Cathy Arrington was raring to move in after she closed the deal on her dream house.
It was the perfect room for her and ticked all the boxes on what she was looking for.
The listing even said, “so well-maintained that you can move right in and not lift a finger.”
Sounds so enticing, right?
She was on cloud nine when she moved in, but all that giddy feeling lasted only seven weeks.
As days passed, Cathy noticed dirt coming from the walls and ceiling.
That’s when she discovered rotten pipes, mold infestation, and asbestos in her air vents.
Barely two months in her new home, and she couldn’t believe everything was falling apart.
What she thought was the house of her dreams turned into a house of horrors.
Because of all that she discovered, she had to remove parts of her floor, wall, and ceiling to check her house’s actual condition.
It was worse than she expected, making her want to move out of the house.
The CBS News Team who covered this story asked the help of Allan Environmental Services to check through Cathy’s debris.
Eric Barker went through them and was not surprised at how bad the mold infestation was in her home.
He said it is such a common problem in most Chicago homes that some realtors and sales agents would include a written disclosure that there might still be mold in the house up for sale.
They let the buyer sign this document to acknowledge.
However, Cathy said she couldn’t remember signing such a document.
The only precautionary measure she took was the standard home inspection.
She did not opt to have the air quality tested (which can detect mold infestation) because it would mean paying $295.
She regrets not spending the extra money, since it would’ve saved her from the woes and horrors of the home she bought.
Eric Barker conducted an air quality test in her home, and the result was concerning.
The test confirmed mold spores in the air, and although it wasn’t at an elevated level, it could still affect young children or adults with respiratory illnesses.
Cathy said she had the mold sprayed before, but Eric pointed out that it wouldn’t be 100% assurance, especially since she didn’t know what they used to spray the mold.
Mold infestation is common in most homes and is a health concern for many families.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), molds put people with allergies, immune suppression, or other underlying respiratory and lung diseases at risk.
It can affect them to the point that they will have difficulty breathing.
While molds can vary in toxicity, it’s still best to have them checked and tested for air quality to ensure the health and safety of your family.
Cathy aired her story to raise awareness, especially among those wanting to buy a house.
“I want the homeowners to beware. When you see the advertisement homes, whatever, move-in ready, that’s not true,” she told CBS News. “If you’re moving in, look behind walls, underground, everything.”
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