This course provides homeowners with in-depth knowledge and practical skills to design and construct homes that minimize the risk of mold growth and chemical toxicity. The curriculum is rooted in industry best practices and guided by authoritative resources, such as Moisture Control Handbook: Principles and Practices for Residential and Small Commercial Buildings by Joseph Lstiburek. Participants will learn how to integrate effective moisture control, material selection, and construction techniques into every stage of homebuilding, while also understanding the financial implications of these choices.

Most architects, general contractors, and vendors do not understand the complexities of practices and products that are required to create healthy homes. That’s why I’m writing this course.

Breathe Free Homes addresses both your need for clean, healthy air and your home’s need for proper ventilation. Many architects and general contractors would benefit from more-specialized education of building science and healthy home practices, particularly when it comes to preventing microbial growth, such as mold. With this training, they will be better prepared to embrace and contribute to the mission of creating healthier living environments. In many cases, however, home builders and subcontractors either do not understand or do not care about the indoor air quality of their structures, and are instead looking for the fastest, cheapest way to build regardless of the health of the home. There are various building disciplines, each with its own set of priorities. It’s important to recognize that multifamily construction, mass-produced homebuilding, and custom homebuilding each has distinct driving factors. As a result, the balance between speed and quality plays out differently in each sector.

Many rural jurisdictions in the US are building from long-outdated codes (not necessarily a bad thing), and they often don’t have the resources for adopting new codes and training their building officials to enforce them. Inevitably, inspections often are inaccurately “passed” due to this lack of training and knowledge, outright apathy, or in the spirit of helping a friend out by letting things slide.

You – the owner – are therefore the last defense for your home’s health. Holding architects, builders, and subcontractors to a higher standard of practices and materials is your only and best way to ensure your home is a healthy one for your family.

What I offer in the following pages will hopefully be the road map you need to ensure the healthiest home you can build, or remodel.

There are many techniques for mold-resistant wall assemblies, roof assemblies, foundations, and the other aspects of your structure. You may have a contractor, friend, or doctor who does not agree with some of my methods, but I only suggest that you take the time to understand my suggestions fully and ask those who might critique them to detail the data that support their reasons for proposing a different approach. As the home’s owner and occupant, it is solely up to you to decide what is best for the health of your home and of your family.

As a matter of explaining my motivation, I am combining 30 years of building experience with more than 20 years of helping my family mitigate the debilitating effects of CIRS. I am a recognized expert in building custom residential structures, and, after dedicating several years to studying mold, water damage and mitigation, I have developed an industry-leading practice of building and advising others how to build healthy indoor residential environments.

 This curriculum is informed by extensive research from experts like Paula Baker LaPort, John Banta, Joseph Lstiburek, Andy Pace, and others.

My methods are not stagnant and fixed. They continue to evolve as I encounter new technology, new products, new learning, and engage in discourse with other professionals. I remain open to challenging points of view in my quest for the best solutions, but I present this course as a statement of current “best practices” for building healthy homes. This conversation will be ongoing, which will lead to new techniques, products, and constantly evolving education and solutions.

Thank you for bringing your willingness to this discussion. I have one goal: to help your family breathe freely and healthily in your home.