Many of us get into this industry because we have personal horror stories with mold. For me, I bought a home that had floor to ceiling mold in the kitchen. It was completely invisible to the naked eye, until we started the renovation process and took walls down to the studs.
Many of us get into this industry because we have personal horror stories with mold. For me, I bought a home that had floor to ceiling mold in the kitchen. It was completely invisible to the naked eye, until we started the renovation process and took walls down to the studs.
For today’s guest, Megan Carson, she was reaching a sever level of mold toxicity and couldn’t identify the source until having an ERMI test and an inspection. Luckily, she was able to get out of her lease and high tail it out of there! But that led her down the path to becoming the founder of Guided Well LLC.
She is a certified mold inspector and IEP with a specialized focus on client education and building defect identification related to poor building science and design in relation to indoor air quality issues. After her own four walls made her sick, she’s making it her mission to help other people out of that sort of situation.
For any of you home renters out there, we’re starting this conversation with some safe guards that all renters need to know about. From getting your own inspections (not through management) to discussing additional clauses in the lease to guarantee a way out if water damage becomes an issue. Then, we’re chatting all things remediation so you don’t have to go into the process already overwhelmed.
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Windows are a uniquely vulnerable spot in your home. Essentially, you’ve got a stable structure with holes in the middle to let in light. So as you can imagine, all sorts of problems can present themselves if your windows aren’t constructed properly. It’s incredibly important that your windows are properly constructed to protect against water damage!
Windows are a uniquely vulnerable spot in your home. Essentially, you’ve got a stable structure with holes in the middle to let in light. So as you can imagine, all sorts of problems can present themselves if your windows aren’t constructed properly. It’s incredibly important that your windows are properly constructed to protect against water damage!
Before you can make any big decisions about the windows in your home, you need to know what type of windows you’re working with. So first, I’ll be differentiating the two types of windows you may be working with. From there, you’re going to get the full rundown on considerations that you need to make with your team. So if you don’t know what I mean when I say “head flashing, back dam, or slope sill,” you’re in for a treat.
But we’re not stopping there, I’m even covering what to do once your windows have been installed. You’ll want to make sure the windows are leak tested before you wash your hands of this step and move on. Have a hands off installer? No problem! This is something you can do yourself and I’ll tell you exactly how in this episode.
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“The housing market is crazy, can I skip the inspection?” I hear this all the time. And truth be told, I’ve skipped the home inspection before. But I would NOT suggest doing this (you’ll have to tune into the episode to find out why I did).
“The housing market is crazy, can I skip the inspection?” I hear this all the time. And truth be told, I’ve skipped the home inspection before. But I would NOT suggest doing this (you’ll have to tune into the episode to find out why I did).
Today, I’m joined by Tori McGee, a holistic realtor based in Atlanta, Georgia. This episode was so fun to record. We dove into the nitty-gritty of buying a healthy home and let me tell you, inspections are key! Tori shared her wisdom on the must-dos, from checking the roof to testing for radon and mold. She's all about making sure our homes are safe havens for our health and happiness.
I also really loved hearing about how a holistic realtor can be the buyers advocate. From asking the hard questions about what chemicals will be used in remediation to spotting foundational cracks, your realtor can speak up when you’re feeling intimidated. Plus, she gave us some great tips on finding a like-minded realtor and resources for a non-toxic living space. It was such an informative episode, and I can't wait for you to hear her advice.
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I’ve seen people rip their homes down to the studs in an effort to get rid of mold. And the worst part is, sometimes they do all of that and they still don’t find what they’re looking for. So today, you’re in for a treat because my friend PJ Harlow, owner and CEO of PJ Harlow Wellness, Inc. is joining us.
I’ve seen people rip their homes down to the studs in an effort to get rid of mold. And the worst part is, sometimes they do all of that and they still don’t find what they’re looking for. So today, you’re in for a treat because my friend PJ Harlow, owner and CEO of PJ Harlow Wellness, Inc. is joining us.
PJ Harlow Wellness, Inc is a virtual, IICRC-certified consulting firm specializing in holistic mold removal, decontamination & remediation. As the founder and curriculum director of The Academy for Holistic Home Health & Mold Sciences, she also offers bespoke online courses for homeowners, renters, and professionals!
We’re talking about how to maintain a health fungal ecology in the home. Just like your gut has a microbiome, so do the four walls you live in! And if you’ve been considering investing in an ERMI test, please listen to this episode! We don’t want you to go out and get a result that you can’t interpret. And turning to Facebook is not the answer! You’ll have amateurs catastrophizing and telling you to tear down your house.
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How do you come up with a figure for your renovation budget? I know allocating funds can feel really stressful when you’re being thrown so many options. So in today’s episode, I’m giving you a bird’s eye view of the budgeting decisions I would urge you to make.
How do you come up with a figure for your renovation budget? I know allocating funds can feel really stressful when you’re being thrown so many options. So in today’s episode, I’m giving you a bird’s eye view of the budgeting decisions I would urge you to make.
At the end of the day, we want to use the renovation process as a way to avoid bigger headaches down the line. It might feel fun to focus a lot of our attention on fixtures and finishes! But I’m going to be pointing you towards some more integral processes to prioritize first.
I’ll be pointing you towards details that you may overlook otherwise. For example: access doors are incredibly important! Without access doors, you’re making it ten times harder to pinpoint issues as they pop up. And we’re not shying away from the big picture overhauls that might need to happen. If you’re already doing a renovation and you have plumbing from the 1950s, it’s probably time to address that before a pipe bursts a year from now.
I hope this episode gives you a solid place to start when you sit down to create your budget. just remember, it’s easier to deal with the big picture now and small, aesthetic issues can always be replaced later.
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What does a passive home look like? Well, imagine a home that is completely energy efficient without breaking the bank. Today’s guest, Casey Grey, is the founder of the award-winning sustainable building company, The Conscious Builder.
What does a passive home look like? Well, imagine a home that is completely energy efficient without breaking the bank. Today’s guest, Casey Grey, is the founder of the award-winning sustainable building company, The Conscious Builder.
Casey began passive home building after the birth of his first child. Knowing he wanted to leave the world better than he came into it, he took his background in construction and dove into building research to create a more sustainable future. Get ready to take notes with this episode because Casey is sharing a lot of knowledge! Even I learned something new about how to take an existing, older home and bring it up to today’s standards.
We’re getting the inside scoop on his processes and some of his favorite products for energy efficient home building. If you listen to this episode, you could save yourself from a major headache later down the line!
Casey is also the host of The Conscious Builder Podcast and The Conscious Builder Show on YouTube and the founder of The Conscious Builder Academy, an online course hub for future-focused builders who want to create better businesses. So go check him out!
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