Inn at Penn mold not a risk for most

[Guest guest]

Inn at Penn mold not a risk for most

Experts say substance may cause an allergic reaction, but can't

cause serious health problems

By jessica fisher

February 3, 2006

Philadelphia,PA

http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/02/03/43e3

064021a9e

Hilton Inn at Penn guests have apparently not been endangered by

exposure to mold -- which prompted a $9 million renovation project

at the hotel.

According to hotel spokeswoman Barag, " there was never any

danger to any guests, and we're fixing the problem. "

The Inn at Penn renovation project began in November, six years

after the hotel opened in 1999. The renovations are slated for

completion in September.

Barag said that prior to the renovation project, the Inn at Penn was

frequently tested for mold levels and the problem had been

remediated several times. She did not specify how the problem had

been temporarily remedied.

Barag added that over time, mold can reach dangerous levels. But the

mold growth in the Inn at Penn never reached that point.

" The levels of mold spores were never as high as they are outside, "

Barag said. " You can walk outside of your house and there's more

mold " than there was in the hotel.

However, a real estate professional involved in the original

construction of the Inn at Penn, who wished to remain anonymous,

said that " mold is a huge liability for building owners because it's

a recent area of interest in litigation. "

Infectious Diseases professor Neil Fishman said that exposure to

mold should only be of serious concern for immuno-compromised

patients -- people who don't have normal immune systems -- and for

those with mold allergies.

" For example, somebody who has had a solid organ or bone-marrow

transplant who is on drugs that suppress his immune system would be

more susceptible to infections, " Fishman said.

He added that mold exposure can trigger asthma attacks in people who

are allergic to mold.

" A misapprehension is that mold actually causes diseases in the

general public, " Fishman said. " The finding of mold itself isn't

that concerning to the general population because we're always

exposed to mold -- you're exposed to mold when you walk down the

street or go to a park, and I'm not surprised that there's mold in a

building. Generally, all buildings have a certain amount of mold. "

According to Design and Construction Director Darrin Reazor -- the

project manager for the renovations -- the mold developed because of

leaks around the hotel windows and increased moisture due to faulty

climate-control systems.

" If there's moisture getting in through the walls, it will

ultimately have an impact on the integrity of the structure of the

building, " Fishman said. " Yes, it creates an environment for mold to

grow in, but that wouldn't be the only issue behind the renovation. "

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