Archive for the ‘toxic mold’ tag
If I thought I had Black Mold ????
I think I would start here >> http://www.startremodeling.com/hiring_a_contractor.htm
If you hire a horrible Contractor ….
It’s all down-hill from there…
Jimmy
The Insurance Claim Game
The objective of the insured consumer is to have their property returned to a pre-damaged condition. Also see Negotiating your claim.
The objective of the insurance adjuster is to minimize the claim payout.
WE HAVE, THEREFORE, AN ADVERSARIAL SITUATION.
The quicker the consumer understands and accepts this fact, the better. Begin by examining the entire claim process exclusively in terms of MONEY. It is your MONEY, and your insurance company wants to keep as much of it as possible. Of course you have lost irreplaceable belongings — family photographs, letters, and heirlooms. You have no place to live, no food, no medicine, and little clothing. You are emotionally devastated. You can’t sleep, and fail to think in terms of the tragedy equating to nothing more then MONEY. Yet, MONEY is the focus of the adjuster; nothing more.
OBVIOUS FACTS:
The professional adjuster already knows the true damages and the total exposure of the company. Her objective is to minimize what is ultimately paid. The adjuster is required by State law to set “Reserves” (the amount they believe the claim will ultimately cost their company) immediately after inspection of the loss. The insurance adjuster wants the consumer to accept her recommendations on who establishes the building and contents claims. Why? Because the insurance company has control over what their “experts” determine the damages to be. The adjuster wants Contents Restoration firms she controls to immediately take possession of your personal property. Why? They now have “experts” on their side to establish what is and what is not “totaled,” and the condition of this property before they removed it from the loss site
HOW THE ADJUSTER SUCCEEDS
The adjuster must access the knowledge of the insured and play the game most appropriate to their end. The adjuster’s moves are dependent upon company “Guidelines” or “Claims Manuals.” Their objective is to keep the consumer off balance by creating confusion while appearing cooperative. (We describe it as: “smile a lot, utter nothingness, and place as little as possible in writing.”) To do so she will put as little as possible in writing thereby not committing to anything. This allows the adjuster to retain all options. The consumer is always in a defensive posture and usually does not know it. String the claim out as long as possible hoping the insureds will miss important time limits found in the policy which can invalidate all or part of the claim. Even when time limits do not pass, the consumer will be left with little time to properly establish damages when the adjuster finally discloses these limitations. The longer the claim goes on, with no commitments from the insurance company, the more options the company retains and hence, the better their negotiating position.
WHAT CAN THE CONSUMER DO?
1. The consumer must become the offensive player. They do so by:
(A). Establishing their own damages and presenting them timely and in a form required by the insurance contract, State Law, and current Case Law.
(B). Without properly presenting and itemizing your claim, the insurance company will never pay what the policy promises.
2. All communications are in writing; with verbal discussions documented in writing.
(A). The consumer needs to develop a documented “paper trail.
(B). Correspondence needs to be couched in verbiage found in the insurance policy, State Law and regulations, and be consistent with current Court decisions.
How to Hire a Home Inspector.
The Real Estate Industry and smart homebuyers know the importance of a “Professional Home Inspection.” Smart homebuyers want to know what the physical condition of their potential home purchase is. They want to avoid buying the proverbial “Money Pit.”
We suggest considering the following points to help you maximize the benefits of your next home purchase and that, “Home Inspector.”
- Get a 5 to 10 day time period for the inspection written in the offer, purchase and sale agreement, giving you time to obtain a good inspection, and think about the report after you receive it.
- - Choose a trained and qualified inspector. Many inspectors are trained Architects and Engineers, while some are trained by home inspection schools. Choosing takes time, and should be done in advance. Request a list from your reality agent, and search through friends for referrals. Good training is important.
- - Points to look for first can be found in a sample of the inspector’s report. Is it presented in clearly written, easy-to-understand English? The report should include all of the independent parts of the house. Each part should be presented with findings and conclusions that are easy to understand. Any recommendations should be simple, and may often refer you to other professionals, specialists and technicians who are more qualified in a particular field.
- - Does the inspector have formal training? The inspector could have been formally trained over a period of time in a classroom setting and in the field. Others have been trained through correspondence and self-help seminars including field training. Some have on-the-job training that is good, but can also be a false credential. To properly inspect and communicate, the individual should have some evidence they can do so. Having worked in related fields does not assure you of this ability.
- - Call and interview the inspector. They should be easy to communicate with, and in a professional and businesslike manner. Mature and conscientious inspectors give you the feeling of genuine empathy and are sincerely interested in you getting the most for your money. You are paying for quality inspecting and communication, orally and in writing.
- - Ask if the inspector will take you along on the inspection, and are they comfortable with your presence, at least for part of the time. The inspector should explain everything either during the inspection or afterwards. All of the inspector’s time should be yours for this part.
- - Inspection experience is important, and so is other work in related fields, but the most important points are communication, and the care taken in preparing a written report, either fully narrative or partially through the use of a preprinted form. On-site reports are adequate for many home inspections, but full narrative reports for more detailed reviews are best for a clear understanding and explanations with recommendations. The inspection report is better prepared within 24 hours of midnight of the day of the inspection, if a full narrative is what you purchased. The report is the ‘product’ you are paying for. So, get one which is carefully written and easy-to-understand, either using a form or a full narrative style of report.
- - Shopping by price is usually a disaster. Search for the most qualified inspector you feel most comfortable with, and pay the requested price. This is probably the most important and largest purchase of your life. Do not blow it using less than the best because of price. Good inspectors know what they are worth and so should you.
- - Meet the inspector at the house, and take a note pad. Do not worry, everything you discuss and take a note about (and more) will be seen in the report. The notes will help you think in advance about work orders you may include in the purchase.
- - Membership in an association is a good point, but not any assurance of the quality of the inspector or their inspection. None of the associations have a disciplinary board to police their members. Some have entry training requirements, but this does not guarantee you of the quality of services. However, most of the associations require their members to follow their Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Otherwise they are not allowed to be members of the association. You should be able to get a copy of these before the inspection. Just remember that all of the titles and memberships have merit, but nothing to do with the ability to communicate, and the integrity of the home inspector. Did you like reading the sample report? Do you like the inspector? Does the conversation seem businesslike and professional? Are you comfortable?
The Insurance Claim Game
The objective of the insured consumer is to have their property returned to a pre-damaged condition.
Tips to Handle your Insurance Claim Properly #1
The objective of the insurance adjuster is to minimize the claim payout.
WE HAVE, THEREFORE, AN ADVERSARIAL SITUATION.
The quicker the consumer understands and accepts this fact, the better. Begin by examining the entire claim process exclusively in terms of MONEY. It is your MONEY, and your insurance company wants to keep as much of it as possible. Of course you have lost irreplaceable belongings — family photographs, letters, and heirlooms. You have no place to live, no food, no medicine, and little clothing. You are emotionally devastated. You can’t sleep, and fail to think in terms of the tragedy equating to nothing more then MONEY.
Yet, MONEY is the focus of the adjuster; nothing more.
OBVIOUS FACTS:
The professional adjuster already knows the true damages and the total exposure of the company. Her objective is to minimize what is ultimately paid. The adjuster is required by State law to set “Reserves” (the amount they believe the claim will ultimately cost their company) immediately after inspection of the loss. The insurance adjuster wants the consumer to accept her recommendations on who establishes the building and contents claims. Why? Because the insurance company has control over what their “experts” determine the damages to be. The adjuster wants Contents Restoration firms she controls to immediately take possession of your personal property. Why? They now have “experts” on their side to establish what is and what is not “totaled,” and the condition of this property before they removed it from the loss site
HOW THE ADJUSTER SUCCEEDS
The adjuster must access the knowledge of the insured and play the game most appropriate to their end. The adjuster’s moves are dependent upon company “Guidelines” or “Claims Manuals.” Their objective is to keep the consumer off balance by creating confusion while appearing cooperative. (We describe it as: “smile a lot, utter nothingness, and place as little as possible in writing.”) To do so she will put as little as possible in writing thereby not committing to anything. This allows the adjuster to retain all options. The consumer is always in a defensive posture and usually does not know it. String the claim out as long as possible hoping the insureds will miss important time limits found in the policy which can invalidate all or part of the claim. Even when time limits do not pass, the consumer will be left with little time to properly establish damages when the adjuster finally discloses these limitations. The longer the claim goes on, with no commitments from the insurance company, the more options the company retains and hence, the better their negotiating position.
WHAT CAN THE CONSUMER DO?
1. The consumer must become the offensive player. They do so by:
(A). Establishing their own damages and presenting them timely and in a form required by the insurance contract, State Law, and current Case Law.
(B). Without properly presenting and itemizing your claim, the insurance company will never pay what the policy promises.
2. All communications are in writing; with verbal discussions documented in writing.
(A). The consumer needs to develop a documented “paper trail.
(B). Correspondence needs to be couched in verbiage found in the insurance policy, State Law and regulations, and be consistent with current Court decisions.
“Satratoxin, a low-molecular weight non-volatile organically derived agent, belongs to the macrocyclic trichothecene class of mycotoxins generated from fungal microorganisms.”
| As an aid to the homeowner, this overview is intended to explain a few bad products of mold in a less scientific manner. It will focus on those types of mold that have been considered as problematic to the “indoor mold issue” and does not address other fungal organisms which may behave differently. Analogies presented are not intended to be scientifically accurate, but rather to illustrate complex behaviors in more simple terms. |
For mold, the root system is made up of hyphae (high-fee). As hyphae grows into a mass during the vegetative state,it becomes a mycelium (my-sill-ee-um). The spores, designed for reproduction, are similar to seeds.
Like a weed, mold needs food and water to survive (yes, both need more than that, however, we are simplifying things here). For mold, the food of preference is organic matter (things that once were living). Indoors, those things are wood, paper, organic dust and dirt, leather, skin flakes, body oils, etc.
When mold spores that are floating around in the air land on a food source, they sit there patiently waiting for water. If the item they land on should contain sufficient moisture, or water comes from another source (leaks, etc.), the spore germinates and hyphae grows. The hyphae branch out, secrete enzymes to breakdown the food, form the mycelium, and absorb nutrients to grow. As long as the food and water hold out, colonies will continue to grow. Note that individual hyphae and spores are very, very small and few can see them without a microscope. When you see visible mold, you are generally seeing that mass of mycelium.
Hyphae can intertwine into the fibers of the substrate, penetrating the pores. As it consumes the substrate, it can also create it’s own route by dissolving pathways into the material. This is one of the reasons it is so difficult to kill and/or clean up mold on organic substrates. If you remove the surface growth, those bits of hyphae within the substrate are ready for re-growth upon the return of moisture.
As the organism matures, it develops spores intended for reproduction. Spores vary in size, shape, weight and methods of distribution. Some are light and buoyant so they float easily through the air. Others are wet and sticky and may cling to insects, rodents, etc. as a mode of travel.
Volatile Organic Compounds
As mold “consumes” it’s food, the chemical reactions of enzymes, substrates and mold growth produce carbon dioxide, water, and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Because these items are a result of actions essential to the growth of the organism, they are classified as primary metabolites.
For mold, many types of VOC’s are produced and typically include aldehydes, alcohols, keytones, and hydrocarbons. They have complex structures and names like “2-methyl-1-propanol”, so if you are going to dig deeper into VOC’s, get ready for chemistry class.
They are called volatile in that they evaporate easily at room temperature and pressure. Fortunately, this volatility aids in dilution with fresh air to minimize concentrated build-up of these chemicals. Testing for VOC’s is often accomplished by using vacuum cylinders to obtain samples of the air with laboratory analysis obtained from sophisticated test instruments (gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer).
When you smell a “musty-moldy” odor, it’s generally the VOC’s you are noticing. VOC’s are often considered irritants to mucus membranes, however, are also capable of both short-term and long-term adverse health effects. If you do smell these odors, it’s a sure sign the mold is consuming and growing and you need to take action. (Note that VOC’s may also be derived from non-mold sources including natural materials used in cleaning agents.)
Toxins
Many molds are capable of producing compounds called mycotoxins which are toxic to other organisms, including people. Mycologists believe these toxins are produced as protection against competing organisms and therefore, humans are simply caught in the cross-fire of this fight for survival.
Since these toxins are not essential for growth, they are classified as secondary metabolites. Toxic secondary metabolites require extra work on the part of the organism so production does not occur at all times, or, with all types of mold.
Scientists have identified over 400 mycotoxins and unlike VOC’s, these compounds are usually non-volatile (don’t evaporate easily at room temperature and pressure). One strain of mold may produce multiple toxins and one type of toxin may be produced by multiple strains of mold. Research has indicated that the type of substrate (nutrients), the growing conditions, together with the species of mold, will impact which toxins are created.
Some of these toxic substances are considered extremely hazardous to people, unfortunately, quantified human dose-response data is limited. Lab and field studies have shown these compounds to produce severe toxic effects in both animals and humans and therefore, the general recommendation is to minimize exposure to potentially toxigenic mold. Symptoms from toxic exposure range from flu-like symptoms, skin rashes and lesions, bleeding, fatigue, difficulty breathing, depression, etc. to longer-term nerve and organ problems, altered immunity, and cancer.
Not all secondary metabolites are considered bad for people…the antibiotics such as penicillin have beneficial use. However, from the mycological standpoint, antibiotics are considered mycotoxins since they too are generated by mold to ward off microorganisms (i.e. competing bacteria).
When the organism is producing toxins, the toxins are known to be present in the cell wall of spores and hyphae. It’s relatively easy to test for spores and hyphae, however, testing these components to see if they contain toxins is significantly more complex. Whereas a single spore can be viewed under a microscope, identifying what compounds are contained in the cell wall is difficult.
In order to identify these toxic compounds, laboratories must have a sufficient quantity of toxin-containing spores and carefully process them through sophisticated and expensive equipment that is capable of isolating chemicals down to billionths of an gram (remember, mold spores are microscopic so what is contained within it’s cell wall is extremely small). This testing is made even more difficult since there are a few hundred toxins to analyze and the behavior of mold is such that a toxin-producing mold in the field doesn’t necessarily produce the same type and quantity of toxins in the lab.
Generally speaking, identifying a mold type that is known to be capable of producing toxins is sufficient information to warrant precautions and avoid exposure without submitting for toxic analysis. However, if trying to confirm specific adverse health effects, obtaining an analysis of both VOC’s and toxins can be beneficial but often expensive.
Randy Penn is an independent licensed real estate inspector (Texas #5491) who specializes in mold testing and specimen recovery. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, is a member of the Indoor Air Quality Association, has invested hundreds of hours in researching and training on fungal microorganisms, has completed IAQA’s workshop on mold remediation and has provided mold related presentations to homeowners and real estate professionals.
Toxic Black Mold Victims Can Save Their Homes With the Right Knowledge
Black Mold Clean Up can be a Do It Yourself Project for those that can’t afford to hire a Professional or are avid do it yourselfers. StartRemodeling.com, the Largest Toxic Black Mold, Remodeling and Home Improvement Website on the Internet, offers Education, Protection and Permanent Solutions to Eliminate Black Molds from Your Life.
RemodelingGuy w/ Mold in his Shower
Is it toxic black mold or mold that’s black? Stachybotrys and many other strains of toxic, health threatening molds are becoming everyday household words in America that very few understand. Now the public can find informative and educational content, free mold brochures, toxic mold inspectors and remediation/abatement companies, toxic mold/tort attorneys and much more at one great location on the Internet. www.StartRemodeling.com.
Horror stories are pouring in by the thousands everyday. Families are being forced out of their homes for months on end. Some are burning them down to rid themselves of the problem. Schools and businesses are being shut down. Mr. and Mrs. John T. America are becoming seriously ill, young children and the elderly are severely sick and/or dying from this mysterious and little understood airborne toxin attacking their respiratory system.
Why? Because this epidemic, although around for millions of years, is brand new to most and just becoming public knowledge. Very few professionals, including doctors, have taken the time to study up on and train themselves about the problem at hand, much less educate the general population about the dangers that exist in their everyday lives. The simplest thing in the world and something we should all be able to take for granted has been tainted. The air we breathe inside of our homes and workplace.
Since 1997, StartRemodeling.com has been a driving force on the Internet to educate and provide quality resources to homeowners wanting to improve their homes inside and out. In the last few years, they and their sister site at www.ToxicMoldUSA.com have made it their #1 goal to inform, educate and provide life long solutions to their visitors on how to live safely inside of their homes.
StartRemodeling.com has done the research, compiled the information and is making it readily available to everyone. They provide everything from informative articles and news releases, to government and medical findings. They provide a free national search for pre-qualified and certified toxic black mold professionals to inspect for and eliminate toxic black mold, toxic tort attorneys to assist those that may be in need of their services and simple do it yourself mold kits for under $10. They also provide a free 50+ page brochure from the site that details everything from simple identification to insurance procedures, cleaning procedures and elimination. They’ve covered it all.
“This is something that I take very personally,” states Jimmy McDonald, the man who initiated the change in direction for the site. “I am a fairly new Grandfather and my Granddaughter became violently ill when she was only a couple of months old.”
“We found the problem to be an accumulation of Stachybotrys and Penicillium molds in the house she was visiting, which ended up in her lungs. The people in that house, friends of the family, were moved out of their home for the better part of a year, lost cherished valuables and life in general was turned completely upside down for them. That opened my eyes and made me want to come up with some solutions that all of us can apply to our everyday lives.”
“Our site does that and more for people now and it feels great.”
For the health of it.
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