Mold in Denver - Black mold a problem despite state's dryness

[Guest guest]

: Black mold a problem despite state's dryness

:

: ByKit Miniclier

: Denver Post Staff Writer

:

: Kit Miniclier, Denver Post Staff Writer

: Thursday, February 14, 2002 - The black mold oozing out of her bathtub and

sink made Mildred King sick, and " the first thing the plumber said was, " Get

Bud (her husband) out of here,' because he has asthma and emphysema, " she

recalled recently.

:

: The mold " made my eyes water, " kept her head stuffed up and " made my face

feel so dry. "

:

: The Kings were forced to move out of their mobile home in Burlington last

October, first living in a brother-in-law's home and then in a son-in-law's

home. Meanwhile, " the black gooky stuff " that came out of the drains and

filled the toilet tanks began appearing as " fuzzy stuff " in the hot-air

vents.

:

: A new battery of technicians began dismantling their heating system in

January, trying to find the source. Keep-out signs were still posted as of

Wednesday.

:

: Black mold, known more technically as Stachybotrys, is everywhere, despite

the relatively arid climate of Colorado, explained Margaret Schonbeck,

environmental health studies program manager for the state health

department.

:

: The state doesn't keep a database on black mold, so she has no idea how

many cases there are, but every time " Dateline " or some other investigative

TV show does an expose about mold in the more humid parts of the country,

" we get a lot of calls, " Schonbeck said.

:

: One agency in Colorado that makes house calls to take air samples when

worried residents complain of mold is the Tri-County (, Arapahoe,

) Health Department.

:

: " We get at least 200 calls a year, " especially after a TV expose, said

Chuck McCammon, an industrial hygienist with Tri-County. " Black mold is a

common mold. . . . I'd daresay most people can find it in their bathtubs or

showers.

:

: " It isn't a problem in small amounts, but it is a problem in large amounts

when people breathe it and get sick, " he said.

:

: The most common reactions are similar to seasonal allergies, with

irritation to the eyes, nose and throat. " If you are asthmatic . . . then

the allergic response may be more severe and related to respiratory

problems, i.e., shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing.

:

: " More severe health problems, such as permanent respiratory failure,

central nervous system effects . . . have been suggested in extreme mold

exposure, but have never been scientifically proven, " McCammon added.

:

: " In general we don't differentiate between black, green or yellow mold. If

it is mold and people are concerned about it, we have the ability to do air

sampling, " which will cost the homeowner perhaps $200 in lab fees.

:

: If someone lives outside the tri-county area and wants to have air samples

taken, McCammon's people will do it, but must charge an extra $75 an hour

for their time.

:

: Usually " a cup of bleach in a gallon of water " takes care of the problem,

he said.

:

: Elsewhere in the country, " in very rare cases, " people have abandoned

their homes to mold, or even set fire to them, but that isn't something we

see in Colorado, he added.

:

: " We have many cases, but most are very minor " because of the relatively

low humidity, he added.

:

: However, McCammon cautioned " we are starting to see problems " in crawl

spaces beneath homes that were built two to five years ago on wooden

subfloors instead of on poured concrete foundations.

:

: For more information about mold, visit the website of the National Center

for Environmental Health at www.cdc.gov/nceh/asthma_old/default.htm.

:

: All contents Copyright 2002 The Denver Post or other copyright holders.

All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,

rewritten or redistributed for any commercial purpose.

[Guest guest]

Barbara and group,

I am a professional consultant in Denver and I am embarrassed by this

article. Accurate information is critical to public and individual health and

this article creates needless and potentially dangerous confusion. It

confuses black mold in general -- which IS a problem in Denver -- with a

specific black mold called Stachybotrys -- which is rare in Denver. The

differences are substantial and important.

Among other issues, the quote from Mr McCammons of Tri-County

Health seems to be saying that Stachybotrys is commonly found on

tubs and showers. This is absolutely not true. But read the article

carefully and you will see that his comments may well be about only

black mold, not Stachybotrys. I sent Mr McCammons a letter stating

my concerns.

The quotes from Ms Schonbeck of the state health department are ambiguous.

She seems to be saying that black mold is " known more technically as

Stachybotrys " but that is not a specific quote. I sent a letter to Ms Schonbeck

asking for clarification.

I also sent an e-mail to the reporter, Kit Minicliar. I'll let you know if I get

any responses for any of them.

This is a good reminder that when reading any news reports, please

remember that even if public health officials are up to date on mold, they

are not always quoted accurately. So read with care and informed

discrimination.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats (sm)

grimes@...

--------

> : Black mold a problem despite state's dryness

> :

> : ByKit Miniclier

> : Denver Post Staff Writer

> :

> : Kit Miniclier, Denver Post Staff Writer

> : Thursday, February 14, 2002 - The black mold oozing out of her bathtub

> and sink made Mildred King sick, and " the first thing the plumber said was,

> " Get Bud (her husband) out of here,' because he has asthma and emphysema, "

> she recalled recently. : : The mold " made my eyes water, " kept her head

> stuffed up and " made my face feel so dry. " : : The Kings were forced to

> move out of their mobile home in Burlington last October, first living in a

> brother-in-law's home and then in a son-in-law's home. Meanwhile, " the

> black gooky stuff " that came out of the drains and filled the toilet tanks

> began appearing as " fuzzy stuff " in the hot-air vents. : : A new battery of

> technicians began dismantling their heating system in January, trying to

> find the source. Keep-out signs were still posted as of Wednesday. : :

> Black mold, known more technically as Stachybotrys, is everywhere, despite

> the relatively arid climate of Colorado, explained Margaret Schonbeck,

> environmental health studies program manager for the state health

> department. : : The state doesn't keep a database on black mold, so she has

> no idea how many cases there are, but every time " Dateline " or some other

> investigative TV show does an expose about mold in the more humid parts of

> the country, " we get a lot of calls, " Schonbeck said. : : One agency in

> Colorado that makes house calls to take air samples when worried residents

> complain of mold is the Tri-County (, Arapahoe, ) Health

> Department. : : " We get at least 200 calls a year, " especially after a TV

> expose, said Chuck McCammon, an industrial hygienist with Tri-County.

> " Black mold is a common mold. . . . I'd daresay most people can find it in

> their bathtubs or showers. : : " It isn't a problem in small amounts, but it

> is a problem in large amounts when people breathe it and get sick, " he

> said. : : The most common reactions are similar to seasonal allergies, with

> irritation to the eyes, nose and throat. " If you are asthmatic . . . then

> the allergic response may be more severe and related to respiratory

> problems, i.e., shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing. : : " More

> severe health problems, such as permanent respiratory failure, central

> nervous system effects . . . have been suggested in extreme mold exposure,

> but have never been scientifically proven, " McCammon added. : : " In general

> we don't differentiate between black, green or yellow mold. If it is mold

> and people are concerned about it, we have the ability to do air sampling, "

> which will cost the homeowner perhaps $200 in lab fees. : : If someone

> lives outside the tri-county area and wants to have air samples taken,

> McCammon's people will do it, but must charge an extra $75 an hour for

> their time. : : Usually " a cup of bleach in a gallon of water " takes care

> of the problem, he said. : : Elsewhere in the country, " in very rare

> cases, " people have abandoned their homes to mold, or even set fire to

> them, but that isn't something we see in Colorado, he added. : : " We have

> many cases, but most are very minor " because of the relatively low

> humidity, he added. : : However, McCammon cautioned " we are starting to see

> problems " in crawl spaces beneath homes that were built two to five years

> ago on wooden subfloors instead of on poured concrete foundations. : : For

> more information about mold, visit the website of the National Center for

> Environmental Health at www.cdc.gov/nceh/asthma_old/default.htm. : : All

> contents Copyright 2002 The Denver Post or other copyright holders. All

> rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten

> or redistributed for any commercial purpose.

>

>

>

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