The subject
of mold continues to be a touchy subject. But the vast varieties of molds we know
today have been with us since the beginning of the world, making it a subject
not likely to go away anytime soon.
During my
career in the indoor air quality business, I have seen a vast amount of information
released about the subject - some good and some bad. From an issue once taken
for granted by the majority of contractors, mold has evolved into a major financial
burden for contractors, the real estate industry, and the insurance industry.
Unfortunately, the response to controlling the excess mold claims has been slow
in coming, although insurance companies now say they are no longer footing the
bill.
The health
danger of mold lies in its toxicity and the allergic response they can cause.
For the majority of people, penicillin - a drug derived from the mold Penicillium
sp.- continues to be a powerful drug to help combat infection. But for those allergic
to penicillin and the Penicillium sp. molds, their effects can be lethal. Does
that make this mold a "toxic mold" since it is only dangerous to those
with a particular allergic reaction to it? It shows that at times the word "toxic"
can be misconstrued. We have to consider the question "Toxic to whom?"
As vast
as the problems mold can cause are, it is surprising to see how little it takes
to generate mold growth. Regardless of the type of mold, there are three essentials
needed to spurn growth:
1) Moisture, in the form of water, condensation, or humidity; 2) Organic Nutrient
Source, provided by dirt, dust, sheet rock, or animal hair; and 3) Mold Spores,
which occur almost everywhere in nature and can enter a structure simply via a
gust of wind or on a person's clothing. If these three ingredients are put together
in the correct environment - like that of a wall cavity, an air conditioning plenum,
or an attic, mold growth is probable. Once this mold growth begins, spores produced
to spread the mold begin to be released, causing the mold colony to continue its
growth not only in the initial area, but also in other areas of the structure
where the right conditions are being met.
Unfortunately
for some contractors, the financial troubles brought about by mold can be more
devastating than any allergic reaction. For the homeowner or building manager,
mold is often suggested to be the leading contributor to illnesses in building
occupants, although there is little evidence to support this idea. In fact, there
are no nationally accepted studies that prove mold to be lethal to all people.
If mold
is discovered in a building, infestations can lead to part or all of a building
having to be destroyed in order to remove the growth. Before this removal process
begins, though, it is important to find the initial source of the problem - primarily
the water intrusion that began the problem. For a plumber, it is possible that
a leaky water pipe gone unnoticed during a routine inspection could be the water
intrusion source. For the HVAC contractor, it could be an overflowing drainage
pan continuously dripping water onto the ceiling. Regardless of which contractor
role you hold, water intrusions that come as a result of or left unchecked during
your work can be blamed for the mold problem. For you, this could mean that you
now become a participant in the funding for the mold clean up.
The mold
industry and all that it has spurned is constantly in a state of flux and will
continue to change dramatically as new laws and regulations are adopted. It might
appear that the only contractors benefiting from mold are the remediation companies
who remove the contamination. But even this industry is beginning to see troubles
of their own, as changes in the insurance industry affect how mold claims are
to be paid. As current homeowner insurance policies come up for renewal, new basic
policies will no longer cover mold claims, closing the deep pockets that have
paid millions of dollars in claims over the past three years. But even though
there are changes upcoming in the financing of mold clean up, this does not mean
that the mold problem goes away. It just means someone other than the insurance
companies is going to have to pay for the damages. This burden could end up on
the homeowners themselves. If so, homeowners will start to pay more attention
to the people working in the home who might potentially cause water intrusions
in their home. In playing the "blame game", homeowners may find it necessary
to assign the blame to some other company to help foot the remediation bill.
As the responsibility
for mold damage begins to shift, it is important to understand that the effects
of mold go beyond just indoor air quality. The economic risks that can occur if
your business is seen as the cause of the mold problem can be equally as bad financially.
What was once a small leak in a bathroom pipe might become a $17,000 bill for
replacement of the entire bathroom if the contractor was believed to have overlooked
or caused the leak.
Since moisture
is the most controllable element in mold growth, it is vital for contractors in
the plumbing, HVAC and electrical industries to learn all they can about mold
and how their work figures into the equation. Even the electrician who does not
report a water leak he sees in a wall cavity during a rewiring of a home might
be held liable for damages. This learning should include how to know if mold growth
is present prior to work beginning; understand how molds form and spread; and
what the contractor can do to protect himself from the health and economic risks
posed. It is worthwhile to invest time in education, seeking advice on projects,
and allying with someone who can assist when mold problems arise.
