Mold – Things Gone Wrong

1. Mold – Things Gone Wrong Tom Hamilton, CIH OccuHealth, Inc. 44 Wood Avenue Mansfield, MA 02048 800-729-1035 t_hamilton@occuhealth.com

2. Mold – Things Gone Wrong Purpose is to present a situation where the mold got out of control due to: • Homeowner/Owner Ignorance • Remediation Contractor Blunders • Disagreement between insurance company and owner in regard to coverage for water and mold damage due to owner negligence.

5. Health Effects • Media headlines and inaccurate information lead to occupant paranoia, distrust and a sense of helplessness.

6. Where Is Mold? • All surfaces and well as the indoor air contain mold spores and are not sterile • Mold spores grow from moisture in combination with a nutrient. Nutrients can be common household dust, wood, paper, etc.

7. Health Effects • Nearly everyone responds differently • No one knows the exact exposure that ‘sensitizes’ people • In general, many fungi are allergenic • More than 60 species are known to produce allergens that cause hay fever and asthma.

8. “Risky Molds” • Stachybotrys chartarum • Aspergillus Versicolor • Aspergillus Fumigatis • Aspergillus Flavus • Fusarium moniliforme Finding amplifications of these molds indoors is not typical and requires a risk management decision.

9. ACGIH Bioaerosol Position • There are no TLVs for interpreting environmental measurements of… • Total fungi found • Specific culturable or countable molds • Infections agents • Assayable biological contaminants – MVOCs, antigens, etc.

10. Total Bioaerosols - Problems • There are no established exposure limits for molds • Human responses range from none to serious for a material, therefore, an appropriate exposure limit for one bioaerosol may be entirely inappropriate for another. • It is not possible to collect and evaluate all bioaerosol components using a single sampling method. • Information relating bioaerosol concentrations to health effects is generally insufficient to describe exposure response.

11. Guidelines on Molds • AIHA • Health Canada • NYC Department of Health: Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments, 2000. • ACGIH • WHO

13. Case Study – Home in MA • Homeowner left for vacation • Came back and found water from broken heater pipe in basement level was flooding lower level • Owner panicked and drove to Logan airport, flew to Minneapolis • Neighbors reported water running down driveway to town water department ~2 weeks later

14. Case Study • Town water department shut off water • Owner finally returned ~4 weeks later to find something like this….. • At this time she finally called her insurance company.

24. Air Testing With Airocells • Air Testing for total airborne mold spores was conducted • Results show very high levels of airborne mold spores, especially Aspergillus • All persons entering home must wear PPE

25. Case Study - Remediation • Remediation plan involved gutting the entire home, three stories - contents • Insurance company considered rejecting claim, and public adjuster threatened lawsuit • Homeowner was put on drugs and nearly had nervous breakdown • Industrial hygienist was used as a pawn between adjusters – why?

26. Closure • Home was eventually cleaned and rebuilt • Industrial Hygienist got paid, most friends believe he dodged a bullet (like Neo in the Matrix) • Remediation contractor still waiting to be paid (since 2003)

27. Finding Mold • Moisture – water reservoirs or building materials wet more then 48 hours • Nutrients – dirt, dust, soiled surfaces, carpets, wood, latex paint, drywall • Lack of Ventilation – lack of disturbance, lack of competing molds

28. General Remediation Actions • Fix the moisture cause that led to the growth • Remove moldy materials under negative pressure containment in such a manner that dusts and spores are not dispersed into adjacent clean or occupied areas • Biocide treatment or encapsulation of moldy surfaces does no substitute for physical removal of the contaminants • Remove all fine particles from the formerly moldy area through damp wiping and/or HEPA vacuuming prior to installation of new finishes in the occupied space

29. Remediation • How to remediate • Use negative air, use positive air, have a neutral zone • Does it have to be removed? • Clean it, spray it, encapsulate it

30. Being Proactive • Document everything

31. Being Proactive • Eliminate water accumulations and dampness • Keep interior RH less than 60% • Avoid the use of fleecy extended surface materials where dampness occurs • Dry building infrastructure as rapidly as possible following a leak or a flood • Develop a plan of action for dealing with moisture problems such as spills or floods. Remove moisture hidden within the building infrastructure.

32. Being Proactive - Checklist • Is there evidence of current or past water damage? • Is visible mold present on interior finishes and construction materials? • Are moisture problems evident in the building envelope? • Is there evidence of hidden microbial growth, such as musty odors? • Do moisture levels indicate a problem with RH levels? • Are porous materials such as carpet and insulation present in damp areas?

34. Tom Hamilton, CIH OccuHealth, Inc. 44 Wood Avenue Mansfield, MA 02048 800-729-1035 t_hamilton@occuhealth.com