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A flood
can e caused by torrential rain, a leaky pipe or a failed roofing
system. Perhaps the tub was filled to overflowing, or the tank on
the toilet cracked and burst. Children flush toys down the potty
and pets chew on the plastic water supply lines. In all of these
cases the result is the same - water becomes trapped in a wall,
ceiling or floor cavity.
This
dark damp and intermittently warm and cool environment is an ideal
medium for the growth of a variety of molds.
The
science of non-destructive structural drying has made enormous progress
in the last few years. A local Vancouver restoration company which
we work with has developed a highly effective technique to inject
air into wall cavities. This is very good news for property managers,
insurance carriers, strata corporations and occupants. When losses
are reduced, everyone wins.
Sadly
the job is not always done right the first time and the results
can range from occupants complaining of offensive odours to infant
mortality from pulmonary hemorrhage.
Those
who believe this overstates the possibilities should be aware of
the Cleveland Outbreak. Over the past several years in Cleveland,
Ohio, thirty-four cases of pulmonary hemorrhage and hemosiderosis
(PH/H) have occurred in infants, ten of which were fatal. Because
all but 5 cases were within a small area of the eastern metropolitan
area, the Centre for Disease Control focused its investigation there.
The causal agent was identified as a toxin from a fungus called
Stachybotrys Atra. This unusual fungus was found in high concentrations
in the home environments of the infants and to a lesser degree,
in the comparison homes. The spores of this fungus contain very
potent mycotoxins, toxins that are particularly damaging to the
rapidly growing lungs of young infants. The spores are equally dangerous
in a dead or dormant state.
This
discovery led to the re-examination of the infant coroner cases
with the data showing that at least six of the sudden infant death
syndrome deaths in the same area included pre-existing major pulmonary
bleeding.
Is
this conclusive data? No. Is this cause for serious concern? Absolutely.
No insurance adjuster or property wants to inflate the cost of water
damage repairs. Reputable restoration contractors wishing to maintain
a long term relationship with their clients don't want to spend
unnecessary dollars either. However, no right thinking person will
put people at unnecessary risk.
So
what is the correct course of action to ensure safety without going
to unreasonable extremes? Mycologists will tell you that molds,
or at least their spores, are everywhere. They are so common that
a zero tolerance policy is effectively impossible to maintain outside
of a laboratory.
It
is not a questions of whether they are present or not, but in what
concentrations they exist, and if they are reproducing. Stachybotrys,
for example, is quite common in North America and does occur in
the Lower Mainland. It is however, unusual to find it in homes.
It requires water soaked cellulose in order to grow. Wood, paper,
and cotton are ideal. Wet paper backing on drywall, behind a baseboard
heater, or on an insulated exterior wall would be favourable environments
for a colony to form.
If
all this knowledge seems frightening, it does not have to be. As
with most things in life, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure. Wet insulated walls and ceilings must have air inserted
to dry them. Failing this, walls and ceilings must be opened enough
to allow air flow. This is true even on steel and concrete structures
that are not at risk of decay. Using modern drying techniques, the
damage is usually minimal.
It
is imperative that educated, qualified contractors be employed on
major structural water restorations. Hiring inexperienced companies
that may be proficient at drying carpets, but often lack the skills
and equipment required to do a thorough structural dry-down, is
an invitation to disaster.
When
deciding whether to call the more sophisticated contractors in to
do the restoration, ask some of these questions: Are insulated walls,
floors or ceilings affected? Are people who have allergic reactions
to concentrations of mold present? Are infants less than 6 months
old present? Does anyone in the home suffer from respiratory ailments?
If
the answer is yes to any of these questions, then it is best to
err on the side of caution. It is estimated that band-aid repairs
end up costing eight times more than those which include an initial
thorough drying, not including litigation costs that could potentially
be in the millions.
If
the correct steps are taken, every one can sleep well at night.
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