California School District Saves Thousands of Dollars Utilizing the IAQ Screen Check Products

Tampa, Fl.  -- Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp., Stachybotrys sp., Alternaria sp.; the list goes on. These are the names of many pathogens and mycotoxins that have become household names in recent years that many business owners and homeowners are having to deal with each and everyday. They are all forms of mold that are causing waves though the local, national and international communities.

News stories of “TOXIC MOLD” indicate a problem with pandemic proportion, whether real or perceived. This Mold monster has caused the young, the old, the rich and the poor to flee their homes and businesses, all the while creating havoc for consumers, business owners, the insurance industry, lenders and lawyers. Residential and commercial exposures and toxic mold claims are rivaling construction defect claims.

A recent insurance client retained Pure Air Control Services to perform a routine IAQ/Mold due diligence to determine the actual mold damage and to determine if the remediation contractor was in fact taking them to the cleaners.

The respective home was valued at $70,000, and the private adjuster determined that he could get about $70,000 worth of new drywall, fixing’s and furniture for the client. Upon further review the assessed damage due to the water “incident” was about $15,000. Quite a shock to the homeowner and public adjuster that thought they could retire early.

There is little doubt that mold can and has been devastating to homeowners and business owners across the country causing billions in damage structurally and physically, and will continue to be problematic. The Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that asthma affects 17.3 million people (10 million adults and 7 million children each year), costs over $10 billion for medical care, causes over 10 million missed school days and more than 5000 deaths per year. It is a wonder why the media has created a mass hysteria condition regarding indoor molds causing health concerns.

And a recent Finnish Institute of Occupational Health study concluded that indoor dampness and mold shows “new evidence of the relation between workplace exposure to indoor molds and the development of asthma in adulthood.” Mold exposure can trigger common allergic reactions ranging from wheezing, sneezing, shortness of breath, skin rashes, upper respiratory irritation, coughing, eye irritation, headaches, lethargy and more. Allergic Bronchopulmonary Mycosis, Allergic Fungal Sinusitis, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Pulmonary Mycotoxicosis and Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis are examples of medically defined uncommon allergic syndromes. Mold cases, too numerous to mention, are occurring all over the country and totaling in the billions of dollars. There are over 10,000 mold related law suits pending in the nation, a 300 percent increase since 1999.  

The causes of mold propagules range from:
• Building construction deficiencies (resulting in water intrusion, inadequate window installation, improper exterior coating, negative pressure design condition, building materials, sloping landscape);
• HVAC installation (over/under sizing, faulty drains, improper duct sizing);
• Reconstruction practices (build while tenant occupancy, water leaks not cleaned within 24 hours, deferred maintenance practices, no O & M practices, no containment protocols while remediation is occurring);
• Insurance companies (slow response to water intrusion or bulk water intrusion, no concern for secondary issues resulting from occurrence, low budget mentality to identify or fix environmental deficiencies). The list goes on.....

A very reputable Arkansas environmental consultant recently asked: “People are asking me to do mold/IAQ evaluations. What can I do to help them?”   The answer to her was simple, "the IAQ Screen Check or evalu-aire product line" (www.indoorairtest.com).   The IAQ Screen Check or evalu-aire product line is designed to quickly and cost effectively evaluate an environment for the type of mold as well as other allergens.  The products can be administered by professionals or consumers.

• Mold Screen Check -  identification of precipitated molds in cts/m3
• Allergen Screen Check - identification of precipitated allergen e.g. molds, pollens, insect biodetritus, fiberglass fibers, skin cell fragments in cts/m3
• Fiberglass Screen Check - identification of precipitated fiberglass fibers in cts/m3
• Dust Mite Screen Check - identification of dust mite allergen dermataphagoids p1 in cts/m3
• FAST Screen Check - field identification of Aspergillus sp, Stachybotrys sp (results in 5 minutes) in ppm and in cts/m3
• RAPID Screen Check - field identification of Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp. (results in 5 minutes) in ppm and in cts/m3
• Trichothecene Mycotoxin Check (TMC) - identification of mycotoxins in parts per billion (ppb)