Monday Morning Mold Septebmer 20, 2004

September 20, 2004

Dear C,

Happy Monday. I have a couple of stories about Nancy Davis, the lady in Massachusetts with the mold problems. Can you believe that some joker broke in, damaged the house, and changed the locks? They think it was someone working for one of the organizations considering foreclosing on the condo. Nancy's on her way to testify in Washington, D.C. about mold issues. She'll testify on Wednesday.

Wondering how Swift Boat Veterans for Justice is connected to mold? See "Mold & Insurance." This week's photo is Cladosporium, from the Ulster Professional Engineering website.

PEPPERELL -- The owners of the vacant, mold- infested duplex at 20A and B Shawnee Road that has been making headlines for several months called police at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon to investigate a break-in at the property that left windows broken, the rear door ajar, and pieces of interior walls broken off.

Nancy and Rick Davis were told by former neighbors that two unidentified men carrying monkey wrenches had broken basement windows, kicked in the front door and removed chunks of interior wall board in plastic bags.

PEPPERELL Nancy Davis paid particular attention to the speeches at this past summer's Republican and Democratic national conventions. She has a big political message of her own to deliver.

Davis, a victim of toxic mold that infested her Shawnee Road home and made it unlivable, was to board a plane today for Washington, D.C., where she will tell her story at a Congressional press conference and briefing on Wednesday.

Owners of Hurricane Charley-damaged homes persevere each day with obvious losses of blown-out windows and temporary tarp roofs, ever wishful for their routine-filled lives of a few weeks ago.

But they can't ignore the possibility of mold, a sly intruder in their homes that can cause severe respiratory problems a few weeks or months from now.

Dear Energy Adviser: I recently received a bid for cleaning my furnace ducts. They don't look that dirty, but the technician said I should have them cleaned, and then handed me a bid for more than $500. Is this the normal charge? It seems high. Is duct cleaning really necessary?

Answer: As more homeowners become concerned about indoor air quality and the health impacts of mold and mildew growth, many are turning to duct cleaners.

Five custodians have filed notices of claim against the Harrison school district, saying work conditions at Louis M. Klein Middle School exposed them to toxic substances that caused respiratory problems, headaches, infertility, memory loss and other chronic ailments.

The claimants - head custodian Vito Faga Jr., Suzan Alfano, Joey Pinto, Nicholas Vaccaro and Timothy Zuccarelli - plan to sue in state Supreme Court in White Plains. They are asking for damages, district- funded medical testing for others with symptoms, and assurance that the school is safe.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- More than a year after floodwaters swamped dozens of homes along the St. Marys River, officials are ready to buy and raze several of the houses.

Mayor Graham Richard said Friday that city officials expected to begin closing this week on the purchase of several homes damaged by the July 2003 floods.

This is a very helpful website by the California Department of Health Services (DHS). Yes, it's an official government organization. Here's the start of a paper about interpreting stachybotrys serology (blood) tests:

Recently, both scientific inquiry and national news media attention have raised concerns about possible health consequences of human exposure to indoor mold growth. Much of this concern has been generated by discovery of toxigenic mold species in water-damaged buildings. Although not supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2000), recurring news coverage suggesting a link between the fungus, Stachybotrys chartarum (S. chartarum), and a series of infant pulmonary hemorrhage cases in Ohio continues to generate public anxiety about possible toxic fungal exposure in homes, schools and workplaces. Toxigenic fungi, including S. chartarum, may or may not produce toxins depending on several factors, including the specific fungal strain and the organic substrate it is metabolizing. Thus, isolation of a potentially toxigenic fungus from a building does not indicate that occupants have actually been exposed to mycotoxins. As there are no readily available methods to test building air or materials for mycotoxins, some patients have sought their physicians' help to determine if they have been exposed to toxic indoor fungi.

Some of the displaced staff at the Los Alamos Police Department are anticipating their move back into the department's main building after the removal of potentially hazardous mold that was discovered at the station last year. Employees will be able to move back into their renovated offices at the end of next week, said County Engineering Manager Wayne Kohlrust.

"The project is essentially complete," he said. "We're just replacing ceiling tile." The tile, which was not damaged by the mold, is being replaced because of normal wear and tear.

St. Lucie County schools will remain closed next week so a nationally recognized industrial hygiene company can send 500 workers to clean up mold.

The work will cost more than $2 million, and a mixture of state and federal sources will finance the project, Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon said Friday.

When Delores Rollins bought her dream home in the Hart Ranch subdivision off De Zavala Road seven years ago, she had no idea the purchase would draw her into the state and national political fray.

But now, after dealing with cracks in the walls, floors and driveway, a dispute about a fence, leaks in the roof and a mold problem, Rollins believes she has wound up on the short end of a long-term effort by Texas homebuilders to protect themselves from paying for their mistakes.

FROM THE HOME PAGE: Most interior mold is a byproduct of water reacting with modern construction materials such as drywall paper, carpeting, wallpaper backings and particleboard. Although the existence of the simple fungus has been documented since biblical days, modern structures, which are sealed to keep in heat and air conditioning, encourage the growth of mold.

Because mold can't grow without a source of water - typically from slow-leaking pipes or other water intrusion - it's usually simple to remove/repair the source and clean up the mold. Mold is often a maintenance issue. When you stop the water, you stop the potential for mold.

This site is full of information on mold, and includes a couple of toll free emotional support numbers. It has a collection of personal stories, which helps explain why people get concerned about mold issues. It's very helpful to understand why people are so personally concerned about the issue, no matter what "side" you are on.

Click "interactive house" on the left hand menu. This is really cool. A photo of a house appears on the screen, with yellow dots. Click a yellow dot for information on preventing water intrusion at a certain area of the house. For example, click on the chimney to see what makes a good chimney cap.

This website has funny - but clean - jokes. Don't be afraid to take your grandmother here.

Here are some Perfect English translations from the site: