Toxic mold devastates homeowners

[Guest guest]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/593696.asp

Toxic mold devastates homeowners

What can be done to address and even prevent the problem?

By O'Donnell

NBC NEWS

June 28 - First it was radon, then asbestos. Now there's a new household

scare that's attracting wide attention and costing money: toxic mold. In its

basic form, mold is all around us, part of daily life. But all of a sudden

insurance companies are under siege with claims from homeowners who are

getting sick, even being driven out of their houses, they say, by mold

contamination that could cost billions of dollars to clean up.

IT'S INSIDIOUS, unsightly and inescapable - fungus.

" Mold is essentially everywhere. It's on building surfaces and it

flows through the air continually, " says Dr. Straus, a microbiologist

at Texas Tech University.

And it's increasingly a threat to your home and your health.

" This had been our dream home, " says owner Melinda Ballard. " Now of

course is nothing more than a nightmare. "

Mold invaded Melinda Ballard's Texas home. This mess began with a

bathroom plumbing leak, she says, her home owners insurance failed to

properly fix.

Mold thrives on moisture and quickly spread through her house, hidden

inside walls.

Specific mold recommendations

Keep humidity level in house below 50%

Use air conditioner or dehumidifier during humid months

Be sure home has adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans in kitchen

and bathrooms

Use mold inhibitors which can be added to paints

Clean bathroom with mold-killing products

Do not carpet bathrooms

Remove and replace flooded carpets

Center for Disease Control

" This is what comes out of it, " says Ballard. " This is stachybotrys. "

Her home was so infested, she claims mold caused her family neurological

problems. A Texas jury decided her insurer committed fraud and mishandled

her claim, awarding her $32 million. Farmers insurance may appeal.

Stachybotrys is considered toxic mold.

" We know exactly how dangerous the microtoxins produced by this

organism are. They are extremely dangerous, " says Dr. Straus.

It's so dangerous, it's listed in a military manual as an agent of

" biological warfare. " Experts say a small exposure at home can make you

sick.

" Such things as nose bleeds, vomiting hair loss, diarrhea, cognitive

dysfunction and hearing loss. Very serious health implications, " says Dr.

Straus.

Who's at risk? Anyone with water damage, a roof leak, broken pipes,

or flooding.

CDC, EPA

Experts say mold growth may be getting worse because some cheaper

construction materials like plywood and plasterboard are mold-friendly when

wet. A bleach-and-water solution can kill some mold but serious cases can be

unstoppable.

In Eugene, Ore., one family resorted to fire to eliminate toxic mold.

They'll rebuild and start over.

There may be another solution at Texas Tech University. Researchers

are working on a coating for new building materials they claim prevents mold

growth. But it's too late for Melinda Ballard. Her home will be torn down.

More mold information

Links to other sources

. CDC: Questions and answers on toxic molds

.. EPA: Controlling moisture in your home

.. EPA: Schools, mold and indoor air quality