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Do I have MOLD??

Do you have Hidden MOLD in your Home? Could be Toxin!!
There are more than a million species of the microscopic fungi that we call mold. They perform a
basic biological function of breaking down organic materials and are necessary for the Earth’s
ecological balance. However, they can cause serious health concerns when they permeate one’s
home. Ranging from a scratchy throat or stuffy nose to emphysema or cancer, mold in one’s
environment can contribute to a myriad of ailments, some of which may be life threatening.
Mold contamination is rapidly approaching a level of distinction comparable with lead paint and
asbestos, so it is critical that it is avoided or eliminated in one’s current home or any home you
purchase in the future.
Mold is not a new phenomenon, so why is it becoming so prevalent an issue lately? The very
nature of the homes in which we live contributes to the problem. How many times do we see
mold growing on the outside walls and roofs of houses that are well shaded from the sun’s
drying rays? In addition, we have all been in the musty smelling basements and attics of older
homes. We can logically assume this is due to dirt floor basements and excess moisture in the
homes. So one would thus assume that newly constructed homes would be mold free, but this
supposition is false. In fact we have ourselves to blame. The very government regulations and
specifications required for energy efficiency in new homes mean that they are sometimes being
built too tight, preventing the escape of excess moisture. Care must be taken during construction
to ensure sufficient ventilation throughout the home’s lifetime.
Mold is a relatively simple organism that requires little to thrive. Oxygen, warm temperatures,
food and moisture are all that is necessary. Favorite foods include sheetrock, wood, carpets,
furniture and clothing, basically everything in our homes. Molds are also very robust. A single
mold spore, with favorable conditions, can release trillions of additional spores within a few
days. While physical contact can in a sense ‘infect’ a susceptible person, most exposure is
though the airborne spores that mold constantly gives off as a means to reproduce. Some molds
release toxins from the substrate on which they grow, causing them to be especially dangerous.
There has been a documented case of a highly toxic gas being emitted from mold spores growing
on wallpaper.
Identifying mold as the cause of a home’s inhabitant’s illness is difficult to diagnose and nearly
impossible to predict. Just as every individual has a unique susceptibility to sunburn, everyone
also has a unique tolerance to mold spores. Children and the elderly are more likely to be
adversely affected. Additional factors affecting vulnerability are respiratory problems, allergies,
heart problems and a compromised immune system. Additionally, reactions are affected by
length of exposure and the amount of the mold present. All of this makes rating or predicting a
home’s ‘sickness factor’ impossible. One absolute fact however, is that any mold detected in a
home must be dealt with swiftly before it gets into the walls, clothing and furniture, where it can
rampantly breed.
Cleanup of mold infestation can be complex and expensive, so it usually involves an insurance
claim. As more and more insurance companies look for better risk members, such a claim can be
sufficient reason to drop the covered party. A little known trick that insurance companies play is
that they rate consumers within a Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE).
Originally intended to assist in fraud prevention, this rating now becomes a red flag on the record
of anyone who has filed a claim in the past five years. It can make finding new coverage difficult
and cause premiums to skyrocket.
When purchasing a new home, it is no longer enough to make sure that there is enough closet
space and the neighborhood is good. Potential homeowners must now look for leaky pipes and
wet basements, and be wary of even a slight musty smell in any of the rooms, attic or basement,
all signs that there might be a mold problem. Upon detection of mold, the buyer can negotiate
with the seller for cleanup or can walk away and never look back. Mold does not just disappear,
and it only gets worse with time. It is recommended that all potential homebuyers look for the
presence of mold.
Another significant impact of the prevalence of the mold problem is that rental property owners
are being held liable. Landlords are responsible for providing a safe and healthy place for their
tenants to live, and this includes a mold-free environment. They must eradicate mold in their
properties or risk facing serious legal action from their renters.
Mold is a simple organism that is extremely hearty and robust. It feeds on most of the organic
materials commonly found in homes, and it needs moisture to survive. Causing health problems
in an alarming number of unsuspecting victims, it is approaching a level of distinction
comparable with lead paint and asbestos, and it must be eliminated promptly when detected. For
those who have a choice of purchasing a home with a mold problem, it is wise to consider other
options, as mold does not go away on its own, and it has a tendency to reproduce rampantly.

Our home photos

Second home, bought with hidden mold

First home with hidden mold