THINGS HOME OWNERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MOLD
Deadly Mold
Black Mold, that some call toxic mold, is found in the walls of homes, apartments, and schools where a leak has let water
into the walls.� This type of mold is making some people very sick.� If you have asthma, microscopic mold spores can get
into your lungs and kill you.� People with asthma must stay away from exposure to toxic black mold.�
The best way to explain how microscopic mold spores spread through the air is the example of a Dandelion plant's
white seedpod that is blown on by a person.� The seeds spread though out the room and land on anything and especially
your clothes. You cannot see the spores but if you breathe them into your lungs there is no known way to get them out.�
These spores can make you have serious breathing problems.
I have had many mold victims contact me with horror stories.� Many of these victims are already sick from the mold.�
A mother in Riverside County, Ca., says her daughter got very sick from mold exposure.� It was confirmed that the mold was
in some old temporary wooden school buildings used by the middle school.� Her daughter's classroom was full of black mold.��
Many schools are still using old wooden temporary buildings that leak water from the roof, and that is what causes the mold.�
Water on wood or wallboard is the best place to grow toxic black mold.� Wet sheetrock is like a "growth hormone" to mold.�
I am told that the� school did not take action until a teacher refused to teach in the mold infested buildings. The little
girl is doing better.� Parents of other children in her class say their children are also suffering from mold symptoms.
Another woman from Riverside County, Ca. told me that she and her husband had to move out of their new home because of mold.�
They packed up and move to another home that did not have mold.� Her husband worked in a small office off the kitchen that
had a door to the garage where most of their belongings were still packed in boxes.� She said every time he went to work
in his home office he got nosebleeds and had problems breathing.� Their parrot that stayed downstairs near her husband's
office lost all its feathers.�� After a professional mold inspection they learned that the microscopic mold spores were
in their belongings in the boxes in the garage and in his office.� These spores contaminated the second house with mold
spores.� They had to destroy all their belongings.� Her husband and the parrot are now better.
Residents of a large apartment complex in Northern Los Angeles County have complained to me about major water leaks
in the roof that have caused black mold.� A part time teacher who lived in the complex said she got very sick from
the mold spores in the air and had to move out.� Another man moved into the same apartment and the landlord never
mention the past mold problem.� But apparently the mold was cleaned up because it did not show up in another inspection.��
California has a new disclosure Law that basically says if you know of the mold you must tell perspective buyers and
renters.
Another family with three children living in the same complex says there is mold in their apartment.� The father was
on my Internet Troubleshooter Talk Show and he says his three children are sick and have breathing problems.� A professional
mold inspection company found black mold in their apartment.�� So far the landlord will do nothing to remediate the mold
problem and will not help them with funds to move and find another (mold-free) place to live.� The father says there are
many other apartments with kids in them and they apparently also have mold.� He says many children in the complex are sick.
Doctors told another family that they almost lost their teenage daughter to mold spores that got into her lungs from mold
growing in a water heater closet in their town home.� The family lives in West Covina, Ca. and had no idea there was toxic
black mold growing in the water heater closet.� The mold came from a water leak that had been fixed sometime before in
the closet.� The 14-year-old sat on the couch to watch TV.� The couch was apparently contaminated with mold spores.�
She suffered from asthma.� One evening she had to be rushed by ambulance to a hospital because she could not breathe
anymore.� Doctors told her father that mold spores had entered her lungs and if she had not been treated at the
emergency room that evening she would have died.� This family was out of their town home for about six weeks while
it was cleaned up.� State Farm Insurance Company paid about $30,000 for the cleanup. It was not long after that mold
cleanup claim that the insurance company sent out letters saying it no longer covered mold removal in Home Owners'
Policies.� Some insurance policies now have a cap on how much will be paid for mold cleanup.�� The young woman is
doing fine now and will soon be graduating from High School.
Mold spores took the life of a world famous dancer of the late 50's and a current author of science fiction.� Her name
was Erna Segal, in the 50's and 60's she� was half of the famous dance duo, Chiquita and Johnson.� In later years she was
an author of science fiction, under the name Erna Olinger.� Her husband Dan Segal says because of illness she needed a
liver transplant.� He said after a long wait on a transplant list she was moved into the UCLA Transplant Unit in Los
Angeles in 2003.� Segal says she passed all the necessary tests and was given medication to lower her body's resistance
so her body would accept the liver transplant. Segal says just days before the transplant operation the transplant doctor
told him that they had found mold spores in her lung and she would never live through the transplant surgery.�
So the liver transplant was called off.� Mrs. Segal died a few days later.� Segal is now taking legal action
against UCLA.� He says she got the mold spores from the transplant unit.� A doctor at UCLA told Segal that the
mold spores were there from several years ago when she was exposed to mold spores.�
Mold is deadly!
Editor's Note:� For more information please continue to read this page on Mold.� Also you can contact
Sherlock Healthy Homes a Professional Mold Inspection Company at www.Sherlockhealthyhomes.com.�
If you would like to talk to Troubleshooter Judd about a mold problem click on the TroubleshooterJudd.com
contact page and send Judd a message, he will call you back.�
Filed July 11, 2005.���������������
MORE ON MOLD
Mold is a bigger problem than most people think. Home owners and renters, for that matter, need to
inspect their premises regularly and take immediate action.
1. Mold can cause health problems.
Mold can make you, your children, the elderly and even your pets sick.
The Institute of Medicine recently released a study showing that mold can cause
respiratory illness in otherwise healthy people.�
2. Mold is caused by a water source.
Mold can grow under sinks, in walls, under toilets, in air conditioning
ducts, in and under the dishwasher and in many other areas of a home
where water may be present from humidity, condensation, a leak, or
cracked or oozing seal.
3. Most mold can be prevented by immediate response Many
mold problems could have been easily curbed had the homeowner took
immediate action.� If you see discoloration, for instance, on the
ceiling from a water leak, investigate the attic, patch the leaking
area, remove the damaged material and replace it to avoid mold growth.
4. An inspection takes about one hour and� typically
costs less that $500 A licensed inspector from Sherlock Healthy Homes
can inspect and test a home for mold in 45-60 minutes.� Samples are
provided to an independent laboratory for analysis.� The final report
is provided within 3 working days.� If mold is present, at additional
expense, Sherlock is able to provide the homeowner with a remediation
plan crafted by an industrial hygienist
5. Homeowners insurance policies do not cover mold
claims Although there are exceptions, underwriters are tightening
policies and excluding mold-related claims.� The reason: mold
remediation is expensive and costs an average of $35,000.
6. Homebuyers are responsible for mold inspections and
clean up A pre-existing mold condition is not covered under insurance
policies.� However, if mold is the result of a flood, some policies may
cover the cost for testing and inspection.� Most sellers don't know
that their home has a mold problem.� Mold testing is not required prior
to sell.� Savvy home buyers who want to safeguard their potential
investment have the property tested by an independent mold inspection
company like Sherlock Healthy Homes. (Home buyers are only responsible
if they accept responsibility either through negotiation after
knowledge of the problem before they buy, or ignorance due to a lack of
testing!)
7. CLUE reports may provide insight into the home's
water damage history If you are considering the purchase of a home or
condo, request a� Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE)
report.� The CLUE summarizes the location, cause and severity of water
damage and other claims filed with the homeowners insurance company.�
Thus, if water damage occurred within the last five years, the claim
history would be captured in the CLUE report.� Remember, however, that
not all water damage problems are reported as claims.� Prospective home
buyers must look for other clues that signal a mold problem.
8. Mold hides
Learn to look for swollen wood
flooring, buckled tiles, and toilets that rock and are not properly
sealed to the floor, water stains on walls or ceilings, discoloration
of wood beams, and much more.� Mold grows in areas where water leaks
from pipes, water lines, and other water sources.
Filed July 2004, Information from Sherlock Healthy Homes, www.sherlockhealthyhomes.com. | |
