Environmental Issue & Sick Building Syndrome Blog

This story starts with a second story window, split open window sill and spaces between the brick openings. These had gone unnoticed before we arrived.

It appeared that the dining room window was the source of a leak. The actual leak was in a second story window above the dining room. The people who first looked at the dining room mold problem had wrongly assumed that the leak was caused by the dining room window. It is experience and proper training that teaches us to look at all of the possible sources of leakage above a leak.

(Rule #27: Water goes down-hill and always consider additional possible

sources/causes above a leak).

The homeowner said that water poured through the dining room wall in driving rains. He had he water stains, wet drywall and mold to prove the point. The paper face that is part of the drywall in the room was great food for mold, as was the wood framing inside of the wall.

By the way, there was visible mold. It was that fuzzy green mold that is typical of bread that has spent about a week too long in the bread drawer. The call was about the mold and remediation.

There is a very important part of this story that I have not told you yet. One of the homeowners is an organ transplant recipient. What most people don’t know is that patients on immunosuppression therapy (anti organ rejection drugs) are very susceptible to potentially fatal mold health complications.

Mold exposure is a big deal in hospitals, but many people are just not aware of the issue. If you think back, you probably remember that mold deaths from hospital mold exposure in organ transplant patients has made the national news. In fact, some of those deaths have recently resulted in multi-million dollar settlements from hospitals to families of patients who have died from hospital acquired mold exposures.

Here is What We Know So Far:

• Mold is very bad for organ transplant patients
• Water leaks cause mold
• Even if you clean the mold, it can (will) return if the leak is not resolved
• It would have been the typical procedure of some remediators to clean the mold. Then they would get to another job down the road to come clean the mold again.

This is What Needs Done:

• Test for the amount and type of mold (it is critical to know the risk to transplant patient and others in the home)
• Locate the cause of the water intrusion
• Clean the mold
• Test to make sure the mold is clean. (Mold can be in hidden areas)

When it is important……Especially, when it is “life or death” important… (but from our perspective the health of all of our clients is important) …………..you need to call experts trained in the science of environmental exposures who know the right path forward. You need and deserve and to have professionals that understand the issues and can get you to a healthy environment.

Go to our website   www.Envirospect.com for more information or to arrange an assessment of your home.