Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Structural mold: detection, cure require a professional 8/31/05 Southern Delaware http://www.capegazette.com/storiescurrent/0805/lewesmoldlecture082605 ..html By Henry J. Jr. Cape Gazette staff Detecting the odor that many call mildew is often the first sign that a potentially serious and possibly growing problem with mold could exist in a home or business. Finding the source of those odors and coming up with possible ways to cure them is what White, an industrial hygienist and certified microbial consultant does. " There are lots of people who are in the mold business who don't know what they're doing, " says White, owner of Sussex Environmental Health Consultants near Lewes. With more than 20 years in the business of detecting mold, White said part of her job as an industrial hygienist is to be concerned about air quality, one of many things mold can affect.On Aug. 25, White was the third speaker in a series of lecturers sponsored by the Southern Delaware Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.With a presentation titled " Got Mold? What you need to know, " White provided an outline of things homeowners and those in the building business should know. " Molds are everywhere, but we don't know how much it takes to make someone sick. It's so individual, " says White. She says the words " toxic mold " first captured national attention in 1993 after several children living in a low-income Cleveland housing development died after breathing mold-laden air. " That really got a lot of wheels turning, and the media also did a lot to spread the story, " says White. White says now a Google Internet search of the words " toxic mold " will result in more than a million hits. But, White says, along with all of that information, can also come problems. " There are no government standards but there are some guidelines, " White says. She says it's a good idea to use separate companies – one to assess the extent of the mold problem and another to destroy the mold and clean it from surfaces. White says companies that spray any of a variety of substances – claiming that annual treatments will control mold – are up to no good. She says the elderly and very young and those with compromised immune systems or with respiratory disorders are most likely to be affected by mold. That's because molds release substances known as volatile organics – which is what gives them their distinct odors – and mycotoxins – the substances that can make those who are sensitive to them deathly ill.White says beach homes in resort areas are especially prone to mold problems because many of them can go unoccupied for weeks at a time, giving mold an opportunity to get a foothold. " It only takes 24 to 48 hours for mold to grow. All it needs is a source of moisture, " says White. An undetected leaking pipe hidden inside a wall is a common source of moisture. White says much to a homeowner or builder's displeasure, the best way of finding out what's going on is to cut the wall open. " Nobody ever wants to start cutting anything but it's much easier to replace a few inches of wallboard compared to replacing the framing, " says White. She said mold loves dark, moist places and grows readily in many Sussex County homes with improperly ventilated crawl spaces, attics and heating and air conditioning ventilation ductwork. Additionally she said insurance companies are rejecting claims where moldy conditions have existed for long periods before being detected.The next lecture in the series will be at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29, featuring Joe Farrell a resource management specialist with the University of Delaware's Sea Grant program.Farrell's talk is entitled " Site planning that links land use to water quality and saves infrastructure cost. " Comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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