Dangers Of Mold

While mold is prevalent in our area year-round due to high humidity levels, it is at its highest levels outdoors in the fall. It collects and grows in gutters, soil, vegetation, rotting wood and fallen leaves.

Inside, any moisture problem can potentially lead to mold problems. It has emerged as a major culprit in recent real estate dealings, as the fast-growing fungus can cause thousands of dollars in damage.

It's a vicious cycle, says Knoxville expert Dr. George Graham, aka Dr. Mold, because mold sickens a home or building, which, in turn, can sicken the people in it.

Graham, the independent mycologist for Tennessee Mold Consultants, which diagnoses and treats mold-related problems, tells the story of a young Denver area girl who was sent home to die after the 30th doctor who attempted to diagnose her ailment was unable to do so. She was too weak to sit up at school, and no one could figure out why. A neighbor affiliated with Graham asked if the girls home could be tested for mold, and "it was off the charts," he recalls. "there was a leak behind her shower, so we took the wall out, fogged it, cleaned it and replaced it. She was also treated with custom medicines.

Within three months, that girl was an 'A - B' student and hanging onto a jungle gym by her knees. "We deal with this kind of thing all the time," he continued. "It's great to go and find a problem like that and be able to help."

It is not an isolated incident. Graham, who receives referrals from allergists, general practitioners and even marriage counselors, has seen the effects of mold on individuals, families and relationships during more than three decades of fungus study. "There was this long-distance truck driver who lived in Petros," he recalls. "He was gone Monday through Friday, and was fine all week until he came home. When he was home, he had headaches and was just miserable. "He and his wife ended up in counseling, and he said that he knew what was wrong (he watched Oprah) - he hated his wife. "Well, the marriage counselor referred them to us, and we found mold in their crawl space. We removed the mold, and his headaches went away."

He says mold was not really a problem indoors until the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo. "It was an energy crisis, and to save energy, we tightened up our houses so they couldn't 'breathe.' TVA gave us incentives to tighten up our houses, but it has caused more air pollutants inside than you would find in downtown L.A." "Tighter building construction does not by itself promote mold growth," says Dr. Nathan Yost of Building Sciences Corp., who is quoted in a list of frequently asked questions provided by the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors. "But tight construction combined with some poor choices in design, building materials or operations can increase the probability of mold growth. "The tighter the building construction, the less air exchange there is between the inside air and outside air. Whatever gets into the inside air from activities such as cooking, bathing and even breathing will remain in a tight house longer than it would in a loose house."

These factors have contributed to an onslaught of illnesses, Graham says, from ADD to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. "You never even heard of those illnesses before the energy crisis," Graham says. The primary factor contributing to these problems is mold, he notes. "Not all molds are bad,: he says. "And mold is really one of God's great creations. It is a great recycler, and gets rid of lots of old dead leaves. The problem is that mold doesn't know the difference between a twig and an antique carpet."

According to the Household Mold Resource Center, a web site of the National Association of Home Builders, homeowners might have a mold problem if the home has experienced any of the following: a flood, a sewer back-up, an overflowing toilet, leaking pipes, a leaking roof or leaking windows, or if it has a humidifier or any other serious water-related problems. If mold is a problem, Tennessee Mold Consultants will find it, treat it, and offer solutions on how to keep it from recurring. The company treats problem areas with grapefruit based solutions so safe they can be ingested. "If you can't drink it, we don't use it," says Graham. Bleach, long believed to be mold's nemesis, is not the best solution, according to Graham. "It only discolors it," he says. Furthermore, a report provided by the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors indicates that bleach kills and decolorizes mold, but will not remove it. Instead, it is recommended that soap and water be used to remove mold. That same report says that the CDC, the EPA and the New York City Health Department all agree that bleach should not be used routinely to clean up mold.

"Really, getting rid of mold is easy," Graham says, "Keeping it from coming back is hard." Fear and negative publicity have only contributed to mold problems. "There is a lot of bad information and publicity about mold, but we are working to change that," he says.

"You hear about people who have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair or renovated houses because of mold, and a lot of times, it just comes back because they never found the source of the problem and corrected it." He says 90 percent of the steps to prevent mold from recurring, homeowners can take care of themselves. "Make sure the ridge vents work," he suggests. "Make sure the soffit vents aren't covered with insulation and install an overhead fan in the bathroom. "Rarely do you have to knock a wall out." Graham says he is working with several insurance companies to convince them to cover mold-related  problems. "Right now, most homeowners insurance will not cover it," he says. "But, if the homeowners will only do what we tell them, it will save the insurance companies money in the long run."