WICHITA, Kansas -- A Harvard study has found that mold affects more than 51% of homes and can cause up to a 100% increase in health problems. We spoke with one Kansas woman who has lost almost everything due to mold.

Ingrid Trinka inherited a home from her parents. She has many fond memories but now she can’t live there.

"One day I needed something in the closet and I pulled the bags back and there was this huge spot of green and black mold. It went from, like, almost the ceiling clear down into the carpet. It was back in the corner," said Trinka.

Thinking insurance would take care of the problem, she called her agent.

"He walked into the room and took two steps back and said ’we need to get out of this room,’" said Trinka.

Ingrid had a history of unexplained medical problems. Now her doctor said the mold was the cause and that she couldn’t go back into the house until it was fixed. Professionals quoted tens of thousands of dollars to clean up the mess.

"One company told me it would be cheaper to just tear the house down and start over but I don’t have the money for that. I don’t have the money to fix it."

With medial bills mounting for the now chronic problems and the illness forcing her onto disability, Ingrid doesn’t have a choice.

"I’d love more than anything just to be able to live in my home again but I can’t afford to fix it. I can’t afford to tear it down. They say if I want to sell it, I have to fix it up."

Most insurance companies, like Ingrid’s, don’t cover mold problems.