Jeanette Williams, Building Biology Sydney in Cromer | Business consultant

Jeanette Williams, Building Biology Sydney

Locality: Cromer

Phone: +61 403 644 056

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• Business service
• Business consultant

25.01.2022 I did an interesting job today. Tested a unit on the 2nd floor of a 7 story building with mobile phone towers directly above the unit on the roof. We were able to ascertain that the phone towers did not affect the 2nd level by measuring the radiation in the corridor which was within the building biology recommended level and actually hardly registered anything. There was some radiation coming from the ceiling in the unit.....most likely from the neighbours wi-fi. By far the greatest level on radiation came from the wireless modem, which is usually the case.

25.01.2022 It has been a hectic week with lots of new discoveries. When you put your phone on airplane mode you may need to check with new model phones that the blue tooth is also off as it may not automatically be turned off by airplane mode. I know people like to use the phone as an alarm...but the best habit to get into is to have a central place to charge phones outside the bedroom and either turn off or put on airplane mode (with blue tooth also off).

24.01.2022 Some great tips on using a dehumidifier. This is my 3rd blog post...still trying to figure it out! Such as how to get the picture in the correct spot!!

24.01.2022 Christmas is my time for a digital detox. The kids are home and after we get through the craziness of Christmas we will have a host of new board games to play, family and friends to hang out with and beaches to relax on. If you have a question look at the FAQ's on my website. www.buildingbiologysydney.com.au I will check in again at the end of January when the kids are back to school and I can put my work hat back on. Wishing you all a safe Christmas and a healthful new year and thank you for your support in 2019.

23.01.2022 If you have a front loader washing machine you need to check the front rubber seal as this is an area where water collects along with dirt, grime and detergent...creating the perfect environment for mould. This weekend Walter Crinnion cited a case where the only mould exposure was the front loading washing machine and once the seal was cleaned within 3 days symptoms had cleared. Wish it was always this easy. But great to know how this simple act can make such a difference. ...Tips: 1. Clean and dry the seal after each use 2. Leave the door open - otherwise moisture in other areas in the drum can't dry out and your machine can become mould contaminated. 3. ASKO has a domestic front loader that has a stainless steel seal and there is no rubber gasket where water collects. http://www.asko.com.au//washing-machines/features/steelseal See more

23.01.2022 How did everyone go in the heavy rains in Sydney this week? My trusty 35 litre All seasons dehumidifier got me out of another jam. We had so much rain at once that the gutter from the top story dumped water onto the lower roof but the leaf guard didn't allow the water into the gutter because of the volume and pressure - so it poured over the edge and curved back at such a force onto my timber windows that it penetrated the window frames and on to my carpet!!! We mopped it up immediately, turned on the heat, pulled up the carpet from the floor and turned on the dehumidifer....it took 24 hours to dry..although I still have it all running 48 + hours later to make sure it is bone dry. So now to remove that leaf guard... and to look at my gutters and drains.

22.01.2022 Dehumidifiers are magic! Apologies for the re-post but it bugged me that the photo didn't show.

22.01.2022 This is a great document put together by Building Biology student and Naturopath Amie Skilton regarding how to deal with mould after flooding. She is so much better than I at putting together great looking documents. Thanks Amie Skilton!

21.01.2022 A tip for when it is hot and humid - turn on the air conditioning. Not only will your home feel more comfortable, it will reduce both relative humidity and absolute humidity levels. Dust mites thrive in relative humidity above 50% and mould thrives in relative humidity above 70%. So for those suffering from allergies and asthma turning on the A/C can increase comfort on several levels. If you are considering putting in A/C please make sure you don't get a unit that is too big for the area as it can lead to issues as the unit will cut out before it has stripped the moisture from the air and you can end up with condensation issues and a mouldy A/C unit.

21.01.2022 The school holidays have arrived and I look forward to spending the next three weeks with my family. Therefore I may not always be contactable via FB, messenger or mobile. Best option is to email me via my website as I will definitely get these emails. www.buildingbiologysydney.com.au

20.01.2022 Tips for when you go away on vacation. 1.Turn ceiling fans on to keep circulation going 2. Run air purifiers on a low setting 3. If your home is prone to dampness when it is shut up I would set up a dehumidifier with a drain pipe fixed into a floor waste (make sure it can't pop out) and set the dehumidifier to 50%. 4. Leave wardrobe dehumidifier's (small, low heat, heating bars) turned on all the time to keep wardrobes warm and dry.... 5. Turn water off at the mains so you don't have to worry about burst pipes - this can be due to braided water pipes below sinks or even the water pipes to plumbed fridges bursting. Since 20% of insurance water claims are due to burst pipes (often when people are away) it is a great habit to get into. 6. Leave a key with a neighbor, relative or friend so that they can check your home after a heavy storm. Make sure they check carpet at windows and doors as well as the ceiling for potential leaks. If carpet is left wet for more than 48 hours is can quickly grow mould. 7. Take your home insurance details with you in case you need to lodge a claim or get advice. 8. If you have subfloor ventilation make sure it is turned on. 9. Keep internal doors and wardrobe doors open to encourage air flow. 10. If you have rooms that are prone to mould or musty odours, consider installing an extraction fan that draws in fresh air and can operate when you are away. Have a happy and safe holiday period. See more

20.01.2022 Ok so this time I have a suggestion for Christmas gifts. I have finally found natural deodorants that work - the deodorant paste!! I have tried several brands so far and each has worked great. They even work better than the aluminium versions. I think it is great to get our tween and teens onto natural personal care as they have a lifetime ahead of them of toxic overloads. Both my kids are now using them once they got over the yuck factor (their issue not mine) of rubbing it into their armpits. The key is to use a decent amount to cover the armpit. I have tried Black Chicken, Schmidts and Erica Brooke. https://www.shopnaturally.com.au/brands/erica-brooke/, https://www.nourishedlife.com.au//black-chicken-remedies-a https://au.iherb.com//Schmidt-s-Natural-Deodorant-B/65890

20.01.2022 I am planning a trip to Canberra the 2nd week of August, so if anyone is in the ACT region (or on the way such as the Southern Highlands) and wants an assessment then email me via my website. I like to group a few clients together so the travel costs can be shared. www.buildingbiologysydney.com.au

19.01.2022 I just wanted to share the details of a low hazard and non-chemical pest management company here in Sydney. Systems Pest Management. http://systemspest.com.au/

18.01.2022 Well I am wrapping up 2018 and finishing off my lasts reports. Thank you to all my amazing clients who have been willing to let me into their homes and poke around under beds and in wardrobes. I appreciate your trust. Subfloors inspections are not so much fun...but an important part of the assessment. I am just grateful that I can still contort myself to get into these spaces - maybe I can write off yoga as a business expense!! :) I am taking January off to spend with my ...family and to recharge for 2019. If you are interested in a home assessment for 2019 then please email me at [email protected] I will send you further information and a questionnaire and I am happy to book you in from the 30th January 2019 with a deposit ($150) to secure your booking. If you are looking for Christmas ideas from your loved ones I know they are not glamorous and some people are offended with practical gifts....but a good HEPA vacuum cleaner with a motorized head, good quality microfibre cloths and a microfibre mop are essential for a healthy house clean. I myself love microfibre cleaning cloths and can't have enough...I dream that my children will be inspired and use them. I don't sell anything but am happy to make recommendations. Wishing you all a happy Christmas and a health filled 2019.

17.01.2022 Coming back from holidays I heard that some people experienced a mould outbreak when they were away. This can happen when your home is closed up and there is no ventilation - especially if you have existing moisture ingress issues or if a heavy rain event resulted in water intrusion. I always keep my ceiling fans turned on when away to promote air flow. I also keep air purifiers turned on to help deal with dust and other particulates. Another great option is to keep a dehumidifier running - but you need to ensure it has a pipe fitted into a drain and that it won't pop out and drain onto your floor.

16.01.2022 Here is a tip when looking at a property to buy or rent. Always be aware of rooms that have carpet that lead onto a bathroom or laundry. Often when I pull back carpet at the doorway to a wet room the underside of the carpet and timber edging is water damaged. In the case of the photos below, this was carpet below a glass window panel that had been installed incorrectly and was leaking water to the floor from the window frame. Sampling at the timber smooth edge confirmed very high levels of Chaetomium - which is a mould that may release mycotoxins as well as being a potential allergen, triggering asthma and hay fever in susceptible individuals. This is when a pre-lease and pre-purchase inspection can pick up issues that can otherwise go undetected.

16.01.2022 Really interested to hear what Dr Ron Erlich has to say about oral health and how it effects the rest of the body. Get an intro into this subject with this short video.

16.01.2022 Just spent an amazing weekend with the master of Environmental Medicine - Walter Crinnion. The message of the weekend was to be aware of your total toxic load and how there are so many contributors in our daily lives to toxic overload. Also when we have onset of symptoms then we always have to look at the timing and what coincided with these new symptoms. I will summarize some of Walter's key points to create awareness around the major environmental toxins in the next coupl...e of weeks. But suffice to say....follow the EWG Dirty Dozen and Clean 15...take your shoes off at the door...its FREE!!! Get rid of all artificial fragrances...they make you sick...and fat. Dust creates such a heavy toxic burden. A good air purifier with a HEPA filter, pre-filter and carbon filter is unfortunately no longer a luxury but a must for most households. Here in Australia Innovaair ticks all these boxes. https://inovaairpurifiers.com.au/ See more

15.01.2022 Looking forward to the Mindd Foundation annual conference and expo this weekend. It is not too late to get a ticket if you want to come and learn from the amazing line up of speakers. I will be there on Saturday in the Expo, so please come and say hello if you are there. They also have the online streaming event for people who can't physically be there. .

14.01.2022 Have you ever had a look inside your fridge water and ice dispenser? These areas are at high risk for mould due to cool surfaces and high moisture. If you do find that yours is contaminated, stop using it until you can remove the mechanism so it can be thoroughly washed. You may have to contact the manufacturer to see how to remove the mechanism as each fridge will be different. The dispenser shown in the photo had very high levels of active Cladosporium (which can induce allergies and asthma in prone individuals if the spores become airborne).

13.01.2022 I just wanted to let people know that I am still undertaking home assessment, however under somewhat stricter conditions due to COVID-19. Assessments cannot be carried out in the home of those self-isolating due to international travel within the past 14 days and those self-isolating due to contact with COVID-19. Prior to your assessment we will go over your concerns, the questionnaire and any test results on the phone to limit in person contact time. Conversations wil...l be conducted outdoors, maintaining at least 1.5 m between parties and I will wear a face mask. For the internal inspection I will wear a full-face respirator, disposable coveralls and disposable gloves. I will put these on before entering your home. Conversation is somewhat tricky in a full face mask so we can talk at the end of the assessment about any findings. I will not wear shoes in your home this is usual practice. I will use hand sanitiser before and after each assessment this is new as I am not a fan of hand sanitiser under normal circumstances. Equipment will be disinfected (as much as practical) between assessments. See more

12.01.2022 We made an interesting discovery recently. We have gutter guards so we don't check out gutters very often as they don't fill with leaves. Anyway above the down pipes there are plugs that you can activate (put in a down position) so that you can fill your gutters if there is a risk of bush fires to protect the house. Well my husband got on the roof because with the last downpour the gutters overflowed and we thought the high velocity of the water meant that gutter guard pre...vented water from entering the gutters. To our horror we found that the plugs had over time wiggled down and were blocking the down pipes - no wonder the gutters overflowed!! So if you have these fire saving devices fitted to your gutters maybe check them out and make sure they are in the 'up' position. We have also dispensed with the gutter guard as the tree that used to shed leaves on the roof is no longer a problem. I tried to find photos of them online - they are called bushfire gutter plugs. It seems that the current versions are ones that you put in at a time of bushfire risk - ours had a setting to open or close and therefore they were there all the time (home is 20 years old). See more

12.01.2022 June has been a busy month for sharing the message on Building Biology. It has been made all the more enjoyable due to the great audience who have been so receptive to the message. Next week I am speaking about wellness in the workplace, specifically regarding air quality. The expo where I will be speaking is free, so if you are interested in improving the wellness of your workplace it would be great to see you there. I will be speaking Monday 2.50 - 3.15pm...gosh how to keep the message to 25 minutes!!

09.01.2022 This Tuesday the 16th October I will be presenting at Mona Vale RSL on how our homes can affect our health and behaviour. The talk is hosted by the Northern Beaches ADHD Support Group, however you do not have to be affected by ADHD to attend as it is open to anyone.

09.01.2022 I made an interesting discovery this week when doing an electrical assessment. Those nifty little Roomba Robot vacuum cleaners create a continuous high radio frequency signal when they seem to be doing nothing at all. We tried to disable it by turning off the charger, but the strong signal persisted. This was because it had the ability to be controlled via a mobile phone. To disable the signal you would need to go into the settings of the Robot and turn of the Wi-Fi setting. Whilst it sounds great to be able to control these devices from your phone...is it something you would actually do? Meantime you have yet another source of strong radio frequency in the home. We ended up sending Roomba to the naughty corner as far away from the living spaces as possible until hubby could come home and operate on it!

08.01.2022 If you are not quite sure if you need a mould and moisture assessment then look at the following assessment tool. This was published in 2016 by Chew et al, however I have modified it for the Australian environment and lingo.

07.01.2022 I hope everyone has managed to stay safe and dry after the weekend of heavy rain in Sydney. Check that carpets at windows and external doors are dry. If they are wet then make sure you get as much water out as possible, and then use heating and dehumidifiers to dry them out - it helps to lift them up from the floor. If it is a large area then call in a professional to dry them out. Remember if carpets don't dry out within 48 hours then mould can take hold and you will not always see it from the top of the carpet. If the smooth edge is stained or has mould on it this indicates that you have had water ingress in this area on a previous occasion and should change the carpet and smooth edge (see photos).

07.01.2022 New pre-purchase / pre-lease service. Increasingly I am asked to look at a property as part of a client's leasing / purchasing decision making. This is particularly important for clients who are moving from a mould affected property and are suffering from CIRS or other environmental illnesses. I have to say that I much prefer to look at a property before someone leases or buys to give my professional opinion regarding whether it is a good choice. If my clients decide to go a...head with a property where I have done an onsite assessment, I can then make recommendations to implement before they move in. More importantly I can potentially stop people from making poor decisions, saving much heartache, health issues and money down the track. It can be very expensive to do an onsite assessment of every property that you are interested in, however, I can often tell by looking at a listing if it is worthy of an onsite inspection. Therefore, I am offering an affordable online listing investigation based on the following criteria: risks for mould & moisture; risks for traffic related air pollution; risks for elevated EMF from powerlines (not internal); potential EMR from mobile phone towers (the actual exposure can only be accurately assessed by an onsite assessment); Environmental chemical exposure risks. I can also help people outside the Sydney area with this service. It should be noted that there are many factors that cannot be accounted for in an online investigation and it does not replace an onsite inspection. This is a cost-effective way to weed out any properties I would consider a no-go. If you are interested in assistance regarding leasing or purchasing, then go to my website and email me via the contact page. www.buildingbiologysydney.com.au

07.01.2022 Great opportunity to hear Marc Cohen speak next weekend in Sydney at the Environmental Health Conference and Expo.

06.01.2022 I am currently working on my website however I have not yet turned on google adwords. I hope you could help me by letting me know the typical words you would put in a search when looking to have your home assessed. Just think to when you did your initial search. Many people don't yet know about Building Biologists / Building Biology....although awareness is building. Please post the search words you think I should use to get my website up and running. I will let you know when I have activated it. Many thanks for your help!!

06.01.2022 I look forward to working with more Psychologists this year ...it is great to see the Psychiatric community are coming on board when it come to environmentally acquired illness.

06.01.2022 I just wanted to advise that I am closing over the school holiday period to recharge my batteries and hang out with my family. I will finish up on the 13th December and start again the beginning of February 2020. I have limited availability over the next 2 weeks if you wanted an assessment before I take a break. I am playing catch up on reports at the moment as we were hit my lightening on Monday night (cracked a huge chunk of sandstone a few meters from the house) and it played havoc with our network as everything connected to our cabled network was affected. I have to say that NBN was very quick to respond and came out the next day but much of our hardware is still not up and running. At times like this I am happy to have a somewhat technical husband

03.01.2022 Trying to get Cholestyramine without the artificial sweetener. Please sign and share to help those who have to take this medication due to mould exposure.

02.01.2022 My website is up and running! The FAQ area is where I will update information. Please take a look...at least it will get me higher up in the Google search. www.buildingbiologysydney.com.au

02.01.2022 UE Speakers continue to emit high levels of radio frequency - even when powered off. I have tested 2 teenage rooms this week and both times I continued to get high levels of RF when everything had been powered down. These little babies cannot be turned off and the kids keep them in their rooms beside their beds. I would strongly recommend scratching them off the Christmas list - because once the kids have them it will be hard job to part them from it.

01.01.2022 Now may be the perfect time to see if your subfloor could be the underlying cause for mould in your home. This week I visited two homes that had rather funky subfloors. The first home recorded very low outside relative humidity of 17% in the shade, however the relative humidity in the subfloor was a whopping 92%! Not surprisingly they had a lot of mould on the bottom and sides of furniture and there was a distinct damp and musty odour. The subfloor had clay soil that was st...ill wet to touch after months of little rain. So what to do? First you need to look at drainage and see where the water is coming from. If there is wet soil in a subfloor after months of little rain then this may be due to: Garden runoff Dripping tap Broken drains Underground streams Limited ventilation will just compound the above problems. Another home did not have a wet subfloor but it was still apparent that the majority of their mould problems stemmed from below the house: There were large holes in the gutters and downpipes The downpipes drained straight to the ground and not into stormwater drains at time of heavy rain the water collected from the roof would be dumped at the base of the home and likely soaking the subfloor. Heavy wire mesh was uncovered in the back garden highlighting attempts to prevent erosion at times of heavy rain. There was heavy foliage surrounding the house blocking light and airflow on all sides. There were minimal vents in the subfloor and vents to the north were practically non-existent. The large number of spider webs in the subfloor told me that there was very limited airflow. Efflorescence on the soil Once again this home had a very distinct damp and musty odour after months of little rain. In Sydney poor drainage and poor subfloor ventilation are among the top contributing factors to indoor mould and the variety of adverse health symptoms that are associated with living or working in a water damaged building. This photo of efflorescence on the soil is a sure sign of excessive subfloor moisture.