During the past several years, there has been increasing
discussion and concern regarding mold and mildew in buildings and
possible resulting "sick building" syndrome, the physical effects
of biological growth in buildings on buildings' occupants. This
topic is not new; the recent furor appears to have started several
years ago after CBS' "48 Hours" aired a news segment about toxic
mold titled "Invisible Killers."
Since then, there have been an alarming number of mold-related
claims and lawsuits filed by building owners in California. But the
claims are not limited to the West Coast. In Chicago, for example,
NRCA has received reports that a $250,000 residence recently was
torn down and another residence is undergoing more than $160,000 in
repairs as a result of mold claims. In these cases, roof leakage
and moisture infiltration from ice damming specifically are
cited.
Mold and mildew often are used as colloquial terms for many
types of biological growth from any number of fungi species. For
such biological growth to occur, mold spores must be present; a
sufficient nutrient base must be available; temperatures must be
between 40 F and 100 F (4 C and 38 C); and there needs to be
moisture. Mold spores almost always are present in interior and
exterior air, and almost all commonly used building materials can
support mold growth. In addition, buildings' interior temperatures
usually are within the ideal range for fungi growth. Therefore,
attempting to control moisture typically is viewed as the most
practical way to...
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