The Daily Advertiser reports that many Louisiana homeowners are battling toxic mold, also known as black mold. Mold spores can be found almost anywhere, and they can grow on virtually any substance, as long as moisture is present.
Following the article, a reader tells the tale of a whole family that got sick after they moved into a house that had previously been flooded
The unfortunate down-play by the CDC and the Environment of Protection Agency with usage of choice wordings that implies mildew/mold only affect a certain sensitive population of people may be the reason why homeowners and the general public are not aware of the dangers of these hazard microscopic organisms. However, the severe health affects mildew/mold have on the human population remains. But, I am thankful for others like yourself who are getting the word out and alwerting the public. Currently, I work in an environment that daily smells of musty mildew/mold. Yet, I and another co-worker are the ones who complains more and is affected more oftens by the harzardous air quality. My sensitivity causes chronic sinusitis. I cannot endure the smell of mildew/mold in people clothings or inside buildings. Therefore, because of the CDC and Environmental Protection Agency down-play, I am constantly plague with mildew/mold in the environment.
I need to know all there is to know about mold and mildew
Hi Shawan,
Here's a good starting point:
Mold & Mildew Solution Guide
Email me at [email protected] if you have any specific questions.”
We rent a 4 bedroom home, 2 bathrooms, fireplace, basketball court..We LOVE the place and location..Problem is that the basement flooded a month ago..The landlord seemed surprised” that it did..When WE pulled the soaked carpet out, the neighbors told us that's why the last family left..Like I mentioned, it has been a FULL month and it keeps flooding..We live in Iowa and it's been very humid and raining a lot..I'm worried about mold..They(landlord) keeps putting us off, telling us the cement people will be here and never show up..My youngest was born with a cleft lip and palate, has had an ear infection (bad enough that it actually bleeds) for a month..Now my husbands 3 kids are here from TX, one with terrible allergies..With a basement being damp, with some water in the basement, shouldn't we worry about heath risks? We're beyond frustrated and now VERY worried! Can anyone help or give us suggestions?”
Yes! You should definitely worry about health risks! You should get your child's ear infection checked out by a specialist if you have not already; it could even be a fungal infection (possibly from Aspergillus mold in the carpet) rather than a bacterial infection. Or, the mold could be making a bacterial infection even worse.
Many years ago, my parents faced the same problem with a house that they bought. The previous owners never mentioned the flooding problem, but neighbors later let my parents know that the basement of the house had flooded many times before. (I can still remember walking downstairs days after a big flood and smelling the unpleasant odor of mold and mildew intermingled with carpet shampoo.)
Afer the bottom level of the house flooded for the second time, my dad decided to do something about it. He solved the problem with creative landscaping. He used large wooden railroad ties (cross ties) stacked on top of each other to create a wall between the house and the nearby drainage ditch. The wall consisted of two stacks of railroad ties (about two feet high); he filled the gap between the two stacks (which was about two feet wide) with soil, and then he planted shrubbery in the gap. The roots helped to hold everything in place. Next time the drainage ditch flooded, the creative landscaping kept the house from flooding. So you may want to look around the yard and see if you can do anything about the source of the flooding. You may want to contact your city or county and see if they can do anything to help. Sometimes they can solve the problem by, for instance, expanding a drainage ditch that is not big enough to accomodate all of the water from a heavy rain. If you complain enough, someone will listen.
But since you are renting your home, your landlord should really be trying to solve this problem for you. I recommend that you speak with an attorney about your rights as a tenant. You can probably find a lawyer who will provide you with a free initial consultation. (Some attorneys even specialize in litigation involving adverse health effects from mold.) Also, do some research on your own and see what your rights are! In most cases, your landlord is required to make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to keep your premises in a fit and habitable condition. After you do some research and speak to an attorney, you could perhaps deliver a written complaint to your landlord, stating that you have spoken with an attorney and that you are providing written notice that the landlord's noncompliance with the rental agreement is affecting your health and safety. According to Iowa code 562A.21, it looks like you can set a seven-day time limit for your landlord to make necessary repairs – and then you could terminate the lease agreement if repairs are not made on time. See the full text of the Iowa code here:
562A.21 Noncompliance by the landlord-in general – as part of Chapter Iowa's Chapter 562A Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law.
I strongly suggest that you consult an attorney before taking any action (don't trust my word, as I am not an attorney!) – but be aware that you do have rights as a tenant, and do some research on your own.
In the meantime, you can also do what you can to make sure everyone avoids exposure to the mold. It sounds like you've already pulled out the soaked carpet. That's the first step. I would clean the area with M-1 House Wash and put down a layer of M-1 Sure Cote Mold & Mildew Resistant Sealant. You should wear a mask while cleaning, especially if you can actually see mold growth. Wheneve”