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Real estate’s newest foe
Should I be concerned about mold?
By Dian Hymer
Inman News Features
December 30, 2002
Recently the purchaser of an Oakland, Calif., townhouse discovered he had a
leaky skylight. While repairing the interior damage caused by the leak, he found
mold growing inside the walls. What started as a simple repair turned into a
complicated and costly abatement project.
Another prospective buyer, who'd heard about toxic mold, had the Piedmont,
Calif., home he intended to buy tested for mold before he removed his inspection
contingency. There were no visual signs of mold, but there was a musty odor in
the downstairs of the house. The buyer paid about $600 to have air samples
collected, which revealed that toxic mold was indeed present.
The buyer decided to go through with the purchase, but only after he talked with
several contractors about how to deal with the problem. The seller agreed to
lower the purchase price for the buyer to help offset the cost of mold
remediation.
Mold is the latest environmental hazard issue to concern the residential housing
industry. It's not the first. In the early 1980's, people were hysterical about
asbestos in the home. The advice from professionals at that time was to hire
environmental hazard abatement contractors to get rid of the stuff. Years later,
it was decided it was risky to remove asbestos from a home. Now, in many cases,
the advice is to seal the asbestos in place, if it's in good condition.
The mold issue is new. And, there is a high level of concern about the subject.
It's understandable if you consider recent news stories of homeowners who had to
vacate their homes because they became sick after they discovered mold growing
in their home. Occasionally you hear about mold contamination that's so
intrusive that an entire structure must be demolished to remove the problem.
There is a lot we don't know about mold. But, here's what we do know. Mold and
mold spores are virtually everywhere; there is no practical way to completely
eradicate mold in a home. Some people are allergic to mold. And there's
anecdotal evidence to suggest that toxic molds may be a bigger health concern.
But currently, there are no Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards to
indicate what is considered a safe, or unsafe, level of airborne mold
contaminants.
HOUSE HUNTING TIP: As a homeowner or potential home buyer, you should be aware
of the potential hazards related to mold so that you can make an educated
decision about what to do about the problem. Mold does not grow in dry,
well-ventilated places. Mold requires moisture to grow. The key to controlling
indoor mold is to control the moisture in your home.
Leaky pipes, roof leaks, drainage problems, leaky doors and windows, and
showering without opening a window or using an exhaust fan can all lead to
moisture buildup and mold growth. According to the EPA, mold can be washed off
hard surfaces using detergent and water. Absorbent materials that become moldy,
such as sheetrock, carpet and ceiling tiles, may have to be replaced in order to
get rid of the problem.
The EPA recommends lowering the humidity level in a home to the 30-60 percent
range in order to decrease mold growth. This can be achieved by venting
bathrooms and dryers to the outside, using air conditioners and de-humidifiers,
increasing ventilation (for instance, in a basement or crawl space), and using
exhaust fans when cooking and dishwashing.
The best defense against mold contamination is to be proactive and take steps to
reduce the moisture level in your home.
THE CLOSING: For more information about mold, visit the EPA Web site at
www.epa.gov. Enter "mold" in the search box and select "go."
Dian Hymer is author of "House Hunting, The Take-Along Workbook for Home
Buyers," and "Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide," Chronicle Books. |
