What lies beneath and under your home

6/29/2020 (Permalink)

This wall appeared to the untrained eye totally unaffected by the water damage at this commercial property. We knew better.

Modern homes are a marvel with all their energy efficiency, water saving devices, specialty windows and a litany of modern technological advancements. Yes despite all these fancy amenities one thing can bring any family to its knees. Mold.

We are not here to scare you nor are we trying to tell you all mold is bad. We are here to educate you on the little things that can make a big difference. It is also important to know that modern insurance policies have become hip to the mold game and many of them have exclusions for the mold that may be found within the home. Mold is considered secondary damage from a water issue of some sort.  Damage that would not have occurred if the damage was rectified in a timely fashion.

Below is an ABC news article from 2006. It is still very relevant today and is worthy of a resurgence of the information with all of us at home a lot more these days. With a lot more time on our hands it would be worthy to get into those hard to reach places and see what is really going on in the dark places within our homes that we tend to ignore.

Because modern homes are more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, water — which mold needs to survive — gets trapped inside.

Modern building materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper and fabric are appealing food sources for mold, while building technologies such as synthetic stucco can leak and trap moisture inside. Home appliances including clothes dryers and dishwashers also generate water vapor, again creating the type of environment.

"Mold spores are everywhere," said Meg Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Thorne Biosciences. "They're in your house, in your attic, on the street, in your living room, in your kitchen. It's a question really of how much and what species." Some molds are worse than others, said Tom Kelly, a director of the indoor environments division at the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

"There are a relatively small number of mold species that have been identified as producing a kind of toxin called mycotoxin," Kelly said. "What's not clear is whether they are toxic to human beings."

There are more than 100,000 mold species, and about 50 are considered toxic. He has invented a DNA-based technology that spotlights the bad ones.

Destroying Home Values

The fungus can affect more than just health. Dan Sitomer, an attorney specializing in mold litigation, says it could destroy the value of your home.

"For the moment in time that that building is viewed as a problem its value goes to zero," Sitomer said. "The litigation is so aggressive and has multiplied so quickly that it has frightened the insurance industry. The damages can include almost anything. Pain and suffering, negligence, the claims go on and on."

Most insurance policies do not cover damages related to mold, according to Gordon Stewart, president of the Insurance Information Institute. "In 44 states, mold is excluded, unless it is the direct result of a peril that is covered," Stewart said. For example, some insurance companies do not cover mold, but do cover water leakage, which can cause mold to grow.

Meanwhile, articles about mold — like one in the magazine Redbook headlined "It's Invisible. It's Deadly. And It's in your home" — have made many homeowners nervous. With unanswered health questions, the looming risk of litigation, prospects of nose-diving property values and no insurance safety net, what's a homeowner to do?

Experts agree on one thing: If you've got mold you need to get rid of it. More importantly, you need to eliminate the cause.

"We say: 'Find the moisture, eliminate the moisture, clean up the mold,' " Kelly said. "Come back a month later, make sure it's still gone."

It is possible to have mold and not know it. If you can't find it yourself, a "mold dog" may be able to help. Jason Earl, a mold inspector works with a mold dog named Oreo. In the same way dogs can be trained to detect drugs and explosives, Oreo can find mold, he says.

Tracking Mold in Your Home

How does mold get into houses?

Mold is everywhere, in the air indoors and out. To reproduce, mold generates spores (seeds) that become airborne. These spores can remain dormant for 50 years or more.

They become active when they come into contact with moisture and food. Where there's mold there is always water. Mold colonies develop which, in turn, release more spores into the air. How do you know if you might have mold?

Visual Signs:

Surface mold. Signs of water intrusion (discoloration, peeling or bubbling paint, bulging walls or ceilings). Water intrusion (broken pipe, flooded basement, roof leak, etc.) that wasn't completely dried out within 24 - 48 hours. A musty smell.

Health effects seem to lessen when the sufferer is not at home. If you see mold on the walls or floors of your home, and it's less than a 3-foot by 3-foot patch, clean it using bleach and water, and let it dry completely. If you see any spots larger than that, contact an industrial hygienist. (Try the American Industrial Hygiene Association at aiha.org for a referral.)

When should you consider a mold inspection?

When there is a musty smell, but you cannot find any visual evidence.

If there is visual evidence and you need to determine the extent of infestation and damage.

Is there no visual evidence or smell, but a member of the family shows health effects (sensitivities vary by individual)?

If you need help locating the source of the water that's causing the mold.

When you're buying or selling a home.

When you are ready, formalize the plan to remove the mold and repair the damage.

Getting someone certified to supervise mold removal and repairs.

How do you select someone to remove the mold and fix the damage?

It is recommended that inspection and remediation not be done by the same person/firm. Insist that the firm/person have a contractor's license. Look for remediators who are certified. Check with the licensing board and Better Business Bureau for complaints. Ask for references for similar jobs. Call references and ask if the job was done properly, on time and within budget. Inquire if a mold test was done after the remediation work. If you see mold, find the source of moisture, correct it and clean up the mold. If you see signs of water leaks, investigate for mold.

If you smell mold, consider having a qualified mold inspection firm test for mold, locate the mold, determine the extent of the mold, determine the source of moisture and come up with a remediation plan.

How do you prevent mold?

Locate and fix water leaks immediately. Dry water from water leaks within 48 hours. Make sure clothes dryers are properly vented to the outside. Use exhaust fans when cooking, showering or using dishwasher. Insulate exterior walls to prevent condensation inside. Keep indoor humidity below 50 percent. Remember: Just cleaning up mold is not enough. You must find the water source and eliminate it.

How do you clean up mold? This is one that is best left to the professionals as doing it incorrectly could lead to a recurrence.

Your best bet is to call the professionals and ensure that you are finding the true source. It is also imperative that you properly seal off the area from the rest of the house so no spores become airborne.

SERVPRO of East Boston, Chelsea Revere has a specially trained team on hand to ensure that you are taken care of properly and safely. If you have a funny odor that you can not pin point call our team today and we will work with you. To make it “Like it never even happened.”

Bulk of this article is from

https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=131638&page=1

For more information on mold, here are some online resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold/stachy.htm

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.ep