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Mold Problems Are Potential Lawsuits

Ever notice mold growing on places like the carpet, walls, furniture, and even around the ceiling air vents at home work or school? Ever wonder what causes mold to grow on almost any surface? The answer is easy. Excess moisture will promote the growth of mold or mildew anywhere at anytime!

Excess moisture can be caused by a number of problems from leaky pipes to leaky roofs. But, it is more than possible that excess moisture problems are coming from your air conditioning system that isn't taking enough moisture out of the air. The air conditioner may even be turned off for periods of time. People turn their air conditioners off in order to save money. The thinking is - why run the air conditioning system when there is no one in the building, or if everyone is going to be away all weekend?

It has been discovered that turning off the system is a costly mistake. It doesn't save money; it sets up the scenario to promote the growth of mold, When the air conditioner is running, it is constantly taking moisture out of the air. The bad news is that EVEN WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, NOT ENOUGH MOISTURE IS BEING EXTRACTED. When the system is turned off, a buildup of moisture quickly begins. Mold grows on moist surfaces - books, wood, ceiling tiles, sheetrock, furniture, fabric, even inside the air conditioning system itself, anywhere it can find a damp place. Moisture is the key. Without it, molds cannot get started, much less spread. When moisture is left to sit for even 24 hours, common molds can take hold. If moisture continues and areas become completely saturated, that is when a more lethal mold, such as Stachybotrys, can move in.

In the mid-1980's, thousands of families became ill when their homes developed mold problems in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In year 2000, in New York City, an $8 billion mold lawsuit was filed against the landlord by 125 families at the Henry Phipps Plaza South. In Cleveland, Stachybotrys growth from unrepaired storm damage was suspected of causing pulmonary hemorrhage in 14 children, killing two.

An article in USA Weekend (August 18, 2000) featured "Mold in Schools". According to a Government Accounting Office, 20 percent of the USA's 80,000 public schools have indoor air quality problems. Microbiological contaminants, particularly molds, account for half of all indoor air complaints.

Molds are part of the natural environment. They reproduce by tiny spores (invisible to the naked eye) that float throughout indoor and outdoor air continually. Flooded carpet, for example, can store mold spores for years unless it is removed from the room to dry. Running fans and opening windows will not solve the problem. Moist surfaces attract mold spores, giving them a place to grow. Molds produce allergens, irritants and, in some cases, potentially toxic substances. A common mold, Stachybotrys, is an especially lethal mold and is part of a family of molds that produces airborne toxins called mycotoxins, that cause serious breathing difficulties, memory and hearing loss, dizziness, flu-like symptoms, and bleeding in the lungs.

The growing number of mold lawsuits has the legal and medical fields debating health concerns due to mold exposure. Presently, there are no state or federal regulatory standards for "safe" levels of molds. It is very likely the number of mold cases will continue to increase. Defendants in these cases are usually building owners and operators, property managers, landlords, architects, contractors, product manufacturers, insurance carriers, and even HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) professionals.

While insurance policies vary, many policies exclude mold coverage if it is interpreted that mold has occurred as a result of high humidity instead of a problem such as a broken pipe, etc. In commercial policies, the "pollution" exclusion may preclude the recovery of damages based on mold. Most cases have found that because mold is naturally occurring, it is not a pollutant. Furthermore, many insurance companies are now specifically excluding mold from their policies. This decision leaves the building owners and operators, property managers, landlords, architects, contractors, product manufacturers, HVAC professionals and others at great risk.

Cleaning people can be brought in to clean up mold. But, unless you correct the original source of excess moisture, the mold will keep coming back again... and again.

The solution to this very critical problem of excess moisture and mold is to remove the excess moisture. SIMPLE SOLUTION: AWESOME AIR® FILTERS. This is not like any filter you have ever seen before. It is made of all natural minerals that will last a lifetime, if properly maintained. This is one of those "it sounds too good to be true" products that CAN REMOVE EXCESS MOISTURE TO PREVENT MOLD. The Awesome Air® Filter also gives you better indoor air quality by lowering the humidity. Because less humidity creates dryer air, and dryer air feels cooler, it allows the thermostats to be adjusted upwards, to save energy. The Awesome Air® Filter works in conjunction with existing air conditioning systems; it requires no electricity and has no moving parts. It's an affordable solution and an awesome product.