Questions, mold linger in Solera homes

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Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Questions, mold linger in Solera homes

Some homeowners don't trust Pulte Homes and demand another company

to conduct cleanup

http://www.vvdailypress.com/2006/11424319851439.html

By LEROY STANDISH Staff Writer

CA.

APPLE VALLEY — Even though months have passed since mold infestation

problems first surfaced in homes that are part of the Solera

community at Jess Ranch, some homeowners are still dealing with mold.

Most residents said they were treated fairly by Pulte Homes, the

builder of the Solera community, and that their mold problems are a

thing of the past.

Other residents have resisted Pulte's efforts to clean their homes

and demanded another company do the cleanup. As a result their homes

still haven't been cleaned.

Tom / Staff Photographer

Gordon Finwall, a San attorney representing three Solera home

owners including Hyung and Kay Bae, speaks about the mold

infestation which showed up in the Bae's home before they were able

to move in.

" My clients don't trust Pulte, " said attorney Gordon Finwall. He

represents three Solera residents who bought their homes in April

and May. The cleanup of their homes will be done by an independent

contractor.

" I have some clients that have health issues; bronchial issues most

scare them. They have heard stories about the mold coming back —

they just want out, " he said.

Many of the homes were under construction during ape- riod of heavy

rains in 2004-05. Drywall, fixtures and insulation placed in some of

the homes were not allowed to dry sufficiently and produced mold in

completed homes. Pulte has since taken measures, such as using

a " dry pack " insulation process, to ensure future homes are not

affected by mold.

Day, who owns mold testing and remediation company Day

and Associates, inspected many of the homes and says he has concerns

that the mold was not cleaned out properly.

" Pulte needs to sit down and have an evaluation by multiple people

and have their process evaluated for the safety of these homeowners

because many of these homeowners are elderly people, " Day said.

Day observed Pulte's mold cleanup process in August and complained

then that it was being done improperly. Workers failed to use proper

ventilation systems and failed to put up sufficient screening to

contain the mold when fixtures were removed for cleaning, he said.

" I went back over there (on Friday) and looked at a house that was

in the remediation stage. Cabinets were removed and exposed mold

growth on the wall with absolutely no containment, " Day said. " So in

my opinion they haven't changed anything. "

Pulte inspected 195 homes. Of those 156 tested positive for mold. So

far Solera has constructed 400 homes and plans on eventually having

close to 1,800 homes in the development.

Remediation for all the infected homes is " nearly " complete,

according to an e-mail from Hearsch, communications director

for Pulte Homes.

" An independent environmental company, EnviroChek, has tested 166

Solera homes six months post remediation (including several homes

that did not test positive to begin with, just to ensure that mold

had not developed) and 154 of those 166 have tested 'clean' with

results still pending on the other 12, " Hearsch wrote. " So the

remediation process has been highly effective. "

Neither Pulte nor Day knows of anyone who has become ill from the

mold.

" It doesn't necessarily matter what type of mold it is, it is the

person that is breathing it, " Day said. " If the concentrations of

the mold are so high in the residence and if these people are

elderly, have small children, or have health issues there are many

different types of mold that affect people differently. "