How dangerous is that mold?

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How dangerous is that mold?

Issue is both real and exaggerated

Friday, March 21, 2003 By BianchinaInman News Features

There has been a lot of coverage in the media recently on the subject of mold in buildings. You may have seen some of the more dramatic stories of horrendous mold growth, severe health problems, and even homes being intentionally burned to the ground, contents and all, as a last-resort solution to mold infestations.

Mold is a vital link in our biological chain of decomposition. It's everywhere around us – in the soil, in the water, in the air we breathe – so why has it now come to the forefront in such a dramatic way, and just how dangerous a problem is it?

As is so often the case, the mold issue is both real and exaggerated. Dramatic mold infestations make great media stories, and in today's society the lawyers and lawsuits are sure to follow in droves. On the other hand, mold in our indoor environment has been genuinely linked to a number of health problems, and the so-called "Sick Building Syndrome" – bad indoor air quality, particularly in commercial buildings – has been linked to mold and bacteria in a number of instances.

What affects mold growth:

The single most important factor in microbial growth is water – the wetter your personal environment is, the more likely it is that you'll have a mold problem. Moisture can into the home from roof leaks; plumbing leaks; outside ground water sources such as floods, melting snow or landscaping sprinklers; faulty equipment such as air conditioners or other air handling equipment; defects in the construction of the house, such as leaky windows, bad flashings, or improperly installed exhaust fans; a lack of proper attic or crawl space ventilation; or even just lifestyle.

That does not mean that if you've had water in your home for some reason, there is automatically going to be a mold problem. For a mold contamination to occur, in addition to the presence of excess moisture there needs to be mold spores present; there needs to be a food source, such as building materials, paper or furnishings; environmental conditions such as temperature and sufficient time for growth need to be right; and there needs to be some method of moving the spores into the environment – a ventilation system, demolition of moldy materials or other forms of air movement.

What to do about it:

There are several indicators that you may have a mold problem, and if you encounter them you should take them seriously and look into whether additional steps are needed. These include obvious visible mold growth on interior surfaces; stains on walls, carpets, or other areas that you suspect have been subjected to excess moisture; and damp, musty odors, especially those that appear to be getting worse.

If you suspect you may have a mold problem, your first step should be to contact a restoration contractor that is experienced with mold remediation. The contractor can make a site visit to examine the affected areas, and take readings for both surface moisture and humidity levels that may be excessive when compared to the levels outside.

If the contractor suspects a mold problem, he or she will typically confine the affected area with plastic to prevent spreading the spores to other parts of the building, and will then contact an independent industrial hygienist for a consultation. The hygienist is equipped to take small, rigidly controlled air samples from inside the building, as well as swab samples from surfaces and other tests that they may deem necessary. These tests will confirm if mold is present, and, by comparing the readings to samples of the outside air taken at the same time, will indicate if the mold levels are considered excessive.

It's important to understand that at this time, there are no specific government standards for how much mold is too much, so there is no actual guideline that states that if testing indicates "x" amount of mold in the air, then these specific things need to happen to take care of it. Instead, the hygienist will apply a combination of experience and common sense to interpret the levels of mold present and will recommend to the contractor a specific protocol for how it's to be dealt with.

Mold remediation requires specialized equipment, and can be an expensive undertaking. In some cases the remediation is covered by your homeowner's insurance, but this is something worth discussing with your agent the next time you review your policy coverage.

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