Case Study: Dry fog treatment eliminated hidden contamination from new construction

A homeowner's father moved into a newly constructed barnominium but was immediately experiencing health symptoms—burning eyes and sore throat—the moment he entered the bedroom. The rest of the building presented no problems.

During construction, water intrusion had occurred, but the homeowner wanted verification that no residual mold contamination remained before the occupant continued living there. Inspection revealed no visible signs, leaks, moisture spots, or stains—yet the symptoms persisted in one room.

Testing the bedroom revealed significant hidden contamination despite the absence of visible signs. The room registered an Overall MoldSCORE of 300 (maximum severity) with 4,700 spores per cubic meter indoors compared to 4,300 outside.

The critical finding was Penicillium/Aspergillus with a MoldSCORE of 300 and 3,600 spores indoors versus just 53 outside—massive indoor amplification. Chaetomium registered 40 spores, a water-damage indicator confirming moisture problems from construction water intrusion had created mold growth. Basidiospores showed 750 spores indoors versus 2,200 outside. Cladosporium measured 160 spores versus 1,400 outside.

The father's immediate symptoms upon entering the bedroom were not psychosomatic—they were direct responses to breathing 3,600 Penicillium/Aspergillus spores and other contamination. The new construction had trapped moisture during the building process, creating mold growth invisible to casual inspection but generating active contamination affecting his health.

Understanding that hidden contamination in new construction required comprehensive treatment without visible remediation, Claro performed dual-stage treatment on the 750 square foot building using InstaPure Dry Fog—a treatment that denatures 99.99% of all mold both in the air and on every surface without leaving any residue. This was followed by EverPure Dry Fog as a protective shield against microbial particles on all treated surfaces.

Post-treatment testing confirmed complete elimination of contamination throughout the bedroom. All results dropped to less than 13 CFU/m³—the Penicillium/Aspergillus eliminated entirely, the water-damage indicator Chaetomium removed, and all other species cleaned.

The occupant could finally use the bedroom without experiencing burning eyes and sore throat. The hidden contamination from construction water intrusion was completely eliminated through comprehensive dry fog treatment.

This case demonstrates why new construction with water intrusion during building requires professional testing and treatment even when no visible signs remain. The 3,600 Penicillium/Aspergillus spores and water-damage indicators were completely invisible—no moisture spots, no leaks, no obvious signs—yet they were affecting the occupant's health immediately upon room entry. InstaPure and EverPure dry fog treatment denatures mold rather than simply removing visible growth, ensuring complete elimination of contamination caused by construction moisture problems.