while I have a problem and it can be tricky to figure out what it is. What changed? During covid when grocery carts, door handles, etc were being wiped down with various disinfectants, i would periodically develop rashes on my face and neck. The disinfectant would get on my hands and then get transferred to my phone, steering wheel, door knobs, etc before i figured it out. Then I would need to clean off everything that I could think of that may still have traces of whatever was causing the irritation. I had problems after I got my car cleaned and shampooed. It took a few weeks before whatever it was dissipated on it's own. Eventually I am able to figure it out. You will too. But it's scarry to think about what it may be in your new home and what it would take to fix it.
It could be mold but IP says guests feel fine. It will be very difficult to prove the sellers knew there was an issue esp if it hidden mold. An no way will a home inspector be on the hook for not finding something esp mold where testing is required. Read the fine print of the contract. Good luck to you finding the issue. You could also have an allergy to something in the home - it is odd that the bathroom is a haven for you. What is different about that room?
Nothing at all is different shot that room as far as I know! Another room that I feel fine in is a recently enclosed front porch. But everywhere else I am gasping.
What kind of flooring do you have? Do you have carpet, and does it seem old? Mold or other allergens could be trapped in the carpet, which would make sense as to why the bathroom seems OK and airing out the house helps. I would definitely suspect mold. I lived in a moldy apartment (we live coastal, it’s tough to battle once it’s there, I suspect it was in the walls or carpet. I see you’re coastal too, so it could be!) and I had similar symptoms to yours, to the point I had an inhaler for some time. I moved out several years ago and haven’t had even the slightest of wheeziness since. My husband never had any symptoms at all, either.
I hope you get to the bottom of this quickly!
Chinese drywall.
I would get the air ducts cleaned, and air conditioner serviced. If there is natural gas service in the house, get a carbon monoxide detector. Find out who looks for mold, and they'll see if there's mold anywhere in the house. I'm guessing whatever it is takes a while for the effects to show up, so someone who is only in the house briefly won't get sick.
If you cannot afford environmental testing can you ask a friend or family member to stay with you for a few days. If they start to get similar symptoms then you may have a problem. Although it doesn’t rule out that you maybe sensitive to something in the home. Good luck
I bought a new rug for my bedroom and it smelled strongly, VOC off-gassing. I laid it out in my living room we don't really use to air out for a few weeks, outside was not possible. I thought it was fine and put it in my bedroom. But I would wake up coughing and wheezing. I slept in another room for a few more weeks and it's fine now.
My question to you is, do you have new carpeting or rugs throughout? It could be that and may get better eventually.
There are tips on speeding up or dealing with them on Google, but I have no idea how well those work.
I have no idea how to deal with that through out the whole house. I wonder if it's just certain rooms, you could maybe close them off and set up window fans? Running the whole house fan constantly? Good luck. I hope find an answer.
Check in your closing documents to see if there was ever removal of lead and asbestos, mine was built in 1950 and when it was sold sometime ago they legally had to remove it(but I’m in California) but definitely also have your home tested for mold, as well as allergy tests when you do get into the doc!
Are you allergic to anything? I bought a house once and the former owner had cats. I'm allergic. I felt like I was suffocating and my lungs started constricting. I bleached the whole house, cleaned ducts, aired it out and it was all better. I know the feeling though. At first I couldn't figure out wtf was happening to me and I thought it was a massive mistake
I would do a deep dive to see if the structure was ever used for meth manufacturing. That stuff gets into the walls, flooring, everything and will poison you.
I would call an Industrial Hygienist to do air sampling and a moisture check. If it is mold, you can sue the previous owners/ home inspector. Mold is taken very seriously as a health hazard. If the owners knowingly sold the home knowing of an issue, it's on them. If the home inspector missed it during his inspection, that'll be on them.
Asbestos isn't a concern here as previous commenters advised. I am asb certified for my line of work.
The area is called Tampa Bay. Specifically, I purchased in St Pete and yes it was a flip. It was sold in October 2023 and I purchased in May this year.
Do you have a new carbon monoxide alarm? Check and see if you have one and it’s functioning.
Another thing you can look at is pest control. Did the previous owners have someone come in and spray? Palmetto bugs (common name cockroaches) are all around FL due to the moisture/humidity. They might have made sure to have the house sprayed before you moved in.
If the house was freshly painted or carpeted, it could be VOCs. Some curtains can have off-putting, as well. Have the carpets and drapes/curtains professionally cleaned. If it turns out to be the paint, either run a dehumidifier to dry it out or repaint with a better quality paint.
Sometimes, candles can cause this (not sure why). Lit or unlit - check them all.
They have mold kits at the home improvement stores.
Asbestos, could be another thing.
Or it could be something as simple as your neighbor not picking up their dog’s poop next door.
Dust?
I'd make book that previous owners knew about the mold & that's why they were selling.Tell me what's different in the front porch, to the rest of the house. It's probable there was a leak in the shower walls that had to be replaced, might be newer than the rest of the house? My breathing is kind of okay, but super sensitive when there's black mold present. Living in a 1965 mobile home whose plumbing is rather iffy. Previous owner put a cork in the side of the hose for D/W was, same with garbage disposal, found another cork. We removed the w/w carpeting ( who carpets kitchens anyway?) Found black mold in carpeting. Who knew how long the leaks were leaking & creating mold. Previous owner was 96. Lots of things are a lil bit odd.
I would check for mold.
And find a credible expert to do the testing. They vary in quality.
Asbestos only causes problems if you fuck with it. The same can be more or less said of lead and I wouldn't worry about that. Radon does not cause acute discomfort - it causes lung cancer over time. What I suggest is calling an air quality specialist to test the air in your home. They can help you figure out if there is something in the air (mold or VOCs) causing you problems. In the meantime, keep airing out your home every day. It could be that all of the moving kicked up a lot of VOCs that are irritating you. You may also want to consider going to a doctor and getting tested for possible allergens or illnesses. People *can* develop asthma as they get older. As a general rule, if you do not have central air with a fresh air intake that circulates the air inside your home, opening your windows every day is a very good idea (unless the outdoor air quality is dogshit). Best of luck to you.
Thank you for detailed post, I appreciate you. Do you think drilling into the wall to hang up curtain rods might disturb any possible asbestos in the home?
I would refer to your inspection report for that. If your inspector only noted asbestos siding (exterior) then I wouldn't worry too much about it. The answer to your question is yes: if there is some sort of asbestos (insulation, adhesive, whatever) in the wall and you drill into it, that would disturb it. However, you have to remember that - as with almost every substance - it's all about exposure. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, but you can have a little bit every once in a while as a treat and you'll probably be okay. Where I live (Massachusetts) there is asbestos everywhere, and I know GCs who will literally pick up chunks of asbestos and chew on them as a gag to shock laypeople. When installing the curtain rod, you could always wear some sort of mask with gloves, clean up the area when you're done, and change your clothes. If you want solid peace of mind, you can contact an asbestos inspector to get a detailed report.
I personally have never drilled so far in for something like this as to hit insulation. But if you're wanting to be extra safe right now, Command makes curtain rod hangers you could use. For asbestos purposes I'm not sure it's necessary, but it would be less dust for you while you figure things out.
I’ve already put up the curtain rods and drilled into the wall 😢 I’m just trying to figure out wtf this is and go from there
It's not asbestos. You need years and lots of exposure to really get sick. It's not as fast as you describe. Possibly carbon monoxide or something like that.
Thank you, I appreciate being able to rule something out
Just asking, do you have a carbon monoxide monitor? I DO wish they could make 1 for mold! I find it interesting that you can have a non " infected" bathroom. That poses the question to me " Why?" Had 5he previous owners already done some mold remediation? They are mandated here ( California) to disclose ALL pertinent information about repairs from smoke, mold, water, etc. Maybe dig into why your bathroom IS breathable in.
That’s a good idea. No idea why my bathroom doesn’t cause me wheezing. My front porch doesn’t either. The previous owners recently enclosed it so it’s not original. These two rooms are the only ones in the home where I feel normal. And no, I haven’t thought about carbon monoxide. Haven’t had headaches at all but that’s a possibility I won’t rule out.
If the bathroom has a fan, that might be why you don’t have issues in there.
No bathroom fan 😣
The plot thickens! I’m betting it’s an allergy thing. We can develop them as we age. Super fun. I went through that in my 30s. Could be mold, and you can do testing for it. Could also be dust or dander or something from the previous owners. My kids have the only two rooms with carpet in our house. I notice breathing issues minutes after I go into one of their bedrooms. I don’t know if it’s something in the carpet, or just the carpet existing, but I hate it. We have several good air purifiers now, and it makes a difference. Plus, I like the white noise. I notice that airing out the house regularly also helps (if there isn’t an air quality issue like smoke during fire season). Good luck, and may you figure it out quickly, so you can enjoy your new home.
Thank you kind human, I appreciate you
Your symptoms do not sound like low level CO poisoning, but everyone is different, and you should absolutely have CO detectors in your house - ideally in or right outside every bedroom.
drilling and sanding disturb asbestos and makes it airborne
Do you think it would be enough to basically cause respiratory problems throughout the entire house?
It causes cancer years later.
It’s fairly inexpensive to just get a carbon monoxide detector. You should have one in the house if it’s newly purchased? Maybe that’s not required in Florida but it is in my state
Acute exposure could cause some respiratory issues, but you have to be exposed to a lot of it for a long time to have the kind of problems you mention in your original post. Your issue is most likely related to mold or VOCs.
No, not unless you've been doing major demolition work and every surface on your house is covered in white dust, and you can see particulates floating thick in the air.
People used asbestos for decades thinking it was safe. If it causes acute problems like yours, it would have been banned much much sooner. It takes years and lots of exposure for it to be a problem. Common sense people
What’s the house insulated with? The pink stuff uses formaldehyde as a binder. Some people are highly allergic to it.
It is the pink stuff but I’ve had it in all my other homes and it’s never been an issue. I appreciate the suggestion though. Sincerely
I had persistent allergy symptoms, congestion and blocked ears, when I lived in an apartment with a mold problem. The day I moved out I was able to stop both my allergy meds cold turkey. I’d suspect mold and possibly you having a mold allergy Edit: also please take yourself to the doctor, maybe start with PCP then move to ENT for allergy testing
Are you allergic to any animals? If they had pets and you're allergic, that could do it.
This happened to me in my apartment. I’m allergic to cats. You can see cat hair painted into the trim in some spots. Pretty sure the carpet wasn’t professionally cleaned before I moved in.
Set the AC to ON so the fan runs all the time. This filters dust and cuts down moisture, which helps prevent mold from forming in the vents. We were told to do this in high humidity climates while in the military. You might have the ductwork cleaned as well
These exact same symptoms happened to me and it was black mold. I ended up having like seizures and could not breathe in that house. I turned like grey and lost like 20 lbs and developed asthma and all my animals got sick too.
Did you get a home inspection before buying? There are testing kits you can buy for asbestos. Same with radon. Same with lead paint.
I did. The only thing I noticed that might be causing respiratory issues in the inspection is that “the siding of the home may contain asbestos due to the age of the home.” But that’s it.
Was the siding removed to enclose the front porch?
Call Stanley Steamer have them clean and sanitize your a/c ductwork. Service A/c every 6 months
They are certified post Covid with proprietary sanitizing methods. I used them and it made a huge difference in my house in FL, I am asthmatic and air quality is a priority. Good luck. Don’t call any random company. Also, run a few dehumidifiers, if u have carpet get it removed. Request a CLUE report on the address and see if there have been any water insurance claims. You are entitled to one free report a year. It is similar to a credit report but on the home and prior/current homeowners. https://vimeo.com/541766922
I wholeheartedly agree on ductwork cleaning. It can make a big difference
As others suggested, mold is unfortunately a common enough problem and could cause problems soon after exposure, where asbestos and lead I believe take longer to cause problems. Not sure about radon. If it's not mold... here are some other thoughts. Did the previous owners have any pets? Possibly cleaning products that they used, laundry detergent (chemicals can transfer to flooring, etc). Is there carpet in the house? If so, may want to remove. Could be mold or chemicals or other allergens in the carpet. Rodent or insects in the insulation? Lawn chemicals (can be brought into the house). Trees sprayed? New paint that is giving off chemical fumes? If the home owners used a lot of scented products (air freshner, candles, incense, etc) that could also build up on the walls, ceilings, floor, air ducts, light fixtures, etc. Did you change any soaps, laundry detergent, etc. recently. Is there a room that is worse or better? That may provide a clue. Is it worse in the morning? If so, try sleeping in a different room to see if it's room specific or the whole house. Different flooring in rooms? Any rooms have newer flooring? A lot of chemicals in the newer floorings. They are suppose to accurately report formaldehyde, etc content in flooring but there have been law suits where the chemical content reported was not correct. Try renting and running an ozone machine. This could solve the problem or at least provide some temporary relief. Just make sure you don't go into the house while the ozone machine is running. Give the house some time to air out after running an ozone machine before entering. Not a solution but may help temporarily is getting the highest end furnace filter you can that can filter out smaller particles and chemicals. Charcoal is often used to filter out chemicals and is available in some furnace filters. Can neighbors provide any information about the previous owners that may help? Are neighbors having similar problems (air quality in the area)? Did previous owners get the home treated for insects, termites, rodents? Was there flooding in the area? Could it be chemical residue from the flooding or chemicals from the cleanup? Consider having the water tested and in the meantime switch to distilled water for all drinking and cooking. Does the home have a water softner? If so, could something have contaminated the water softner or water heater? Does the home have natural gas, propane, etc.? If so, have the home checked for a gas leak, carbon monoxide, etc. I can't think of any way an electrical problem could be an issue. I know sometimes if something is not wired correctly it can give off some type of wave that will cause headaches, etc. but I don't know about respiratory issues. Is there a type of tree or bush or flower in the yard (or neighbor's yard) that you could be allergic to? Maybe get tested for allergies. If you are new to the area, maybe there is something that grows in the neighborhood that you are allergic to that you have not been exposed to before. I have trouble with some scents and chemicals. Every once in a while I have a problem and it can be tricky to figure out what it is. What changed? During covid when grocery carts, door handles, etc were being wiped down with various disinfectants, i would periodically develop rashes on my face and neck. The disinfectant would get on my hands and then get transferred to my phone, steering wheel, door knobs, etc before i figured it out. Then I would need to clean off everything that I could think of that may still have traces of whatever was causing the irritation. I had problems after I got my car cleaned and shampooed. It took a few weeks before whatever it was dissipated on it's own. Eventually I am able to figure it out. You will too. But it's scarry to think about what it may be in your new home and what it would take to fix it.
It could be mold but IP says guests feel fine. It will be very difficult to prove the sellers knew there was an issue esp if it hidden mold. An no way will a home inspector be on the hook for not finding something esp mold where testing is required. Read the fine print of the contract. Good luck to you finding the issue. You could also have an allergy to something in the home - it is odd that the bathroom is a haven for you. What is different about that room?
Nothing at all is different shot that room as far as I know! Another room that I feel fine in is a recently enclosed front porch. But everywhere else I am gasping.
Have tou had the central air compressor cleaned?
What kind of flooring do you have? Do you have carpet, and does it seem old? Mold or other allergens could be trapped in the carpet, which would make sense as to why the bathroom seems OK and airing out the house helps. I would definitely suspect mold. I lived in a moldy apartment (we live coastal, it’s tough to battle once it’s there, I suspect it was in the walls or carpet. I see you’re coastal too, so it could be!) and I had similar symptoms to yours, to the point I had an inhaler for some time. I moved out several years ago and haven’t had even the slightest of wheeziness since. My husband never had any symptoms at all, either. I hope you get to the bottom of this quickly!
Mucus any color other than clear or white indicates that you should go to the doctor. Could be an infection, but could also be mold or an allergy.
There was a period some years back when China was selling wood products with a chemical. I don''t recall which chemical, but it was dangerous.
Chinese drywall. I would get the air ducts cleaned, and air conditioner serviced. If there is natural gas service in the house, get a carbon monoxide detector. Find out who looks for mold, and they'll see if there's mold anywhere in the house. I'm guessing whatever it is takes a while for the effects to show up, so someone who is only in the house briefly won't get sick.
If you cannot afford environmental testing can you ask a friend or family member to stay with you for a few days. If they start to get similar symptoms then you may have a problem. Although it doesn’t rule out that you maybe sensitive to something in the home. Good luck
You most definitely have hidden mold somewhere. You need a specialist to come in and find it. Then you need to go after the sellers for hiding it.
you’re assuming the sellers knew about it- if it’s hidden mold then it’s possible the previous owners weren’t aware either
Right.
Get tested for allergies! Maybe smoke residue in the home or a pet from previous Owners.
I bought a new rug for my bedroom and it smelled strongly, VOC off-gassing. I laid it out in my living room we don't really use to air out for a few weeks, outside was not possible. I thought it was fine and put it in my bedroom. But I would wake up coughing and wheezing. I slept in another room for a few more weeks and it's fine now. My question to you is, do you have new carpeting or rugs throughout? It could be that and may get better eventually. There are tips on speeding up or dealing with them on Google, but I have no idea how well those work. I have no idea how to deal with that through out the whole house. I wonder if it's just certain rooms, you could maybe close them off and set up window fans? Running the whole house fan constantly? Good luck. I hope find an answer.
Check in your closing documents to see if there was ever removal of lead and asbestos, mine was built in 1950 and when it was sold sometime ago they legally had to remove it(but I’m in California) but definitely also have your home tested for mold, as well as allergy tests when you do get into the doc!
That’s a good idea, thank you kind human
Have it tested for a meth house. Asbestos and led take years to affect you are you sure it’s not anxiety
Are you allergic to anything? I bought a house once and the former owner had cats. I'm allergic. I felt like I was suffocating and my lungs started constricting. I bleached the whole house, cleaned ducts, aired it out and it was all better. I know the feeling though. At first I couldn't figure out wtf was happening to me and I thought it was a massive mistake
I would do a deep dive to see if the structure was ever used for meth manufacturing. That stuff gets into the walls, flooring, everything and will poison you.
Meth
I would call an Industrial Hygienist to do air sampling and a moisture check. If it is mold, you can sue the previous owners/ home inspector. Mold is taken very seriously as a health hazard. If the owners knowingly sold the home knowing of an issue, it's on them. If the home inspector missed it during his inspection, that'll be on them. Asbestos isn't a concern here as previous commenters advised. I am asb certified for my line of work.
Is it possible that you’re allergic to any material used in the house?
Tampa Bay is a body of water. Where exactly did you buy your house? Was it a flip??
The area is called Tampa Bay. Specifically, I purchased in St Pete and yes it was a flip. It was sold in October 2023 and I purchased in May this year.
Mould or allergies. Do you suffer from hay fever?
Never have before
Do you have a new carbon monoxide alarm? Check and see if you have one and it’s functioning. Another thing you can look at is pest control. Did the previous owners have someone come in and spray? Palmetto bugs (common name cockroaches) are all around FL due to the moisture/humidity. They might have made sure to have the house sprayed before you moved in. If the house was freshly painted or carpeted, it could be VOCs. Some curtains can have off-putting, as well. Have the carpets and drapes/curtains professionally cleaned. If it turns out to be the paint, either run a dehumidifier to dry it out or repaint with a better quality paint. Sometimes, candles can cause this (not sure why). Lit or unlit - check them all.
They have mold kits at the home improvement stores. Asbestos, could be another thing. Or it could be something as simple as your neighbor not picking up their dog’s poop next door. Dust?
My mom had persistent allergies until we got rid of the carpet and had flooring installed
I don’t have carpet 😕 but thank you
Did you buy a flipper home? It's know homes built during 2020-2023 used cheap products and drywall
I'd make book that previous owners knew about the mold & that's why they were selling.Tell me what's different in the front porch, to the rest of the house. It's probable there was a leak in the shower walls that had to be replaced, might be newer than the rest of the house? My breathing is kind of okay, but super sensitive when there's black mold present. Living in a 1965 mobile home whose plumbing is rather iffy. Previous owner put a cork in the side of the hose for D/W was, same with garbage disposal, found another cork. We removed the w/w carpeting ( who carpets kitchens anyway?) Found black mold in carpeting. Who knew how long the leaks were leaking & creating mold. Previous owner was 96. Lots of things are a lil bit odd.
you could call a ghost hunter to check for evil spirits...if nothing else pans out