Fighting toxic mold

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Posted on Sun, Apr. 21, 2002

Fighting toxic mold

By RICHARD WESTLUND

Special to The Herald

PATTI PARKER NIELSEN / FOR THE HERALD

INHABITABLE: The Slomin family, from left, Theresa, Chad, , 10,

and Greg, 13, pose in front of their Boca home where extremely high levels

of mold spores were found. The Slomins moved out three months ago.

Last November, Chad and Theresa Slomin purchased a new dishwasher for their

five-bedroom Boca Raton home. Sixteen days later, a repairman discovered it

had been leaking water into the cabinets and walls. In December, the Slomins

and their two children began suffering from coughs and breathing problems.

While searching for the cause of their illness, Chad Slomin pulled out the

dishwasher and found patches of black mold behind it where the leak had

occurred. Soon after, the Slomins moved out of their home and hired

Lipsey, a consulting toxicologist from ville. He found extremely high

levels of mold spores in the home. Three months later, they're still living

in temporary quarters, seeing a physician for their respiratory problems,

and seeking reimbursement from their insurer.

''After owning this house for about 3 ½ years, we've had to move out,'' said

Theresa Slomin. ``This problem has cost us about $30,000 so far, and it's a

long way from being over.''

In hot and humid South Florida, it doesn't take much to encourage the growth

of molds -- a leaky pipe, malfunctioning air conditioner, hole in the roof

or a sudden flood can create ideal conditions for mold. Molds typically grow

in buildings affected by water damage, including homes, offices and schools.

While most types of mold are harmless, the greenish-black mold Stachybotrys

atra, aspergillis and penecillium produce extremely toxic substances,

according to Dr. R. Gray, an Arizona physician who studied a series

of 75 patients with confirmed exposure to toxic molds.

''Inhalation and absorption of mycotoxins have been clearly demonstrated to

be causative of human illnesses,'' he wrote in a recent report, Molds,

Mycotoxins, and Human Health.

A number of mold-related research studies are now under way in order to

understand the relationship between exposure to toxic mold and illness.

Currently, there are no state or federal health standards for molds.

Lipsey, who has been investigating ''sick'' buildings since 1992, says the

probability of health problems is very high. ''If you live in a home that

has very high levels of toxic spores, just about everybody will develop

either upper respiratory problems or a rash indicative of a compromised

immune system,'' he said. ``Once your immune system is compromised and you

develop antibodies, you'll start having symptoms -- especially someone with

a history of asthma or other breathing problems.''

For homeowners, the discovery of toxic mold can require an expensive

clean-up process involving trained experts wearing protective breathing gear

and clothing. Pulling off a baseboard or opening a ceiling panel where mold

has been growing can trigger a sudden outflow of deadly spores.

Fortunately, toxic mold does not appear to be a widespread problem in South

Florida. Lipsey has investigated hundreds of affected homes around the

country in the past few years, but none in Miami-Dade or Broward counties.

DON'T OVERREACT

O'Neal Coble, an attorney with Holland & Knight in Orlando, says

homeowners sometimes overreact to mold. ''There are a 1,000 different kinds

of mold,'' she said. ``Most of the time it doesn't create a problem.''

But if you're looking for a new home and you can see mold or smell it in the

air, that's a warning sign, she added. ''You need to look further, and

perhaps hire an inspector,'' she said.

Coble adds that some builders, apartment owners and insurance companies are

now putting disclaimers into their contracts and leases, saying that mold is

a naturally occurring substance and they can't be held responsible for any

problems.

Major insurers have asked the Florida Department of Insurance to clarify the

coverage rules regarding mold claims. For instance, many insurers will cover

mold removal if the cause was a covered peril, such as a broken pipe. But if

the mold is caused by a maintenance problem such as a leaky roof, insurers

typically won't pay.

Consumer awareness of the toxic mold issue is growing, following several

high-profile cases in Texas and California. Last year, a Texas family won a

$32 million judgment against its homeowners insurance company for serious

health problems believed to be related to toxic mold. The case was profiled

on CBS' Sixty Minutes.

Among those who have had to abandon multimillion-dollar mansions because of

toxic mold are Hollywood's Ed McMahon, and toxic waste crusader

Brockovich. In Florida, it took five years and $27 million to clean up a

newly built County courthouse complex in Stuart after toxic mold was

discovered behind wallpaper and ceiling tiles in 1992.

Although the Slomins' Boca house was built in 1979, many cases of toxic mold

have been found in relatively new homes. ''Homes now are made of cheaper

building materials, like pressed wood and fiber board,'' said Lipsey. ``When

these materials get wet, they stay wet perhaps ten times longer, and they

provide a better source of nutrients for the more pathogenic molds.''

CONTRIBUTING FACTOR

A contributing factor is that today's energy efficient homes are more

airtight, which allows concentrations of mold spores to build up,

accelerating any health problems. Activists like Massachusetts resident Ken

Moulton are seeking tougher laws that would hold builders responsible if

substandard materials were found to have contributed to a mold problem. Poor

construction and lack of proper inspection of his Cape Cod home created

water problems that led to toxic mold growth.

''Mold is a problem in Florida,'' says Coble. ``If you're a homeowner you

shouldn't ignore it. You need to deal with it.''