Housing industry braces for mold claims

Mold exposure can cause a
variety of health symptoms.

Landlords, co-op and condo boards in New York are preparing for an onslaught of mold lawsuits after a court decision determined that scientific literature showed that exposure to mold can cause illness.

Before this decision, mold lawsuits were blocked by a court decision that said scientific evidence was in dispute.

Now, residents of mold-infested apartments and condos have a way to fight for some changes or justice if they can prove that the exposure to mold made them sick.

The case that caused the court to overturn the previous decision involved a woman who lived in a ground-floor apartment above a moldy basement, who claimed she got severe health problems from mold dust and spores entering her living space.

Industrial hygienists also expect more mold lawsuits to be filed in the future. Some New York lawyers are specializing on mold cases and mold-related insurance claims have been soaring.

Mold can become a problem in buildings with high humidity and lack of ventilation, or after there has been a water infiltration problem such as a roof leak or flooding. Mold can grow on drywall, wallpaper glue, wood, carpets and many other substances.

According to doctors 20-30 percent of the population are sensitive to mold and could experience health effects such as breathing problems, coughing and wheezing and some people can develop allergic reactions.

Building owners are supposed to act quickly when there are water leaks, structural problems or mold, but New York City officials have been giving out a growing number of violations over the past few years.

It is often difficult to identify mold as the cause of health issues, but after ruling out other possible causes for people’s conditions, doctors are more likely to now make that diagnosis.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Air cleaners for mold remediation and better indoor air quality

When it comes to mold, less exposure is always more. The best way to treat mold is to prevent it, but if mold is present in a building it needs to be removed properly.

An air cleaner with the right air filters can help keep the air clean and reduce exposure to mold.

Electrocorp works with environmental consultants and industrial hygienists, mold remediation experts and others to help treat mold problems.

Electrocorp’s portable air cleaners feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter, a HEPA filter and a UV lamp (optional) to remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants, including mold spores, odors, mycotoxins, chemicals, particles, dust, and more.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and personalized recommendations.