Toxic Mold. How Dangerous Is It?
Author: Kenton Beal, CIE, CHMM
Executive Vice President, ENPRO EnvironmentalTM
Mold, mildew, and fungi are some of the oldest living things on earth. Yet, they have recently become the subject of new concerns regarding health, property value, and potential liability. Recent lawsuits and insurance claims for damages attributable to mold have resulted in settlements in the $ 10 million dollar range and higher.
Mold and related micro-organisms occur virtually everywhere on earth. They have been shown to persist in the most extreme climates on our planet. However, they are most at home in warm, moist climates.
Humans' awareness of and concerns about mold date back to biblical times. References in the Bible include Leviticus Chapter 14, verses 33 to 57. The Bible states, "If the mildew has spread on the walls, he is to order the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside of town." This is one of the earliest references suggesting that humans were aware of potentially harmful effects of exposure to mold.
The U.S. EPA considers all molds to be potential allergens (i.e. they can all cause allergic reactions). Some molds have been shown to exhibit toxic effects, leading to very serious health effects and, in extreme cases, death.
Not all persons react in the same manner to mold exposure. People with asthma and other respiratory problems, immune system deficiencies, and other pre-existing conditions are the most susceptible to adverse health effects from mold exposure. The very young and the elderly are also considered to be groups at greater risk to mold exposure.
Considering how prolific mold is, and its adverse impact on human health, it is somewhat surprising that mold has stayed out of the spot light until recently. A few recent events and trends have resulted in the rapid increase of mold awareness.
Back in the 1970's, the environmental and energy conservation movements resulted in buildings being sealed tighter to conserve energy and natural resources. These "tight" buildings reduced the amount of air exchange and, while they conserved energy, they also retained moisture that accumulated and or was released into the building.
Throughout the 1980's, construction practices improved on energy conservation design. However, many of the building materials (especially dry wall, carpets, and fiber insulation) provided ideal environments for mold growth.
In the 1990's we began to see some of the consequences of these new building designs in the form of Sick Building Syndrome and Building Related Illness. This was the beginning of the heightened public awareness.
The medical and microbiological communities began to produce research results relating mold exposure to poor health and disease. Some groups and individuals filed insurance claims and lawsuits to recover alleged damages. As the media reported these lawsuits, and some of the large jury awards, government entities began to take notice.
Now, at the beginning of the new millennium, mold is written into, or specifically excluded from, insurance policies, the California Legislature requires mold disclosure for real estate transactions, New York City has guidelines on the assessment and remediation of mold, the legal community has numerous mold cases to cite as precedence, and mold investigation and remediation firms are beginning to sprout like mushrooms.
So if you have a little mold in your house does that mean you are in a life-threatening environment?
No. But if you have a lot of mold in your home or work place, your health may be adversely impacted. Some things to consider include exposure time and the concentration of mold spores you are exposed to. Naturally, you are at greater risk if you are sleeping in a mold-infested environment, or spending an eight-hour workday in an atmosphere with elevated mold concentration in the air, than you would be if you simply enter a mold-contaminated area for a short period of time.
So what does this mean to you?
Be aware of potential mold contamination in the environments in which you work and live. Take note of suspicious discoloration on walls or ceiling tiles. Be wary of musty odors. As a general rule, if you can see and/or smell evidence of mold, you probably have it.
Be aware of potential health symptoms. If you get a scratchy throat and watery eyes every time you enter a certain room or building, your body is telling you something is wrong.
Be particularly vigilante of water releases and areas where water is frequently used (bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms). Periodically inspect possible water sources. Small but persistent leaks in pipes, areas of chronic condensation (especially air conditioning systems), and areas that are constantly damp and improperly ventilated (such as bathrooms) are common sources of moisture leading to mold contamination.
What do you do if you have mold in the home or work environment?
First and foremost, remove the water source that is causing the mold immediately. Mold can develop within 24 to 48 hours, so rapid response is imperative. If the mold is on hard, non-porous surfaces, such as tile and grout, shower and tub fixtures, etc., clean it up. Wipe the mold or mildew with a biocide and dry out the area. If the mold persists you may have a moisture problem in the underlying building materials.
If the water damage is more pervasive, and building materials such as walls, flooring, ceilings, and the building frame have become saturated leading to extensive mold growth, have a professional identify the extent of mold contamination and provide recommendations for the remediation.
A qualified mold inspection company will collect several samples, including air samples inside and outside of the suspected house or building. If the air samples inside contain significantly higher concentrations of mold than the air samples outside, there is a potential for harmful mold exposure.
A qualified firm will identify the source of the mold through visual inspection, field testing and surface sampling. Mold species are identified through laboratory analyses that include microscopic identification and the incubation of fungal cultures. The elevated levels of mold that are identified by the investigation should be removed from the home or building.
A thorough mold inspection is not cheap, and it certainly isn't free. An objective mold inspection should be performed by a company that has no vested interest in the outcome of the study, other than its accuracy and completeness. The inspection should not be performed by a company that stands to make a profit from a large remediation. The inspection report should include specific recommendations for areas in the home or building where mold abatement is warranted.
Be sure a company with a proven track record for successful mold abatement performs the remediation. Proper mold remediation should be performed under strict containment conditions to prevent mold from spreading to uncontaminated areas. The containment area should be placed under negative air pressure, and all workers should wear protective gear. Mold contaminated materials must be properly packaged and handled to prevent contamination of other areas of the home or building.
It is imperative that the mold removal be done correctly, or the mold exposure problem can increase dramatically. The head of a pin can hold over 100,000 spores of mold. Imagine how much mold can be released into the breathing environment if a mold-infested wall is simply torn out without proper containment. All furniture and other belongings (referred to as "contents") should be removed from the remediation area. In serious mold contamination cases, these "contents" must themselves be cleaned, and sometimes they are simply thrown out.
Mold spores are always in search of places where they can grow and multiply. They are very good at it. That's how they've survived for so long. Humans have inadvertently been assisting in mold proliferation. Drywall, wallpaper, ceiling tile, indoor plumbing, air-conditioning condensation, poor housekeeping, poor storage practices, and numerous other human inventions and actions have contributed to mold growth and infestation.
We are calling on you to reverse the trend of mold multiplication. We implore you to do your part to banish the many ways that mold and their associated allergens and toxins disrupt our daily lives. So, if you are up to the task, join us in our quest to reduce the influence mold has on our lives so we can all breathe a little easier.
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