Mold

What is Mold?

Molds are ubiquitous in nature, and mold spores are a common component of household dust. The term toxic mold is sometimes used to refer to mold-related indoor air quality problems.

Exposure to significant quantities of mold spores can cause allergic reactions. Under proper growing conditions, some species of molds may generate molecular compounds called mycotoxins. In large quatities or with chronic exposure, mycotoxins can be toxic to humans or animals.

What causes mold?

For significant mold growth to occur, there must be a source of water and a substrate capable of sustaining the growth. Many common building materials, such as carpeting, drywall, and wood, are capable of sustaining mold growth.

Since common building materials are capable of sustaining mold growth and mold spores are ubiquitous, mold growth in an indoor environment is typically related to an indoor water or moisture problem. Leaky roofs, building maintenance problems, or indoor plumbing problems can lead to mold growth inside homes, schools, or office buildings. Another common source of mold growth is flooding.

Symptoms of mold exposure.

Our bodies can tolerate molds and mycotoxins in small quantities. In larger quantities, they can be a health hazard. Because exposure to mycotoxins is relatively rare, allergic effects are more common than toxic effects.

The health effects of mycotoxin exposure are different from allergic reactions to mold spores. Toxic effects can include flu-like symptoms, respiratory problems, headaches, cognitive problems, and skin irritation. Environmental illnesses can be difficult for healthcare practitioners to diagnose.

How to control mold?

The first step in solving an indoor mold problem is stopping the source of moisture. Next is to remove the mold growth. Here are the most common remedies for small occurrences of mold.

* Sunlight

* Ventilation

* Non-porous building materials

* Household cleansers

Significant mold growth may require a professional cleanup service and removal of affected building materials. A conservative strategy is to discard any building materials saturated by the water intrusion or having visible mold growth.

Indoor air quality.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) deals with the health and comfort of the air inside buildings. The IAQ may be compromised by microbial contaminants (mold, bacteria), chemicals, allergens, or any mass or energy stressor that can affect the heath of people or animals. Often the perception is that outdoor air is polluted, but indoor air is acceptable. Many studies and experience show that this isn't always the case.

The topic of IAQ has become popular due to the greater awareness of health problems caused by mold and triggers to asthma and allergies. Awareness has also been increased by the involvement of the Environmental Protection Agency. They have developed an "IAQ Tools for Schools" program to help improve the indoor environmental conditions in educational institutions (see external link below).

The problems stemming from poor indoor air quality has created an industry of consultants specializing in diagnosing, remediating and preventing IAQ complaints. Professionals are often trained or certified by organizations such as the American Industrial Hygiene Association, American Indoor Air Quality Council, Indoor Environmental Institute, Indoor Air Quality Association, and the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization. These consultants perform an IAQ property assessment that may include taking measurements and samples of the air or surfaces inside the building. Instrumentation should be calibrated and samples should be sent to an independent, accredited laboratry. AIHA and A2LA both offer laboratory accreditation programs that relate to indoor air quality.

Mold legal claims.

Cleanup costs for infected ventilation systems can also be very large. It is very difficult to inspect a ventilation system without professional assistance. It is possible that the whole system will have to be replaced, because mold remaining in the system can use the system itself as a gateway to all rooms within the structure.

Toxic Mold Injuries: Legal Theories of Liability

Negligence. Negligence is the most common theory of recovery in mold cases. Negligence is described as the failure of a responsible party to work with the degree of care that a person of reasonable prudence would use under the same or similar circumstances. For example, a contractor in a mold case may be negligent because they failed to use reasonable care in sealing the moisture out of your home or commercial building, and that failure caused an infestation of mold that resulted in illness, structural damage, and/or excessive clean-up costs.

Breach of Warranty. Many states have statutes that require builders and architects to warrant their work for a specified period of time. If your home or commercial building suffers from a mold infestation problem because of faulty workmanship, you may have a warranty claim. You should contact an attorney as soon as you discover mold or water intrusion, as many warranty statutes have time limitations pertaining to when you must bring your claim.

Failure to Disclose. Most states require previous owners to disclose material facts that affect the value or desirability of the property they are selling. If a previous owner knew of a potential mold problem and failed to tell the potential buyer, there may be a failure- to-disclose claim. As with breach of warranty, you should contact an attorney as soon as you discover mold or water intrusion because many laws have time limitations pertaining to when you must bring a failure-to-disclose claim.

Toxic Mold - Get Help Now

If you discover a mold problem in your home, business, or place of employment, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your situation and explore your legal options. Especially in light of complex scientific evidence associated with toxic mold cases, and laws that limit the time in which you may file a potential claim for injuries, speaking with an experienced attorney as soon as possible is the best way to ensure that your legal rights are protected.

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