Mold Prevention
A Key Strategy for Homebuilders
by Kerry Leppo
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - Ben Franklin
Ben Franklin had the right idea when it comes to dealing withmold?although little was known about mold in his days, let alone prevention strategies. Today, wise homebuilders design for mold prevention when they build a house rather than letting it become an eventual problem for the homeowner.
After a major increase in mold claims several years ago, insurers began excludingmold claims under their standard homeowner's policies, and special extra-cost riders are now required. Those exclusions now cover more than 30 states, including Texas, and Texas courts are upholding the exclusions.
Today's home designs are almost a perfect mold growing environment. They are much tighter (from an airflow perspective), so houses can't dry out as quickly as they once did. This traps moisture inside for a longer period. In addition, forced ventilation systems with leaky ductwork can result either in over-pressurization or underpressurization, often resulting in moisture-laden air that helps mold growth.
Mold spores are everywhere, and when they mate up with humidity of 70 to 80 percent, a temperature of 40 to 100 degrees, a food source such as wood or paper and enough oxygen, mold will grow. There is an abundance of paper in today's homes. Paper-coated drywall, for example, is a perfect food for mold. (The plaster-on-lath installed in homes of days past wasn't anywhere near as inviting to mold.)
Most think of mold as a problem mainly in the traditional "mold belt," roughly a 100-mile belt inland from the coast, extending from the Carolinas and wrapping around the Southeast coast to the Texas Gulf Coast. But, in fact, every state is affected by mold. Even states known for low humidity have mold problems.
Several years ago, Nevada health officials found patches of mold in state buildings, including the dome and basement of the Nevada Capitol. Mold spores were also found at the Department of Motor Vehicles main Reno office, the National Guard Complex in Carson City and the Grant Sawyer Building in Las Vegas.
Without a mold prevention strategy, the only way to deal with mold infestation is through remediation, which is typically expensive and does not guarantee a cure or prevent a recurrence. In contrast, a mold prevention program, especially during new construction, can take advantage of new products that are both low-toxicity and economical for treatment of an entire house.Whole-house spray applications of several gallons (typically costing a few hundred dollars) can treat all the components?framing, flooring, plywood sheathing and insulation?as they are installed, providing long-lasting "behind the wall" protection against mold infestation.
Not all anti-mold products are alike, however, and care must be exercised in using products for interior applications; some remedies contain EPA-registered toxins. Products should be applied by licensed dealers specifically trained in their application and approved uses. In general, product application is not a "do-it-yourself" job for contractors or homebuilders.
To paraphrase Ben Franklin: A couple of gallons of mold prevention is worth thousands and thousands of dollars in remediation. With the newermold prevention products now available, savvy homebuilders are beginning to see the value of offering "mold-proof" homes.
