Alternaria mold, while commonly found in decaying vegetation outdoors, such as leaves, does get into homes, via doors and windows, and winds whip it around on dry days, when spores are actually very active, from what I can read. It can come into homes on vegetables and fruits as well.
I know I see mold in my bathroom, which I clean away. But it grows unger where we hang our towels(damp) and I have to clean a spot there regularly, and the window moldings, where condensation collects. I clean that regularly. I do not see this in her bedroom or bathroom, or the 1/2 bath downstairs. I think dh and my bathroom get heavier use so we have more moisture in there.
I do not know at all if have a problem with mold in the house, but just trying to guess what I could work on, given our results. I do know we have a chronically damp chimney.
GP, the bricks on the chimney are porous. There is not a single leak or spot, but they absorb water and it leaches out. We have an oversized cap on it, but closing it off(not even sure how one does that) would not work for moisture, because it is still there and would still get wet. While we have had flashing checked and roofing repairs around the chimney(a waste because it solved nothing maybe made it worse) the flashing always checks out. But, it does seem to me there is some leak or failure where the roof meets the chimney. Eventually, I bet that we have some major failure and need to remove it and rebuild or remove it and just vent the furnace and do a gas insert. But presently, the furnace vents via the chimney. It is on our list to call a chimney sweep to clean and reseal and inspect. But my cousin, who is a mason, had nothing to offer me, and he is supposed to be pretty good. He was honest, and pessimistic, based on the choice of bricks the builder used. The particular brick is very porous. I have seen the problem on other chimneys in the development. Grrrr. But, again, I have no proof that the chimney or dampness there is the cause of dd's problems.
I do have proof that the hamster is a problem. I would say, I also have proof, based on her symptoms, that dust is an issue, even if the testing was not an obvious +. She feels better when I clean her room really well, and the same for the rest of the house.
I talked to dh about maybe getting a roomba, just to save my back, and I can do the heavy job once a week. Either that or try an air purifier. There is a size that can move easily room to room, so we could rotate it around the house day to day and dd could use it at night in her room. Mulling it over. Roomba is expensive and we have central vac, so our vacuum is vented outside and the cannister is in the garage. when we vacuum, it all leaves the house, no air blows back in at all.
He encouraged dd to use the flonase, or something, but she still would not do it last night. I asked her if I got her one that does not smell, would she use it. She shook her head. Argh!
