Have you been to the doctor? Are you saying that your problem began after going on vacation and having the house closed up for a week? If so, I think you might have picked something up on vacation if you lived in it and were okay.

Write a very detailed history of your illness to take to the doctor, and hire whoever does air quality tests to test the air in your home.

Google the problem as well with the term 'forums' and see if you can find health forums where people have experienced this. You might add the phrase 'environmental illness' to your search terms and see what you can find.

Hi Hayley, thank you for your suggestions. I will try forums and environmental illness.

I actually don't live in the condo yet, only my bf does and he's fine breathing wise. I have been diagnosed with severe dust allergies and pretty much allergic to everything under the sun. I often have breathing issues in old musty spaces, but my current living situation my lungs have no problem in, so it leads me to believe there is something in the air I'm allergic to. It could be the combo of joint compound dust and new building materials off gasing. Maybe I just need to live in a bubble, lol.

So I found out that I am not crazy and over thinking not being able to breath. Today my mother came with me to the condo to do some clean up and after about an hour she was having trouble breathing too. My bf must have lungs of steal since he feels nothing, so it's definitely airborne.

That's very interesting about it affecting your Mom as well.

Did he put down new flooring that could be off-gasing formaldehyde or another chemical? Lumber Liquidators' flooring has huge issues with formaldehyde and is being sued over it.

Google all the products you used in the remodel to see if they could be off-gasing and causing your problem.

Try posting your question on a DIY forum and see if anyone recognizes the problem. If it's caused by something you put in your bf's home, surely someone else has experienced the same thing.

http://www.diychatroom.com/forum.php

I thought about that too. We did have engineered flooring installed, but thankfully not from Lumber Liquidators. And, or flooring is American made, but you're right definitely worth getting tested anyways along with other things in the condo. Great idea!

70's bumpy drywall texture. I would be worried about Asbestos.

Go see a doctor.

Asbestos is nasty and can stay with you locked in place for life...

Hi John, I agree Asbestos is very scary. The walls were bumpy due to too many years of people painting over different colors and even painting over wall paper. Being a former interior designer myself, it really repulsed me to see how sloppy the paint jobs were. And, my poor boyfriend didn't know what he was getting into with me and my "high" taste of choosing specific finishes on a budget of course..when you've seen some of the most beautiful things it's hard to just settle for blah, lol. Thank you for commenting :)

Harmoni Designs, LLC luckily the ducts, furnace, and a.c are ancient and have never been replaced, so we haven't used them at all due to being scared that all the dust would blow into the space. And, apparently the system hasn't worked in years because the previous owners said they never used it either. We will be getting the ducts, furnace, and a.c replaced, so hopefully having some clean forced air into the space will help with air circulation. The ducts are the old school exposed fiberglass, so those I'm getting replaced since we can't clean them. Thanks for commenting!

I find it interesting (from a medical history point of view) that you had issues AFTER the place was closed up for a week or so. You most likely have allergies + asthma (you can get that checked with a spirometry pre/post ventolin inhaler) to keep you on your toes.

You might have issues because of multiple concerns: dust = dust mites. Multiple chemicals sensitivity (it is a syndrome with a medical backing) and mould issues. If this place was closed up AND THEN you had issues...it probably means mould issues as well. And it doesn't surprise me that a family member (genetically linked to you) has issues as well...we inherit most of our medical issues. I always say, "If you can inherit your eye colour, you can inherit everything/anything else".

Get the ducts/HVAC/AC up and running and if it persists, have a mould expert come in and do some air quality testing. If the space doesn't work for you, don't live there. Sell it and move on. Heart breaking as that is, the Ambulance/Emerg/ICU costs every year will add up quickly.

Hi Cancork Floor Inc. thanks for taking the time to write :) You got it right, I do have allergies which trigger breathing issues. And, yes dust mites are my enemies, so my space has to be very clean and I often kill those little buggers with special detergent. You are very in tune with this stuff and also got it correct that my mother also has allergies as well. I bet you've come in contact with others such as myself.

There might be a solution. Talked to a contractor/hvac guy today whose son also had similar issues as me and said that once they changed ducts and got new furnace/a.c. and just let the fan run with a hepa like filter (merv) that his son's breathing got better. So, we will be changing all that out. Fingers crossed it works. And, will definitely take your suggestion on not visiting the medical services and get mold testing done.

I hope it works out for you. I've worked in hospitals next to Respiratory so I've heard it all. As a little FYI, cork is considered a "low dust, low dust mite" surface for flooring. The naturally occurring wax, suberin, drives most pests away. Mites don't like it. All plants produce suberin, but cork produces 20 - 30 times what other plants produce. Suberin is a natural anti-pest, anti-microbial, anti-mould/mildew substance.

Should you ever need flooring in the future, cork might be an option because of its properties and your own health concerns. Not that I'm trying to sell you something but we have plenty of asthmatics that swear by their cork. I too have mild issues with all of the above. My breathing is better at work (cork floor in an industrial area with farms and ++ dust) then at home (residential area with laminate floors and carpet). Go figure.

Cancork Floor, Inc Thank you for the information, I had no idea cork was so good for dust mite deterring! Haha, well if we weren't broke after remodeling and I didn't have a love affair with wood flooring, you'd be my source for cork. You definitely are a good sales person :) We actually had engineered hardwood put in already. And, it is peculiar and unfortunate that your work environment has better air quality than your home--carpet is evil, but area rugs are doable with some dust mite spray.

I removed plywood that was urine stained. I also soaked the joists with white vinegar and peroxide. i was having constant breathing issues until the last section of effected plywood was out. I retreated the joists and all wall base horizontal 2x4s were replaced.

12% hydrogen peroxide is highly recommended as it doesn’t ruin indoor air quality as bleach will.

immediatly the residual odor vanished.

I will spray it again before securing the subfloor.