Quick answer: Some of our customers are managing Lyme disease and ask whether moisture or mold in their home is worth looking into. We’re not medical providers, so questions about Lyme disease and your health belong with your doctor. What we can do is check your home for moisture, humidity and mold problems, and fix the ones we find.
Why do customers ask us about Lyme disease and mold?
Because they want to know whether their house is part of the picture. Every so often a homeowner calls us after a conversation with their doctor or healthcare practitioner. They’re managing Lyme disease, and they want to rule out, or deal with, mold or moisture problems at home. Others have read about Lyme and mold online and just want to know where their house stands.
Either way, the questions they bring to us are about the house, and the house is where we can help.
Can Gold Eagle tell me whether mold is affecting my health?
No. Gold Eagle Services is an HVAC, indoor air quality and mold remediation company, not a medical provider. We don’t diagnose or treat Lyme disease or any other condition, and we can’t tell you how mold may or may not relate to your health. Nothing in this article is medical advice. Please take health questions to your doctor.
What we can offer is an honest look at your home, and clear, plain-language findings you’re welcome to share with your healthcare team.
What do customers ask us about mold in their home?
Could my home have mold I can’t see?
Yes, it’s possible. Mold can grow behind walls, under flooring, inside the air handler cabinet, or on materials that stayed damp after a slow leak nobody noticed. A musty smell, past water damage or humidity that stays high are all good reasons to have the home checked.
Can mold spread through the HVAC system?
It can. After water damage, spores and mold debris can settle into household dust and get moved around by the air conditioning system. The HVAC system can also become a source itself if the drain pan, coil or ducts stay wet. That’s why we check the HVAC system whenever mold is a concern in a home.
Is cleaning the visible spot enough?
Often it isn’t. If the moisture source isn’t fixed, mold tends to come back, and after a larger water event the contamination can reach past the obvious wet area. We look at the whole home, find and fix the moisture source, and follow the Texas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules, overseen by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), when remediation is needed.
How can I find out what’s in my home’s air?
Through testing, ideally more than one kind. Air samples, surface samples and dust-based tests each have strengths and blind spots. We usually recommend a combination, along with a visual inspection and moisture readings, so you get a fuller picture instead of a single snapshot.
What does a home moisture and mold evaluation include?
- A walk-through focused on the home’s history: past leaks, flooding, roof or plumbing repairs, and any musty areas.
- Moisture and humidity readings throughout the house.
- Inspection of the air handler, coil, drain pan, drain line and accessible ductwork.
- Mold testing where it makes sense, with results explained in plain language.
- A written plan for any fixes, from humidity control to remediation.
How do you keep moisture in check in a Central Texas home?
Keep indoor humidity below 60% (ideally 40-50%), fix leaks quickly and keep your AC working properly. Austin’s humid summers make moisture control a year-round job. Most homes here sit on a slab, with the ductwork and air handler up in the attic, where ducts can sweat and drain lines can clog. Using exhaust fans and keeping your AC properly sized and maintained both help keep mold from getting a foothold. If your AC can’t hold humidity down on its own, a whole-home dehumidifier may help.
The bottom line
If you’re managing Lyme disease and want to be sure your home isn’t adding a moisture or mold problem to the picture, start with your doctor for health guidance, and call us for the house. We’ll give you straight answers about moisture, humidity, mold and your HVAC system, and fix what needs fixing.
Related guides: CIRS and Your Home’s Air: What We Hear From Customers, Indoor Air Quality Beyond Mold: Dust, VOCs, Filtration and Upkeep and Best Practices for Mold Prevention in Your HVAC System.
About Gold Eagle Services: This guide comes from the team at Gold Eagle Services, a family-run Austin HVAC, indoor air quality and mold remediation company founded in 2017. We’re licensed (TACLA119235 and RCO1783), insured and bonded, and we serve homes across the greater Austin area.
Need help with this in your home? Learn about our HVAC mold treatment and remediation, or call 512-489-4653 to schedule a visit.
