Toxic mold problems continue to spread

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Jim Echols calls himself a mold chaser.|ret||ret||tab|

That's because on any given day he can be found en route to a home or business that needs to be tested for toxic mold, which causes a wide variety of health problems.|ret||ret||tab|

Echols, who has a master's degree in industrial safety and is completing work on a second master's degree in industrial hygiene, specializes in toxic mold and works as an indoor air quality specialist for Flappan Consulting Inc., which is based in Overland Park, Kan.|ret||ret||tab|

Echols, who lives in Springfield, travels throughout Missouri and eastern Kansas conducting indoor air quality tests and identifying toxic mold. |ret||ret||tab|

Mold can be found in everything from blue cheese to bathroom grout. However, certain types of mold and mold spores can cause health problems. |ret||ret||tab|

"Some of the toxins in mold have carcinogens in them that have been known to cause cancer," said Echols. "The most common problems people experience, though, are severe headaches, upper respiratory infections, asthma and unexplained nose bleeds. A lot of people I see also are severely allergic to mold."|ret||ret||tab|

Echols said many of his clients contact him after their physician or allergist recommends they get their home or business tested for mold. Others contact him after seeing a television program or reading an article on the subject. |ret||ret||tab|

Although most mold is nonhazardous, certain mold strains including aspergillus, fusarium, penicillium and stachybotrys contain poisons that can affect a person's health if they are inhaled, ingested or come in contact with the skin. |ret||ret||tab|

"You hear a lot about stachybotrys or black mold' these days," he said. "In my opinion, aspergillus is just as bad or worse because it's more prevalent."|ret||ret||tab|

According to Echols, hazardous mold is more likely to be found in areas like southwest Missouri because the region is humid and occasionally experiences heavy rainfall which causes basements to flood or roofs to leak. |ret||ret||tab|

Echols said most mold-related problems can be traced to some form of water damage. In some cases, however, toxic mold can develop from something as simple as installing a humidifier in an air conditioning system.|ret||ret||tab|

"Humidifiers in air conditioning systems provide an ideal environment for mold," said Echols. "There's a lot of moisture, not a lot of light and usually some dirt because people rarely clean out their heating and air conditioning ducts. This dirt acts as a food source for the mold."|ret||ret||tab|

When meeting with a new client for the first time, Echols works to identify the source of the problem. He interviews those who live in the home or work at the business, and he catalogs any health-related problems they are experiencing. He also checks for cracks in the building's foundation or for water damage caused by something such as a leaky water pipe or roof, an overflowing washing machine or a plumbing backup events that encourage the spread of mold.|ret||ret||tab|

Once this is complete, Echols checks the relative humidity, temperature and ventilation system in the building. He also tests for airborne bacteria, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde or other hazards that cause health-related problems. Then he tests for toxic mold.|ret||ret||tab|

Echols often checks carpets and drywall, which contain organic materials mold feeds on. He also uses a "mold trap" to determine if any spores are present in the air. |ret||ret||tab|

Because air is fluid, tests are conducted in each room. Echols said this helps him determine whether the problem is confined to a small area or if it is widespread. |ret||ret||tab|

To protect himself, he sometimes dons rubber gloves, a protective suit and a respirator when conducting tests. Once the testing phase is complete, the samples are cultured and analyzed. If toxic mold shows up on one of the samples, Echols will contact the owner to discuss how to fix the problem.|ret||ret||tab|

"Right now, there's no national standards regarding mold," Echols said. "That's because you can't duplicate your results scientifically. Air is fluid, so the test results will vary about how many mold spores are actually in the air at any given time. People also react differently to mold. One of your co-workers might have a severe reaction, but you feel just fine."|ret||ret||tab|

When advising a client, Echols said he usually errs on the side of caution. If the problem is pervasive, he might advise a client to leave the home altogether. |ret||ret||tab|

Most problems, however, are fixable. Echols refers clients who need mold remediation work to Acqua-Mist Cleaning Systems or Gerken Environ-mental Enterprises Inc., both of which are located in Springfield.|ret||ret||tab|

Monty Sowersby, who co-owns Acqua-Mist with Bruce Michaels, does much of his company's mold abatement and restoration work. Sowersby, a master cleaner and restorer, also is certified to handle hazardous materials and has completed the Indoor Air Quality Association's mold remediation course. |ret||ret||tab|

"Mold abatement has been going on for centuries," said Sowersby. "You can find references to it in the Bible in Leviticus (Chapter 14, verses 33-57)."|ret||ret||tab|

Sowersby estimated he's done mold abatement and remediation work at 50 homes and businesses in the Springfield area within the past year. This work ranges from low-level contamination work covering a small area of approximately 10 square feet to large-scale jobs that encompass several rooms and require tearing out drywall, carpeting or other organic materials that contain toxic mold. Air scrubbers must sometimes be used to remove mold spores and other toxins from the air. |ret||ret||tab|

Sowersby said workers must wear chemical resistant suits and use respirators and other protective equipment when doing mold abatement and remediation work. This protective gear is expensive, as is the cleaning and purifying equipment the company uses. Consequently, mold abatement and remediation work tends to be costly, with jobs ranging in price from $1,000 to $80,000 depending on the size of the area affected and the level of contamination, according to Sowersby. |ret||ret||tab|

The high costs associated with toxic mold remediation have resulted in many lawsuits against builders, former homeowners and insurance companies in recent years. |ret||ret||tab|

Many insurance companies no longer cover mold damage caused by water from excessive humidity, leaks, condensation or flooding because these events are considered to be maintenance issues, according to |bold_on|www.moldupdate.com, a Web site designed and maintained by The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.|ret||ret||tab|

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