FEATURE ARTICLE, FEBRUARY 2008

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE: MOLD
Mold and the problems it can cause.
Greg C. Moriates, CHMM

Environmental consultants are faced with a forever changing industry that is influenced not only by state and federal law, but by the needs of real estate brokers, real estate attorneys, insurance providers, lenders and health care professionals.  Since each industry has different needs, the environmental industry is being lead down different paths for environmental issues and requirements. A primary example is how environmental assessments have been changed to include mold assessments. 

Mold first became an issue in the 1990’s when Farmer’s Insurance Group paid a $32 million dollar judgment to a Houston, Texas, homeowner who claimed that her insurance company failed to identify a mold problem that she had reported. This was followed by a $600,000 homeowner’s claim by Erin Brockovich for the presence of “toxic mold” in her house. Worker exposure to mold became an issue in commercial facilities when a $400 million dollar class-action lawsuit was filed by employees of the New Museum of Contemporary Art of New York alleging immune system dysfunction due to mold exposure, and when the Hawaiian Hilton closed greater than 450 guest rooms after observing mold growth.

Even though mold exposure studies are currently being conducted, evidence of adverse health effects is limited. Initial research shows that exposure to mold may cause health symptoms such as seasonal allergies, neurological disorders and potentially death in certain worst case scenarios. The health effects in humans are dependent on may situations such as,  but not limited to the type, duration and concentrations of mold observed, which is also known as a dose response. The sensitivity of the person exposed also plays a role in symptoms experienced.

For example, two individuals of the same age, weight and height can experience symptoms ranging from severe allergies to no symptoms at all. Because there is a range of symptoms and each exposure symptom is based on a wide range of variables, it is often difficult to determine the exact long and/or short term of exposure effects.  Many mold related complaints are disproved when the individual was determined to have seasonal allergy symptoms to pollen instead of mold spores.

In order for mold to grow, mold spores need a moisture source, a food source (leaves, drywall wood, dirt), and a place to grow.  On average, mold spores can begin to grow in situations where food and moisture sources are maintained for 48 hours or greater.  Based on these situations, it is likely to observe mold growth in an indoor environment such as but not limited to basements, dishwasher cabinets, areas of roof leaks, crawl spaces, behind wall paper, and any other place that maintains the proper conditions for mold growth.

As a result of the increase of mold litigation from homeowners, contractors and employees, lending institutions and insurance underwriters are now requiring that visual mold assessments along with analytical mold assessments are performed to determine if a potential exposure that may lead to mold related litigation is prevalent. 

Mold assessments depend on the clients needs and the situation that is present within the mold laden environment. A basic mold assessment consists of visual observation of water leaks, moisture areas and areas that may show signs of mold growth. The inspector may also utilize a moisture meter to determine if certain building materials are within a certain moisture range that may promote mold growth, and the environmental professional will collect interior relative humidity and temperature readings to determine if interior conditions are likely to permute mold growth. 

A more comprehensive assessment may be warranted in certain situations. This may consist of but not limited to the following:

Bulk Sampling - Bulk sampling consists of utilizing various collection methods such as swab tests, tape lifts, or physically removing a small section of the impacted building material. This sample is then analyzed to determine spore count and the presence of certain spores. Since there are currently no regulatory guidance value(s) for mold types and concentrations, bulk sampling results document the type of mold that is present. The environmental professional then documents the individual’s symptoms to make a correlation to the mold spore present.

Air Sampling – Air sampling consists of drawing a specific volume of air through the designated collection media. The air sample collected documents the concentrations of mold spores inside and outside a building.  Since there are currently no regulatory guidance value(s) for mold air sampling, the sample collected outside the facility is utilized as a control and compared with the interior concentrations.  Normally, concentrations inside should be lower than outside (actual concentrations levels vary based on the season and weather conditions that are present during air sample collection). Based on the spore concentrations, the environmental processional will determine if interior spore concentrations in air are elevated.

Moreover, if the environmental professional determines that remedial action will be warranted to eliminate or minimize mold exposure, various methods are utilized.  The remedial action ranges from cleaning and power washing to full removal within a controlled enclosed environment. Prices can range from hundreds to hundred of thousands of dollars based on the conditions of the mold impacted environments.

It is important to note that if you are in the process of buying or leasing a building, it is imperative that a mold assessment is completed as part of your environmental assessment. This will not only save you time and aggravation but will identify potential litigation. Since this is an unregulated industry, it is equally important to get multiple professional opinions prior to performing the remedial action.

Greg C. Moriates, CHMM, is the president of Expedited Environmental Services, Inc.

©2008 France Publications, Inc. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from France Publications, Inc. For information on reprints of this article contact Barbara Sherer at (630) 554-6054.