The legal industry seems to be promoting house mold as the next “asbestos” gold mine…apparently, since several local law firms have been advertising their services in this regard. I know that the spores of several common mold species can be dangerous…but surely house molds have been around for a long time-why are they all of a sudden the greatest threat to health since cigarette smoke and asbestos?
I have read several local newspaper accounts of people who have been forced to move out of their houses…and even have gone so far as to BURN their house, and rebuild,rather than risk continued exposure. Yet, I can’r seem to see much good science relating to the (alleged) health hazards of mold spores.
So, is this another “junk science” issue, concocted to generate more money for lawsuits? (I got a flyer the other day from a local law firm, advertising its expertise in litigating “mold” cases!
So, is mold absolutely deadly? or is this just a big pile of hot air?
It’s a scam. It’s a big money-making scam though so expect some controversy over the issue.
It’s not always a scam. The library I work at has an intermittent mold issue, and people with allergies or other respiratory weaknesses do have a hard time around it.
The Master speaks: [link]http://www.straightdope.com/columns/021011.html[/link]
Verdict - eh, maybe.
It does seem that these days there are a lot more people around who are vulnerable to that sort of thing - allergies, asthma, etc.
Fixed link - Is “toxic mold” the next environmental threat?
I stopped escrow on a house due to mold issues. Here in CA, if the house tests positive for mold, all future owners of the house must be notified of the mold issues, even if the mold was removed. It is not good for resell values.
As for if the mold is toxic or not. Well, it depends. The mold in question, black mold, or stacibotris (SP?) can produce toxins, but it depends on things like the PH factor on the medium it is grow. So, you might have mold, but it is harmless, or it can kill you.
All in all, in the states were it is prevalent, CA and TX, it is best to avoid it just due to insurance costs and resale values. In other states, if you have a small mold issue, just have it removed and fix the cause of the moisture.
BioNitpick: fungi are no longer considered plants. But I guess “…or harmless Mycota?” doesn’t sound as snappy.
Info from a contractor standpoint: The trade journals rarely have a month pass without some mention of the problem. On top of that, most insurance underwriters have issued disclaimers regarding mold such that if I cause, (knowingly or unknowingly) mold to grow in a structure that I build or remodel, my insurance company has no obligation to defend me from litigation.
As was mentioned above, tighter building envelopes have not helped-older houses breathed quite a bit and let the nasties out, at the expense of higher heating and cooling bills. If you recall the hubbub in North Carolina a few years ago, it surrounded a product generically known as EFIS (exterior finish and insulation system) which some people call Dryvit®, that being an EFIS product manufactured by Sto Corp.
The problem was that the stuff was excellent at keeping moisture out, but was equally good at keeping moisture inside the wall assembly. Intersections with windows and doors typically admit a small amount of moisture, but if the wall has a drain path engineered in, it doesn’t become a problem. In NC, when the exterior cladding was stripped, the wall sheathing and studs looked like a science experiment from hell.
Wood and other organic building materials arrive at the jobsite covered with sleeping microorganisms. If the temperature is hospitable, adequate moisture is present, add a food source, and you have germination and growth of fungi. How much, and if it’s bad for you has more variables than you can shake a petri dish at.
Solving the problem requires a coordinated collaborative effort on the part of builders, remodelers, and all of the subs. Unfortunately, attending seminars is something that only a fraction of the industry engage in, and as we all know, people tend to be resistant to change.
[Here is a link](http://alcor.concordia.ca/~raojw/crd/reference/reference001364.html) [and another](http://alcor.concordia.ca/~raojw/crd/reference/reference000018.html) to articles written by some gentlemen whose lectures I've attended in the past.
Before I hurt the hamsters, one final link to an organization website, where you should be able to download an informative article on mold, courtesy of Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry.
I don’t personally have any information or opinions to share with this thread, but can pass along this interesting article that I just happened to read last week. It is a short commentary by a lawyer on how to avoid or minimize legal claims in the event your building is found to contain Stachybotros.