The nightmare of mold

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http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/story/1468899p-1366800c.html

The nightmare of mold

It's not new -- but more and more homeowners are looking for ways to combat

it

By A. Masullo -- Bee Time & Money Writer

Published 5:50 a.m. PST Monday, Dec. 10, 2001

thought she had found the home of her dreams in 1998.

The Gold River house was a beauty. She and her daughter Alissa, 15, who

would live in it with her, loved it.

Everything, in fact, seemed right about the house, which was built in 1985.

bought it for about $300,000.

For a while all went well. But about a year ago mother and daughter began

experiencing headaches, respiratory problems, nosebleeds, memory loss and

other health woes.

What could be the cause? They had no idea.

Then a tile installer doing some work in Alissa's bathroom noticed that a

sheetrock wall was quite damp. The wetness had not been obvious because the

wall had been covered with wallpaper. A leaky pipe hidden inside the walls

had been keeping the wall wet.

On the other side of the wall, in the adjacent room, however, there was

visible mold.

" More than three feet of it, " says , who is convinced that the mold is

the cause of her and her daughter's health problems.

In the past few years, mold issues have become common throughout California

and in many other states. Mold, it seems, is on the rampage, seriously

damaging buildings and making occupants ill.

Consider these recent news items:

* The completion of a major remodeling project that would transform a former

shopping center on Freeport Boulevard into Sacramento's police and fire

communications center has been delayed because mold was discovered in the

building's basement and in new air ducts. It is feared that the

contamination may make future occupants ill.

* A Sacramento jury, agreeing with Darren and Marcie Mazza's contention that

mold in their Watt Avenue apartment made them and their son, Bryce, 8,

seriously ill, awarded them $2.7 million. The case, which lawyers say

probably will be appealed, has raised much concern in local renters'

circles.

* Kathy Masera, publisher of the California Job Journal, claims mold in her

former rented office made her and 26 employees seriously ill. She's suing

the landlord for $10 million.

In 's case, GHH Engineering Inc., an Auburn firm that specializes in

mold removal, was called in to inspect her house. It found that mold had

spread through much of her home and that the house was dangerous to live in.

Removal of contamination is under way, and the cost of making 's home

liveable will be great. currently is negotiating with her insurance

company for about $200,000.

The cost for the removal of contaminated materials will be " about $30,000, "

according to Frenznick, 's lawyers, " but that's only the tip of

the iceberg. "

The remaining costs are for the cosmetic repairs to the structure

(plastering, painting, etc.), replacement of contaminated items (rugs and

furniture) and the expense of housing and her daughter in a hotel for

an estimated 60 to 120 days while the repairs are taking place.

A new threat?

Mold -- or, as some lawyers and politicians would have it, " toxic mold " --

is as old as time.

So why the booming interest?

According to Bill , a spokesman for the Independent Insurance Agents

of America, mold issues are more prevalent now because of modern building

techniques that make structures much more airtight than those of even the

recent past. This was done in response to numerous calls for energy

conservation.

" Insulating with such things as double- or even triple-pane windows, tighter

door fittings, better seals around vents and such may be doing wonders for

cutting energy consumption, but they're also making it much easier for mold

to grow, " says.

He says the insurance industry is trying to determine how it will handle

mold issues in the future.

It is questioning whether mold should be routinely covered in homeowner

policies, be covered as separate add-on provisions (at an extra cost), have

separate mold policies or be handled in an entirely new way. Earlier this

year, a jury in Texas awarded $32 million to a homeowner who claimed

property damage and bad-faith handling of claims by an insurer.

Standards sought

Mold is being taken seriously by politicians. Gov. Gray recently

signed SB 732, an anti-mold bill authored by Sen. Deborah Ortiz,

D-Sacramento, into law.

The law directs the state Department of Health Services to develop

permissible exposure standards for mold in indoor environments and requires

landlords when renting and homeowners when selling to disclose the presence

of mold. It does not, however, require inspections for mold.

Ortiz says her interest in the subject was motivated by complaints " from

hundreds of constituents, such as Kathy Masera and her employees at the

California Job Journal. "

" It uses the 'reasonable person standard' for assessing responsibility if

mold shows up after a transaction, " Ortiz says.

She does not see her bill as the final step in the legal battle against

mold. " Insurance regulation will probably be next, " she says.

It's everywhere

What is mold? And, more important, what can be done about it?

According to the Department of Health Services, molds -- there are many

kinds -- have a good purpose in nature. They break down dead material

outdoors. But when molds accumulate indoors they cause problems. They look

awful. They have terrible odors. And they can affect our health.

For a long time, the health risks were considered minor. Now, as the

lawsuits mount, more and more people are contending they are serious.

Are they?

" There is a lot we don't know about the health effects of exposure, " says

McNeel, a research scientist who studies mold for the DHS. " We know

it can cause sneezing, wheezing and coughing, and some people with weakened

immune systems can get more serious complications. But the exact cause and

effect, and just how serious the illnesses, we just don't know. A lot more

study is needed. "

Vast differences in tolerance levels also make it difficult to assess

mold-caused illnesses. A mold that bothers one person greatly may have zero

effect on another, McNeel says.

When caught early, mold usually can be removed inexpensively by homeowners

by cleaning and sanitizing the area, the health services department says.

Professional treatment usually involves interviews with residents, an

inspection of the home, laboratory testing of the molds found, removal and

replacement of affected materials and cleaning and decontaminating of air

ducts.

Hall, the engineer-owner of GHH Engineering Inc., says the cost for

most professional home mold removals is $7,000 to $25,000, but he has seen

some costing much more. " It all depends on how far the mold has spread, " he

says.

Invisible mold spores are everywhere. But they don't grow into mold, the DHS

says, unless they have three things: moisture, food and a place to grow.

Inside the home, moisture is the major culprit. It can be caused by a leaky

roof, faulty plumbing, excessive garden water that gets under the house --

or many other things.

Hall says: " To keep a home mold-free, simply keep it dry and

well-ventilated. "

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Likely places for mold

Mold can show up almost anywhere in a home. Here, according to the

California Department of Health Services, are the prime sites.

* Any area affected by flooding, such as rugs, floors, floorboards, etc.

* Attics, basements and crawl spaces.

* Areas near humidifiers.

* Areas around houseplants (due to overwatering).

* Any area frequently affected by steam, such as the kitchen or bathroom.

* Around sinks, shower stalls and bathtubs.

* Around clothes dryer vents, especially if vent does not lead to outdoors.

* Around stoves, especially if not vented to outdoors.

* On walls and windows that frequently have condensation on them.

Finding and fighting mold

How do you know if you have a mold problem? Professional testing is a sure

way, but it is expensive, usually costing thousands of dollars.

A do-it-yourself test kit, called PRO-LAB, is available for $9.95 at

hardware stores and home centers. But the DHS does not recommend testing as

the first step.

To correct a relatively minor situation, the agency recommends the

following:

* First:. find and remove the source of moisture.

* Second, clean, disinfect and dry the moldy area. According to

McNeel, who studies mold for the DHS, a liquid detergent (such as those used

for dishwashing) is best for cleaning, and bleach is a satisfactory

disinfectant.

But she cautions: " Do not apply bleach to a dirty surface. It won't remove

the existing mold or prevent future growth. The surface must be clean for

the bleach to be effective. "

* Third, make sure there is good ventilation in the area and let it dry for

two days or more.

Finally, bag and dispose of any material containing mold residues, such as

rags, paper and other debris.

For more information, check the DHS's Web site: www.dhs.ca.gov.

About the Writer

The Bee's A. Masullo can be reached at (916) 321-1118 or

bmasullo@...