ORLANDO, Fla. – She’s built like a police dog and trained like one, but Radar’s mission is very different, and it could be impacting your health right now.
As you watch her work, and it’s clear she’s locked onto something. What she’s detecting, though, isn’t visible to the human eye.
“Her nose is super sensitive. She could detect really the littlest amount,” her handler, Paul Lutwin, explains.
Lutwin is the founder of Mold Testers 407, and Radar is their star employee.
Radar isn’t sniffing for narcotics or explosives. She’s trained to find mold which is a widespread problem across Central Florida homes.
“It’s the same training that law enforcement uses, military uses. Scent detection training is all the same. It’s just a scent that’s completely different,” Lutwin said.
Radar, a Belgian Malinois, is part of a specialized effort to uncover hidden mold behind walls, under floors, and inside areas homeowners rarely think to check.
According to Lutwin, Florida’s climate makes it a hotspot.
“Orlando area is the number one state for mold, followed by Tampa, then Miami. Being inland seems to be more humid, and a lot of the homes in this area have crawl spaces, and that affects the indoor environment. So it’s a big problem.”
Mold isn’t just a property issue. Experts say it’s also a health concern.
“I’ve seen people with major neurological issues from mold contamination inside the house, where people can’t think, they have brain fog, they can’t walk… all the way down to rashes, memory loss, respiratory issues. It affects everything.”
Many of those symptoms can be easy to dismiss.
“Being very lethargic, everybody complaining that they’re tired, they don’t have the energy anymore, they can’t sleep, nose bleeds, rashes, respiratory issues, eye irritation, brain fog, memory loss.”
The challenge is that mold often hides out of sight making Radar’s skill especially valuable.
“When I put that collar on, she knows she’s going to find some mold,” Lutwin said.
And when she does, her alert is subtle.
“Her alert is to hold still and then plop - which is in a down position. She’ll basically just point and hold that position. And that’s an alert.”
That quiet signal has helped uncover problems others missed.
In one case, a homeowner went through multiple inspections and costly repairs without answers.
“He had mold assessment companies, assessment after assessment. Nobody could really isolate the issue,” Lutwin said. “Went out there, walked her around, got into the master bathroom area - and boom. She just hit right on that tile wall.”
Behind it was a hidden leak and significant mold growth.
“Sure enough, there was a ton of mold behind there.”
A $30,000 bathroom renovation, he said, had failed to catch it.
Experts warn the risk increases after heavy rains, hurricanes, and prolonged humidity which are all common in Florida.
“By the time people feel something and then they actually take action, it’s beyond a small little issue. It becomes a big problem at that point.”
Lutwin advises homeowners to trust their instincts if something feels off.
“If you think you don’t feel well inside and it’s not the common cold, and you went to the doctor and they can’t figure it out, have your indoor air quality, your indoor environment tested.”
Cost concerns may also be less of a barrier than people think.
“If they deny you, you’re in the same boat anyway. Most of the time, if it’s a real loss, they’ll cover that.”
Lutwin said there are some things you can be on the lookout for to detect a hidden mold problem in your home:
- A musty or damp odor
- Visible water stains
- Discoloration on walls
- High humidity levels
- Water damage
- Dark spots on walls or ceilings