Re: Aging mobile homes: Mold is a life-and-death issue

[Guest guest]

KT,

This is a great article on many levels. What I find most significant

about this article is that his mainstream DOCTORS determined mold in his trailer

almost killed him.

Love the happy ending to this one!

Sharon

In a message dated 12/27/2010 2:57:20 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

kmtown2003@... writes:

---

Aging mobile homes: Mold is a life-and-death issue

_http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101226/NEWS/12260327/1011/NEWS10

/Iowa-s-aging-mobile-homes-Mold-is-a-life-and-death-issue_

(http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101226/NEWS/12260327/1011/NEWS10/Iow\

a-s-aging-mob

ile-homes-Mold-is-a-life-and-death-issue)

Fumbling in the darkness, Newton dropped his cell phone as he called his

daughter, and fell to the floor of his mobile home. All he could think to

yell as he lost consciousness was " Help! " - a cry that probably saved his

life.

Newton, 55, a disabled painter, had gone to bed that Friday night in early

October feeling good. When he awoke, he was covered in rashes from head to

toe, inside his body and out. His esophagus had become so swollen in the

short time he had been sleeping that he began choking on his own saliva.

What likely almost killed Newton was mold, a health hazard prevalent in

the oldest mobile homes, medical experts say.

Mold produces allergens that spread over time and create potentially toxic

substances known as mycotoxins, which pose serious heath hazards to human

beings. Among them: respiratory problems, rashes, eye irritation,

migraines, fungal infections and even death.

The age of Newton's mobile home coupled with persistent water problems

underneath the structure in a mobile home community off Southeast

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the article. This is an often overlooked problem.

In my experience of inspecting and overseeing remediation

projects, mobile homes are much more susceptible to growing

mold than standard built houses. They use more manufactured

wood which is more easily digestible than solid wood. Generally

poorer constuction methods. More plastics and formaldehyde-

based glues to weaken immune systems before the onset of

microbial growth. The systems of mobile homes tend to be of

less quality. Air pathways, when they exist, are of less quality.

People devastated by environmental exposures ( are

not limited to moldy buildings) often have limited resources and

cannot afford more than a mobile home. This increases the

chances of continuing problems because mobile homes tend to

have more problems and a shorter life. It is with great reluctance

that I will spend much time (any time) inspecting a mobile home

older than about 20 years because if there is a moisture problem

it is often insurmountable.

Using the principle of remove the source or remove yourself from

the source, older mobile homes, esp those with moisture issues,

ARE the source. They don't have sources within them, the entire

unit is usually compromised. Which means remove yourself from

the source. But there is no money to do that and the mobile home

usually can't be sold for much, if sold at all. So people get stuck

in a sickbuilding and therefore remain sick. This is not unlike

trying to fix our broken bones while staying with a person who

keeps abusing us by breaking our bones.

I don't recommend mobile homes unless they are at least 7 years

old (chemicals) and no more than 10 (mold growth if damp) and

the occupant does not have a history of reactivities. That leaves

only 3 years of potentially (hopefully) healthy occupancy.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

---

Aging mobile homes: Mold is a life-and-death issue

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101226/NEWS/12260327

/1011/NEWS10/Iowa-s-aging-mobile-homes-Mold-is-a-life-and-death-

issue

Fumbling in the darkness, Newton dropped his cell phone as he called

his daughter, and fell to the floor of his mobile home. All he could think

to yell as he lost consciousness was " Help! " - a cry that probably saved

his life.

Newton, 55, a disabled painter, had gone to bed that Friday night in

early October feeling good. When he awoke, he was covered in rashes

from head to toe, inside his body and out. His esophagus had become so

swollen in the short time he had been sleeping that he began choking on

his own saliva.

What likely almost killed Newton was mold, a health hazard prevalent in

the oldest mobile homes, medical experts say.

Mold produces allergens that spread over time and create potentially

toxic substances known as mycotoxins, which pose serious heath hazards

to human beings. Among them: respiratory problems, rashes, eye

irritation, migraines, fungal infections and even death.

The age of Newton's mobile home coupled with persistent water

problems underneath the structure in a mobile home community off

Southeast 14th Street in Des Moines likely made the environment in his

home life-threatening, his doctors said.

Older weather-proofing and siding inside aged mobile homes often trap

in moisture and ultimately cause mold to grow on the side of the

structure.

Water that drained from a hill near Newton's mobile home at Val Vista

Estates kept the ground beneath Newton's home damp for much of the

past 2½ years, he said.

It's hard to know how much mold existed in the home before Newton

moved in five years ago. But this year, it could be found throughout his

house, particularly in his bedroom.

Newton, who already was disabled because of a tree-trimming accident

years ago, wound up in the emergency room four times in two years.

Each time, he came in struggling to breathe, his eyes swollen, his body

covered in rashes.

The last time he came by ambulance to Broadlawns Medical Center in

October, an emergency room doctor told Newton he could not return to

his mobile home.

That doctor and another, Dr. Angie Wheatro, Newton's general practice

physician, said the timing of Newton's extreme rashes coupled with

water problems beneath his home highly suggested mold was the culprit.

" If someone were to ask me in court, 'Was it caused by mold?' I would

say, 'Yes,' " she said on a visit Newton made to Broadlawns Hospital on

Oct. 12.

Newton is not alone.

Older mobile homes in areas prone to damp conditions - in flood plains

or near sources of water - are particularly at risk.

Under state law, mobile home park owners are expected to follow all city,

county and state codes materially affecting the health and safety of

residents. That means they are responsible for all repairs to keep spaces

in a " fit and habitable condition; keep common areas clean and safe;

(and) maintain in good and safe working order and condition all facilities

supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord, " including " electric,

water and sewer services. "

Newton said he told the manager of Val Vista Estates the water draining

near his home was making him sick. But that manager, McCloney,

denies Newton brought the problem to the park's attention.

" If there was, it would have been fixed a long time ago, " he said.

In the past several years, 30 states, including Iowa, have adopted

standard approaches to mobile home installations that include an

examination of proper drainage, ground cover, soil quality and strength.

Newton's trailer was built before those installation standards went into

effect, so they do not apply.

Newton's story does have a happy ending.

After his last trip to the hospital, he managed to sell the home to

someone for $400. The sale came with a disclosure of the mold and

other conditions inside the home.

Newton found a subsidized apartment at Ligutti Tower in Des Moines.

His new place on the 15th floor looks out over the Iowa Statehouse.

His rent, $193 a month, no longer eats up the $400 a month he receives

for disability.

And he has not had a single health problem since moving out of his

mobile home.

" I can breathe so much better, " he said, " and I can even smell now. "

[Guest guest]

One of the men that works here at the hotel had many health problems and ended

up being hospitalized twice with chest pain and they could find nothing wrong

with him. After speaking with him about it, I printed out a list of mold

symptoms and he had every oneof them. His dog had also been ill and just had a

tumor removed. I told him I thought he should find other housing, he lived in a

very old mobile home. They moved a few months ago and have been fine since. And

YES, he did find mold on the wall behind his bed when he moved it out. I

probably saved his life as he and his dog were in bad shape. Old mobile homes

dont breath, so how can the people who live in them. D

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> Aging mobile homes: Mold is a life-and-death issue

>

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101226/NEWS/12260327/1011/NEWS10/Iowa\

-s-aging-mobile-homes-Mold-is-a-life-and-death-issue

>

> Fumbling in the darkness, Newton dropped his cell phone as he called his

daughter, and fell to the floor of his mobile home. All he could think to yell

as he lost consciousness was " Help! " - a cry that probably saved his life.

>

> Newton, 55, a disabled painter, had gone to bed that Friday night in early

October feeling good. When he awoke, he was covered in rashes from head to toe,

inside his body and out. His esophagus had become so swollen in the short time

he had been sleeping that he began choking on his own saliva.

>

> What likely almost killed Newton was mold, a health hazard prevalent in the

oldest mobile homes, medical experts say.

>

> Mold produces allergens that spread over time and create potentially toxic

substances known as mycotoxins, which pose serious heath hazards to human

beings. Among them: respiratory problems, rashes, eye irritation, migraines,

fungal infections and even death.

>

> The age of Newton's mobile home coupled with persistent water problems

underneath the structure in a mobile home community off Southeast 14th Street in

Des Moines likely made the environment in his home life-threatening, his doctors

said.

>

[Guest guest]

If you can help only one person, then you have done your job!!! It must make you

feel good.

Kathi

>

> One of the men that works here at the hotel had many health problems and ended

up being hospitalized twice with chest pain and they could find nothing wrong

with him. After speaking with him about it, I printed out a list of mold

symptoms and he had every oneof them. His dog had also been ill and just had a

tumor removed. I told him I thought he should find other housing, he lived in a

very old mobile home. They moved a few months ago and have been fine since. And

YES, he did find mold on the wall behind his bed when he moved it out. I

probably saved his life as he and his dog were in bad shape. Old mobile homes

dont breath, so how can the people who live in them. D

>

[Guest guest]

Well said Kathi.

<kpmanganaro@...>  wrote:

Re: Aging mobile homes: Mold is a life-and-death issue

If you can help only one person, then you have done your job!!! It must

make you feel good.

Kathi

" dianebolton52 " wrote:

One of the men that works here at the hotel had many health problems and ended

up being hospitalized twice with chest pain and they could find nothing wrong

with him. After speaking with him about it, I printed out a list of mold

symptoms and he had every oneof them. His dog had also been ill and just had a

tumor removed.. D

n-text portions of this message have been removed]