Dwell Well Institute, Inc. Provides Invaluable Home Design Knowledge Regarding Mold Prevention

Licensed architect and thought leader Cheryl Ciecko, renowned for providing free resources, videos, and blog articles at AvoidingMold.com, recognized the need for an accessible, affordable service that could provide information about (and solutions to) the harmful effects of toxin exposure in a home environment. In 2015, her concern inspired her to found the Dwell Well Institute: an affordable monthly education membership that brings together community and education on requested topics in the form of short, digestible video lessons and guides delivered to members on a monthly subscription.

Over 30 years of industry experience, as well as having lived through the consequences of toxin exposure in the home, gave Ciecko the incentive to research and share ways to practice sustainability in architecture while keeping efforts such as mold prevention in mind. The Dwell Well Institute is the platform where she shares her insight and advice, as well as the insight and advice of other key players in the industry.  As an online resource, DWI is accessible to everyone from prospective and current homeowners, to real estate investors, to building professionals and contractors. DWI members get access to new educational content each month and virtual live sessions with Ciecko where they get all of their questions answered, so they can learn how to create and maintain safe homes. 

Challenges and Needs

Human beings are naturally very short-sighted, seeking solutions that will work efficiently in the near future. This is not the ideal mindset for home design, where architectural decisions made during the home building process could have health consequences that develop over time and appear years later. Dwell Well Institute is working to mitigate the challenging disconnect between knowledge about home design being taught in the classroom, and how those practices actually apply in the real world. They do this through easy access to the most current architectural knowledge. 

One of the most important areas that Dwell Well sought to teach its members about was the moisture content of building materials, since incorrect knowledge on this topic can lead to mold development. Ciecko discovered that many people involved in home design were unaware of the number system that determines how dry a material is. They also may be unaware that different materials require different evaluations to determine if they are suitable for use because of their ability to retain moisture over longer periods of time. To spread more awareness of this aspect of home design, the Dwell Well Institute brought on Delmhorst Instruments to share their expertise. 

How Delmhorst Helped 

Delmhorst aided the Dwell Well Institute by adding to their content with information on the subject of moisture meters and mold prevention. 

A powerful team: Ciecko brought on Delmhorst liaison and moisture meter expert Ilene Cohn to share information about the importance of moisture meters as an essential tool in creating healthy homes. Cohn came prepared with knowledge about all of the different tools and accessories suitable to each building material and situation. With this expertise, Ciecko and Cohn delivered quality lessons in "How To Use Moisture Meters for Wood and More!"  These lessons can be viewed, for FREE, using coupon code "DELMHORSTCLASS" at https://www.avoidingmold.com/moisturemetersmasterclass/

Trustworthy products and service: As a family-run business with products designed and built in the United States, Delmhorst proved themselves not only as a reliable resource for the Dwell Well Institute to draw from, but as a company that values creating safe, healthy living environments for families with long-term results -- values that align with DWI’s mission. 

Resource for the future: Delmhorst’s assistance makes Ciecko feel confident that the Dwell Well Institute has found a resource that can answer any and all questions about moisture meters asked by DWI members. 

Delmhorst’s Impact 

With continuous advancement in home design, contractors and homeowners need to be aware of all of the resources at their disposal to avoid creating environments that promote toxin exposure. The Dwell Well Institute now knows that with Delmhorst’s help, they can provide knowledge about home design solutions regarding moisture content of building materials. From non-invasive moisture probing that can detect moisture in concealed areas to longer pins on moisture meters to probe different materials, DWI members’ ability to properly manage these tools makes a positive difference in their success, and promotes the Dwell Well Institute’s mission of preventing mold and water damage.