Mold Inspection Test Results question

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone. Y'all certainly give me a lot to read

and learn every day:)

Here's the question I wander around with bugging me.

A little background: I am trying to get a lawyer to

take my case. My landlord basically has ignored that

there's a mold problem in my apartment for 5 years

that I've lived here, even though he knew I was

immune-compromised when I moved in. He painted over

the mold a few months ago, so now I can't even get the

government out to look at the place (they have to be

able to see it and smell it). ANYWAY, I got a mold

inspector to come out (my cost), and these were the

weird results:

The outside level of Aspergillius/Pennicillium was

12,000.

Inside was 7,000.

So, lawyers are saying, well, the inside is lower than

the outside, so all is cool. BUT, the inspectors say

the outside is NORMALLY, 2000-3000 and say the 7,000

should be compared to that. Well, the lawyers seem to

miss that part. The inspectors also said that

regardless, 7000 is ridiculous and I should leave.

Also, the swab tests are so high they can't even be

counted - 4+ for whatever that's worth.

**********

Interestingly, my roommate got her area tested a month

later. Outside was 1,000, and inside was 3,000.

***************

WHAT?????

Please help me understand this and what I need to do

to make a lawyer accept or `look over' the 12,000 that

is ruining my case.

Thanks for all your help!

Harriet

PS: I know I could get the air tested AGAIN to show

it's normally low, but that's $600 that I don't have.

__________________________________

- PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005

http://mail.

[Guest guest]

Harriet,

Your experience is an all too true and an all too common abomination

of how different people give different meaning to the same

information - usually to further their self-interest. It is also why

reliance on only mold testing is to be discouraged and not relied on

to convince the skeptical. There are at least 5 ways to interpret the

lab data you gave us. And then there is my way, which of course is

the best way or else I would do it differently. ;-) This isn't

science, but more like belief systems not unlike the True Believers

who are ozone salespeople.

In my opinion, 4 of the 5 ways would indicate the need for further

evaluation. However, the information and history you have given, if

verified and documented by an experienced professional, SHOULD be

sufficient without any testing. For example, if there are identified

locations of active growth in the house, who cares what the

comparison to the outside levels are. The mold growth exists and

should still be remediated. The lab results however interpreted

doesn't make the mold disappear and the health effects cease.

It is the professional duty of our industry leaders to stand up to

the pretenders and challange their self-serving spin. I had a

conversation just today with someone on a team of three people in the

Gulf Coast area that did just that. But it took all three plus

reliance on other resources to be successful. It isn't easy but it is

possible.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> Hi everyone. Y'all certainly give me a lot to read

> and learn every day:)

>

> Here's the question I wander around with bugging me.

> A little background: I am trying to get a lawyer to

> take my case. My landlord basically has ignored that

> there's a mold problem in my apartment for 5 years

> that I've lived here, even though he knew I was

> immune-compromised when I moved in. He painted over

> the mold a few months ago, so now I can't even get the

> government out to look at the place (they have to be

> able to see it and smell it). ANYWAY, I got a mold

> inspector to come out (my cost), and these were the

> weird results:

>

> The outside level of Aspergillius/Pennicillium was

> 12,000.

> Inside was 7,000.

>

> So, lawyers are saying, well, the inside is lower than

> the outside, so all is cool. BUT, the inspectors say

> the outside is NORMALLY, 2000-3000 and say the 7,000

> should be compared to that. Well, the lawyers seem to

> miss that part. The inspectors also said that

> regardless, 7000 is ridiculous and I should leave.

> Also, the swab tests are so high they can't even be

> counted - 4+ for whatever that's worth.

>

> **********

>

> Interestingly, my roommate got her area tested a month

> later. Outside was 1,000, and inside was 3,000.

>

> ***************

>

> WHAT?????

>

> Please help me understand this and what I need to do

> to make a lawyer accept or `look over' the 12,000 that

> is ruining my case.

>

> Thanks for all your help!

>

> Harriet

>

> PS: I know I could get the air tested AGAIN to show

> it's normally low, but that's $600 that I don't have.

>

>

>

>

>

> __________________________________

> - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005

> http://mail.

>

>

>

>

>