Construction Defects and Water Intrusion Cause Mold Problems in Florida Buildings Seminar June 3 (ville, Florida)

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Mold menace is subject of seminar

R. Schoolcraft

Mold is a growing problem in the construction and insurance industry. Mold

spores caused employees of the Apache Junction, Ariz., administration

building to relocate last year.

A black mold problem at a Romeo, Mich., elementary school forced a delay in

the start of school there in September 2001.

Area builders and insurers plan to discuss the issue June 3 at a

ville seminar " Construction Defects and Water Intrusion Cause Mold

Problems in Florida Buildings. "

" The insurance companies are starting to put clauses in policies so they

don't pay for damages caused by mold, " said Rick , president and

owner of W.R. & Associates, which does construction claim litigation

work and is a sponsor of the seminar.

Problems with water intrusion and mold have a ripple effect, he said.

" If the owner of a condominium has a deficient roof and water runs down the

wall, it causes mold and rot, " he said.

The condo owner then goes to the doctor with asthmatic symptoms or other

upper respiratory problems and " then everyone who touched the building gets

sued. "

S. Hopkins, owner of Professional Industrial Hygiene Services of

ville, has seen the problem grow. " It's not uncommon to have mold

and mildew problems in our area, " he said. " What's uncommon is the number of

cases and claims that we've been asked to do an assessment for. "

Professional Industrial Hygiene Services conducts health-based risk

assessments for mold and water intrusion.

" Last year, 25 percent of our revenue was on mold and mildew cases, " Hopkins

said. " In 2000, toward the last half, we may have gotten a call a week

[about mold assessments.] But in 2001, we got one to two calls a day. "

He attributes the calls to greater awareness of the problem and some

high-profile lawsuits.

" We're beginning to see a backlash, " Hopkins said. Insurance companies are

beginning to write more " fungus exclusions " to limit their liability on

claims.

Water and mold problems are a concern across the nation, not just in

ville, said Chuck Diebel, president of National Association of

Industrial and Office Properties' Northeast Florida chapter.

" NAIOP is looking at it nationally because some states are looking at laws

that apply to it, " he said.

" We're getting interest from all over for the seminar, " said.

" Atlanta, Chicago, Washington and Miami. "

Copyright 2002 American City Business Journals Inc.