The Growing Mold Problem

Why is mold becoming an increasing problem? Should consumers be able to test for mold on their own? The answers to these questions will become obvious as we look at the several factors that arose in the last half of the twentieth century. Several factors have come together to make mold a major growing problem in the twenty first century. Building materials used in homes and businesses have changed in the last half of the twentieth century. Insurance coverage of mold damage has been dropped by most insurance companies. Now there is no insurance coverage for homes, businesses and public facilities. This loss of insurance coverage has also hit home builders.

Home and business interior walls at one time were finished with lath and plaster. The lime in the plaster was not hospitable to mold. The paint used to include lead which is toxic to mold. The new building product “sheet rock” is covered on both sides by a paper product which mold loves to consume, if it gets wet. The paints used today are mostly water based and mold loves to eat the paint, if it gets wet. Some insulation and ceiling tile products are also consumable by mold, if they get wet. Homes and businesses today are much better insulated and air tight. Mold flourishes with low levels of ventilation.

With the higher incidences of mold growing in homes and businesses caused by water leaks from various causes, consumers and their doctors began to realize their allergies or asthma may be caused by mold. Mold produces spores which are invisible to the naked eye. According to the American Industrial Hygiene Association, “All fungi are allergenic.” Allergenic reactions to mold include asthma, bronchitis, hypersensitivity, rhinitis, pneumonitis and conjunctivitis. Molds can cause infections in some people. One infection is athlete’s foot. Other infections, such as Histoplasmosis and aspergillosis are acquired by inhaling or being exposed to specific mold spores.

Mold is a fungus which produces seeds or spores. These spores float in the air. A high concentration level of mold spores is a problem for everyone but reactions vary from one individual to the next. Some forms of mold produce poisons called “mycotoxins.” These molds do not always produce mycotoxins but when they do the mycotoxins kill other mold species and bacteria. The mycotoxins are harmful to humans. Molds can create gases called microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). The gases give molds their characteristic smell. According to the EPA, they have “been linked to symptoms such as headaches, nasal irritation, dizziness, fatigue and nausea.”

During the 1980’s and 1990’s considerable litigation occurred thoughout the United States with large numbers of cases in Texas. The litigation began to spread through out the Country. Insurance companies were unable to pinpoint the future cost of covering these losses for home owners and businesses. As a result during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s insurance companies dropped coverage for losses resulting from mold damage.

The determination of mold levels and mold species has historically been left to professionals to determine. Standards were developed for sample gathering and laboratory processing. An organization was created by some laboratories to set these standards. This organization is the “Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO). IESO developed the “Standards of Practice for the Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality.” In these Standards is “Volume 1: Mold Sampling Assessment of Mold Contamination.” These Standards cover sampling and lab processing procedures. David Bell, Phd. is COO of H Chek’s laboratory and a member of H Chek’s advisory board. He is a member of the Board of Directors of IESO and a member of its Standard’s setting Committee.

Professionals have began to operate through out the Country to serve home and business owners to gather samples of mold spores and tell them what they have growing. Many businesses have developed to provide mold remediation (removing mold damage, disinfection, clean up and repair). The cost of the testing for mold by professionals can reach to several hundred dollars. Professionals often use an air sampling procedure to sample. The air sample gathering procedures used are governed by IESO Standards. Professionals also use dust gathering and Petri dish procedures which are covered by other IESO standards.