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The Awakening Spaces Podcast - Conscious Construction for a Healthy Home
Awakening Spaces explores the profound connection between our physical environments and our inner consciousness. We guide homeowners, designers, and wellness seekers beyond simply discussing "toxin-free" building methods to examine who we actually become on our "toxin-free" journey.
In this podcast we’re not only talking about windows, walls, and wiring. Through expert interviews, case studies, and actionable guidance, we will explore how mindful design choices affect our relationships, stress levels, and overall well-being. Drawing from my background in design, building biology, and building science I guide listeners through both the practical and philosophical aspects of creating homes that elevate our health and consciousness.
Each week, you’ll receive grounded guidance and actionable tips to help you eliminate the stress and overwhelm of finding, renovating, building, or maintaining your healthy home—so that you can create a space that truly supports who you are becoming.
Just by tuning in, you’re already stepping into what it means to be an Awakened Homeowner.
Together, we’re building a new way forward—one conscious choice at a time.
The Awakening Spaces Podcast - Conscious Construction for a Healthy Home
Episode 36: Selecting the Best Air Purifier & the Science of Sunlight with Alex Kessler
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In this episode of Awakening Spaces, Ashley and Alex cover what the 99.97 percent filter rating actually means and why it tells you almost nothing about your room air quality, how to build a Corsi Rosenthal box for 150 dollars that outperforms most commercial air purifiers, what CADR is and why it is the only metric worth looking at, which climates are genuinely the best and worst for mold sensitive people, why Phoenix and Tucson are not the mold recovery paradise most people think, and why the research on sun exposure and cancer is far more complicated and interesting than the sunscreen industry wants you to know.
They also talk about microbiome diversity, sprinklers as an overlooked moisture source in dry climates, trusting your body over any practitioner, and what it means to be mutable when everything you have tried stops working.
THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- DIY heat recovery ventilator from corrugated plastic
- Air purifier brand comparison test (over one million views)Air purifier brand comparison test
- Best and worst climates for mold sensitivity with coded ASHRAE maps
- ASHRAE 60 degree Fahrenheit dew point threshold for mold growth
- Clean Air Kits: cleanaiркits.com, MERV 13 Filtrete with PC fans
CONNECT WITH ASHLEY
Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube | Website
Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way.
Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower and one on one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again!
Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here.
CONNECT WITH GUEST
Instagram | Youtube | Website
Alex Kessler is a translational scientist turned indoor air quality researcher, educator, and environmental consultant who brings the same rigor he applied to cancer genomics research to the world of healthy homes. After developing CIRS from toxic mold exposure and having to navigate his own recovery largely without adequate guidance, he built his YouTube channel Healthy Home Guide into a resource with over two million views, sharing practical and budget-friendly protocols for improving indoor air quality that work even for renters and those without ducted HVAC systems.
His work has been recognized by John Banta, CIH, who featured it in his book Mold Controlled, and by Dr. Allison Bailes III of Energy Vanguard, who shared his ERV installation guide with his professional audience. Alex serves as an environmental consultant at Flourish Clinic, a leading CIRS clinic, and consults independently as well. He lives in Colorado with his wife Rachel and their dog Rikki.
Find him at healthyhomeguide.com and on YouTube at Healthy Home Guide.
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