[djmcmath]

Ok, time for an update: they called the professionals and asked them to come in and do an analysis of the site. Testing for meth came up negative, which was a surprise to everyone. The previous neighbors reported a lot of late night activity, blacked-out windows, and a bad smell, which is classic meth-house behaviour.

The professional (who I doubt, personally) insists that the test is 100% conclusive and that "perhaps you should sample for mold?" Except that they just went through the whole Black Mold Nightmare, and the problem remains.

I've included the entire history of the problem here to see if anyone can point this out as something else. The summary is that the house causes burning skin, swelling, chest pains, headaches, and leaves a metallic taste in the mouth. Your mileage may vary: some people have very strong reactions, others have almost none.

My sister is adamant against litigation. I think it's based on a deep distrust of all lawyers, and a fear of losing. I've urged her to at least talk to a lawyer to get a feel for what would be needed for success.

Thanks in advance for all your help.




Detailed report:
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House Location: Rathdrum Id, 83858

House history: House repossessed in '99 from original owners. House and property trashed. Neighbors give reports of suspected drug use. Bought by most recent occupants in April of 2000.

Most recent occupants: Mom – 31, Dad – 37, boy – 2, girl – 3 (at time of writing). Two mostly outside dogs, one outside only cat.

History of Problems:

'00-'05 Musty smell noted at first entrance of house by Mom and Dad. Musty smell worsened in winter of '04 – '05. Dad, pregnant Mom and girl move out after discovering "Toxic Black Mold". Professional testing and remediation. New roof, siding, indoor paint, carpets, linoleum. All surfaces in house replaced or cleaned to professional standards. All possessions cleaned or thrown out. Mom, Dad, girl, boy move back in Fall of '05.
Spring '06 - musty smell is back.
Fall '06 - Musty smell worse. Air feels "thick", hard to breath. Mom checked out for chest pain. Nothing found. Smell centered in living room, where mold was. Mom gets burning sensation in eyes, nose, and throat when in living room.
Jan. '07 - Mom gets sinus infection that keeps coming back. General feeling of un-wellness. Stays home from activities to rest. Constant burning in nose, eyes, and throat. Diarrhea, nausea, un-natural weakness, migraine-like headaches, trouble breathing, muscle pain. Spends much of each day resting. Dad and kids seem fine.
Feb. '07 – Mom notices marked improvement in health when away from home. Suspect dog allergies. Cleans carpets. Dogs kept outside. Feel better for several days, then worse again. By end of month, begin to notice aching eyes, slight facial swelling, occasional facial itching.
March '07 - Kids become fussy. All occupants experience eye irritation, facial swelling. Mom most severe.
April 1, '07 – move in with grandma and grandpa. Symptoms slowly subside, but are not alleviated. Mom not able to enter house without painful facial swelling, itching, and return of other symptoms. Wash all items brought from house. (Items went through washing machine, or were wiped off with cloth and detergent.) Run rented ozone machine 36 hours, then open all windows, run fans. By end of month, mom able to enter house for a few minutes some days. House seems bad some days, better on others.
Early June '07 - Mom picks up boxes from local grocery store to begin packing things from house. Experiences house-like reaction from boxes while in car – facial swelling; burning nose, eyes, throat; difficulty
breathing. Spends afternoon packing washed books and clothes from house into boxes. In evening, move boxes to barn because of burning eyes. Sudden onset of chest pain, dizziness, headache, labored breathing, uncontrolled shaking. Family calls ambulance. Immediate improvement with oxygen in ambulance. 3 hours oxygen before sent home with inhaler. Nothing found to be wrong. Takes two days to recover strength.
One week later – mom tested and found to have plethora of new allergies - dogs not included. New onset of sensitivity to laundry detergent, soaps, shampoos. Leave mid June to visit other family in Pennsylvania for a month.
End of June – Grandma picks up teddy bear from floor of house and takes to Bible study to see if anyone else smells anything. One lady smells something, two others smell nothing at the time. All complain afterward of metallic taste in mouths. Fourth lady has severe immediate reaction with bad headache, hoarse voice, trouble breathing.
(djmcmath note: this seems like a really dumb idea -- "Hey everyone, smelling this teddy bear makes my daughter go to the hospital, what's it do for you?")
Next Day – Grandpa enters house looking for borrowed paint roller. Leaves because of chest pain, labored breathing, burning eyes and throat, metallic taste in mouth. Spends ½ hour in bed recovering.
Next Day – Grandma enters bedroom where family has been staying. Experiences burning eyes, nose, mouth, lips and tongue. Metallic taste. Notices strong smell on keys, shoes, other items – some washed, some forgotten. Puts plastic bags on family's items from rest of house. Items that were cleaned but still giving off smell and burning sensation; plastic dog crate, computer and/or computer table, musical instrument cases. Smell seems to be diffusing all over room and spreading to items not originally in house.
Meanwhile – family in Pennsylvania. Experiencing no symptoms except laundry detergent sensitivity and two reactions to things brought from house; Chest pain and slight swelling of eyes after playing mandolin brought from house. Swelling eyes, burning nose after opening camera case with envelopes that had been laying on dresser in house. Both items bagged and put in shed. Grandma (back in Idaho) experiences burning tongue and lips that lasts for hours after every entrance into family's room in their house. She opens window and then locks door. Contemplates clearing out all family's stuff, re-painting room, throwing out mattresses. Professional meth tester complains (after testing family's house) of stinging face where mask didn't cover.

Tests done in '07:

Early April – mold air test by Envirocheck.
May – Mold and bacteria Petri dishes, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide.
June – Meth test by "Meth Lab Cleanup LLC" in Post Falls, ID.