Illinois Tenant Rights with Mold

When renting an apartment, home, duplex, or trailer, Illinois tenants must worry about a multitude of potential problems with the property. Are the neighbors noisy? Does the water heater work? What is the policy regarding satellite dishes? In addition to the applications, policies, and deposits, potential renters should also take time to consider the existence of water damage and mold, mildew, and fungi in their residence. As a renter in Illinois, you do have legal rights when it comes to detecting and removing problematic mold growth in your home. Knowing how to deal with landlords about mold can help you keep yourself and your family free from some of the dangerous ramifications of toxic mold exposure.

Research on the effects of mold exposure have shown that breathing mold spores—the tiny, invisible airborne particles of mold—can cause severe health problems. Mold triggers asthma attacks and aggravates allergies. Some people report feeling as though they have the flu, complete with itchy, watery eyes, sore throat, general lethargy, and fever. Respiratory system complications are most common in children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or a history of respiratory problems. Although not all mold types are toxic, and some people are affected by mold more than others, any type of mold can be harmful to humans and animals under the right conditions.

Not only does mold impact the health of people and animals, but it can also compromise the structural integrity of the building in which it is growing. Mold is common in nature, serving the purpose of decomposing organic material, breaking down fallen leaves, trees, and dead animals. Once in your home, mold will do the same thing, decomposing windowsills, drywall, and furniture, which can cause costly property damage. Therefore, mold is not merely a personal health issue for tenants, but a serious concern for property owners and landlords as well. Failure to properly remove mold through professional remediation can result in added repair expenses after mold decomposes parts of an apartment or house.

Mold from Broken Washing Machine Hoses

This happens a lot and we see this more often.  When you buy a washing machine, even the fancy ones, they install them with inexpensive rubber hoses—those are the ones that break, as opposed to the $40 stainless-steel-wrapped hoses you can buy at Home Depot that almost never leak. 

If we come in right away after the leak is caught, we’ll vent the wall cavities, pull the base moldings off, drill holes and get air movement into the wall cavities to dry them.  If there’s a wood floor we may try to dry that too unless it’s already showing evidence of buckling and cupping. If mold has already set in, a full scale remediation would entail removing the flooring and base moldings, cutting the sheetrock walls up two feet around the perimeter of the room, then treating with our professional services. 

Reliable Tests for the Presence of Mold

Almost all of us already have two effective mold detectors: our eyes and our noses. If black or green discoloration is noticed that is fuzzy in appearance and is in a location that is damp or had been damp, it is almost certainly mold. If a building smells musty, there probably is mold somewhere; the mold may be on boxes stored in a basement or in walls or in the crawl space. If you want to find mold, look for the presence of water or a location where water was likely to have been. If there is still any question about whether the black stuff is mold, have a reliable laboratory examine the material. All you need to know is whether mold is seen when the material is examined under the microscope. 

An increasing number of companies are offering “air testing for mold.” On the surface this seems like a reasonable thing to do. The problem, however, is that the results of most air sampling for mold are meaningless for two reasons. Air sampling for mold was not developed to determine if an environment was safe or had a dangerous level of mold in the air. Air sampling was developed to help identify the location of a hidden reservoir of mold. If the source of mold is already identified, air sampling does not provide additional meaningful information. Furthermore, safe or toxic levels of air borne mold have not been established. An individual air sample for mold provides a “snapshot” of what was in the air during the few minutes of sampling. The results may not be indicative of the amount of mold that is in the air during most of the day.

Air sampling for mold should be done either to obtain an answer to a question that cannot be answered without the air sampling or to obtain data as part of a research project. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists do not recommend routine air testing for mold.

Pets and Mold

Pet owners must caution that both indoor mold and outdoor mold can negatively affect your pet. If you take your pet, such as your cat or dog, outdoors, beware that mold spores are plentiful during late fall. Concentrations of decaying matter, such as fallen leaves, are a haven for mold growth. In most of Florida (considered a hot spot for mold growth and allergens), especially in the Tampa Bay, residents tend to experience a long fall season with the absence of a true winter. Thus, the possibility of your pup running into mold-infested decaying matter is quite high. In addition, lawns that are not mowed can be a great hiding spot for mold spores.

How can you protect your pet from mold while outdoors? First off, talk to a veterinarian about managing your pet’s allergies. Ensure that your pet is not suffering from any other allergen or issue (food allergies often cause symptoms similar to mold-induced illness). Next, limit exposure and keep your pet indoors if possible. If you have a dog and must venture outside, keep to mowed lawns and packed dirt for potty time. During a walk, keep your furry friend on the sidewalk if possible. Finally, upon returning from a walk, brush your dog and bathe often. Just as much as fleas love to hide in your puppy’s coat, so do mold spores and other outdoor allergens. A good rule of thumb is to brush the dog upon returning from a walk and bathe weekly. In addition to taking these extra precautions for your pet, in general, homeowners can create a less mold-friendly environment by cleaning up decaying leaves as soon as possible. As well, mow the lawn as necessary.

Property Value and Mold

Like most property owners who have experienced some type of contamination such as mold, you have probably asked yourself some of the following questions: How will this issue affect my property value? Will my property value decrease due to the contamination? Do I really have to report an old mold problem that is now fixed?

Answering these questions is not a simple task since, in many cases, the answers depend on the buyer's perception of the condition. In addition, the extent or amount of contamination may also be a factor influencing the buyer's perception of a particular type of contamination.

When your property has been contaminated, the stigma is generally a negative factor and its impact on value often reflects that. The prices negotiated for contaminated real estate are often lower than prices offered for a non-contaminated property of the same standards and conditions.

Another mold-related aspect that may affect your property's value and marketability is the appraisal. Appraisers need to learn the topic of mold carefully to assure that their perception of mold contamination does not unfairly lead to a lowered appraisal.

Purchasing a Mold Infected Home

Never even think of purchasing a home that is infected with mold unless you receive a price reduction that will more than cover mold remediation by qualified professionals. Even then, ask the seller to pay an independent appraiser for a proper valuation of the home and to allow you to obtain quotes from mold remediation firms. Contact your insurance agent to make sure the home is insurable, and contact your mortgage agent to make sure you can get any necessary mortgage before you are able to move in.

If the perspective  home is infested with mold, contact a mold abatement specialist and have it cleaned thoroughly. Especially if you are ready to buy, have a plumber or other expert contractor deal with the source of the mold, which can be leaky pipes, old drywall, improperly waterproofed exterior structures or a combination of factors. Make sure to have all abatement procedures and repairs documented so that the seller can show you the buyer that any and all issues you may have had have been properly dealt with.

An Overview of Fungal Lung Infection

What is a fungal lung infection?

Fungal pneumonia is caused by overgrowth of the fungi in the lungs. Fungal lung infections are usually only seen in those with a poorly functioning immune system, such as those with AIDS. Fungi are plant-like organisms that do not make chlorophyll. Common examples include mushrooms, yeasts, and molds. Fungi are normally present on the skin. Examples of infections that are caused by fungi include histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, cryptococcal pneumonia, coccidioidomycosis, and aspergillosis.

What are the symptoms of a fungal lung infection?

Symptoms of a fungal lung infection depend on the underlying cause. Fungal lung infection can cause cough, fatigue, and fever. Other symptoms include joint pains, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. The fungus can spread from the lungs to the skin, where it causes a rash and forms ulcers.

How does the doctor treat a fungal lung infection?

Treatment for a fungal lung infection includes antifungal medications.

Lung Fungus Symptoms

Fungal lung infections are difficult to treat, because fungal cells are very similar to human cells (eukaryotic). This makes it challenging to find drugs to attack the pathogen, without doing harm to the host. Pathogenic fungi are often dimorphic, meaning they can grow either as molds or yeasts, depending on temperature, they thrive at human body temperature and they do well in the moist conditions found in human tissues. Fungal lung infections are often mistaken for something else such as bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, influenza or even cancer. Sometimes a fungal infection can exist for some time before a correct diagnosis is made (although this does not happen as often as it used to). No matter what fungus is involved, the symptoms are very similar.

Endemic invaders have special adaptations and characteristics allowing them to infect just about anyone who is exposed. People inhale dozens, hundreds or even thousands of fungal spores every day, depending on environmental conditions. Immunity to fungi is generally strong, but a few species can establish growth in the lung tissue of healthy hosts.

The endemic species are associated with specific geographic locales, and specific substrates (such as bird droppings). Examples of endemic pathogenic fungi and the mycoses they cause are: Coccidioides immitis (coccidiomycosis), Histoplasma capsulatum (histoplasmosis) and Blastomyces dermatitidis (blastomycosis).

Opportunistic fungal pathogens rarely cause disease in healthy hosts. They may be established by breathing in spores, injection into the body through a traumatic injury or by colonizing severely damaged or burned tissues.

People with weakened immune systems are susceptible to infection by opportunistic fungi. Cancer patients, immunocompromised patients suffering from HIV/AIDS or those who are on a course of immunosuppressive drugs before and after organ transplant, or bone marrow transplant, are at risk.

Often encountered opportunistic fungi and the mycoses they cause include: Aspergillus spp. (aspergillosis) and Cryptococcus neoformans (cryptococcosis).

Mold Exposure Symptoms In Children

If you have children in your home, especially, those that are younger than 5 years old, it is important that you are watchful for the symptoms of mold. Immune-compromised individuals are also susceptible to the same harsh effects of mold. These symptoms are particularly severe in those that have respiratory symptoms to begin with. For instance, with children that are prone to bronchitis and asthma, wheezing is a fairly common outcome of mold exposure. Performing regular checks with mold removal New York companies can allow you to be vigilant, especially if there are instances that you have noticed leaks or moisture intrusion in your home. Did you know that even vegetation such as trees and shrubs pressing up against your home are a big moisture intrusion risk?

For children, mold exposure starts off as sinus and nasal congestion turning into shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Some mold removal companies report that aspergillosis can begin very early for infants exposed to mold. Aspergillosis is the growth of mold in the lungs. Remember that the only things that mold requires for proliferation is moisture, an organic source of food and air; all of which are easily available in the human lung. Memory lapses in children are not often reported by mold removal New York companies, but are often seen by adults also complaining of confusion, headaches and mood swings when exposed to mold.

If you notice your child’s eyes are bloodshot even though you know that he has slept well, consider calling in a professional mold removal company for an inspection. Watery eyes will soon give way to skin rashes or dermatitis which can become sores over time. Calling in a mold removal company sooner rather than later can give your family a strong chance of a complete recovery. Aspergillosis is a serious issue and can be fatal if it goes unchecked. Once the mold has taken up residence in your lungs, every medical intervention will also damage part of your lungs in the process. So even for the cleanup process, hire a professional mold removal company so that you do not have to put yourself or your family at any more risk. 

Mold Removal In Attics

It’s not often that you climb onto your attic to look for mold. In fact when was the last time that you ventured up there? If you said never, then you are not alone. So if you are told that your attic may be infested with mold, you may be surprised. If you are worried about the presence of mold in your attic, it may make sense to take a flashlight and take a quick look at what shape your attic is in. If you are nervous about mentioning out on your own, then investing in a professional mold testing company may be well worth the expense.

The first sign to look for is characteristic black spots usually observed on the northern side of the house. This appears on the attic sheathing.  Another telltale sign is the appearance of solid black colored wood. It may almost appear as if the wood was torched or was in a fire. Finally, the most disturbing sign is a furry or fuzzy appearance on your rafters and sheathing in the attic. Most mold testing company contractors look for these signs and can recognize them even from a distance.

The most common reasons for the moldy state of your attic is poor insulation that allows the warm air from your house to enter the attic. And other commonly encountered reason as observed by mold testing company investigators is your bathroom ceiling fan being vented into your attic. Of course, a leaky roof is very often the source of your mold.

Now that you have determined that you may have a mold problem, what do you do next?  A very extensive mold infestation may be a risky proposition for a homeowner to take on oneself. The first thing that you may think of is grabbing your spray bottle full of beach and spraying down the rafters and insulation. For severe infestations, this is undoubtedly an ineffective method for mold removal. You may require the services of a professional mold testing company to get rid of your mold. If you are worried about how expensive a mold testing company can be, put in a call to your home owners insurance policy to get an idea of the extent of coverage that you are eligible for in the event of an expensive cleanup.

Can Mold Affect My Pets?

Any person who lives with mold can have their health affected by the home-invader. This is especially true for infants, senior citizens, persons with immune deficiencies and not surprisingly.. our pets. Pets are very susceptible to the harmful effects that come withmold because their noses go where mold grows and their lungs are typically smaller.
Mold induced illness that can affect your pet include sneezing, runny nose, itchy patches, ear infections, increased anxiety and barking, and in some cases pneumonia. Sometimes these illnesses are mistaken for allergies and as long as the mold is in your home, these symptoms will stay.
To help protect your beloved pet from indoor mold, here are three precautions you can take:

• Wash all your pets’ bedding weekly in hot water. Make sure the bedding is completely dry before you give back to your animal. If the bedding is foam and cannot be washed, it is recommended that you discard it after a year.
• Be sure to vacuum often and use a dehumidifier to prevent mold growth.
• Try to bathe your pet regularly if possible.

If you have any more questions or concerns, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Can Air Cleaners Aid in Removing Mold?

Roughly 80% of people who purchase air cleaners / air filters from stores or online have allergies. Many of them have allergies severe enough to include asthma. Although there are some cases of asthma that are not allergic in origin, a significant majority are related to allergy. These people frequently receive recommendations from their physicians to obtain air cleaners of some type. As reported in the May 2005 issue of Consumer Reports, many “ionizing” air cleaners do a poor job of removing particles from the air. As well, these ionizing cleaners usually produce Ozone which can materially exacerbate asthma and other lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ( COPD ) or Emphysema.

We recommend that people with allergies, especially those with asthma, avoid “ionizing” type air cleaners. Instead, use filtration type air cleaners for such people. Filtration air cleaners are generally less expensive, but they do require regular filter changes or filter cleaning. Forgetting to do this results in having essentially no filter at all.

We also recommend that, if you want to get the most out of your air filters, you should use them mainly in your bedroom, where you spend about 1/3 of your life. It is suggested that you keep your bedroom windows closed, because, otherwise, your filters will be attempting to filter all the outdoor air that comes in through the windows, and that is basically impossible for any filter. If you live in a hot or very humid place, this likely will mean you need to purchase a window unit air conditioner, if you don’t have central air conditioning.

Biodecontamination Cost Consideration

Like any other product or service, you get what you pay for. While new biodecontamination technologies can reduce total project costs when compared to traditional methods, there are no shortcuts or magic bullets to mold remediation. Mold remediation is a labor intensive process. This combined with equipment, insurance, and overhead comprises the majority of project expenses. In addition, most companies utilize job costing software that standardizes job costs.

A Word on Bleach

Bleach is not an effective product for removing mold from porous surfaces.  Chlorine bleach is NOT registered with the EPA as a disinfectant to kill mold. In fact, bleach has been shown to actually accelerate the return of mold and bacteria. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has even gone as far as to issue a special bulletin advising against the use of chlorine bleach for removing mold.

Can Mold Cause Hair Loss?

If you live in a house with a mold problem you could start to lose your hair. The allergic reactions humans suffer from mold can lead to hair loss, even in females or children.

The roots of your hair are nourished by tiny blood vessels called capillaries. If the circulation to these blood vessels is disrupted the hair can fall out or break.

When you breathe in mold spores they trigger allergic reactions in your body. During these allergic reactions your immune system creates a chemical called histamine. The histamine causes inflammation which disrupts the blood flow in the capillaries. This can lead to hairs not getting enough blood and eventually your hair can start to fall out.

If you don't take care of the mold problem in your home then eventually mold allergies can lead to baldness. Hair loss from allergies will usually be in a diffuse pattern.

Hair loss caused by mold exposure can be reversed. Although the regrowth might be slow, in most cases the hair will grow back once a person is no longer exposed to mold.

If you have lost hair from mold exposure you should fix the mold problem and talk to your doctor about treatments without delay for the best chance of maximum regrowth. Hair follicles which are dormant because of mold exposure can be regrown, however once a hair follicle dies you cannot get the hair back. 

A Flooded Home/Business and Mold

If your house has been in a flood there's a good chance you will end up with a mold problem. However there are steps you can take to try to prevent mold growing in your home after it's been flooded.  After a flood the best thing you can do is contact a mold remediation company or water damage specialist who performs clean ups of flooded homes. Mold can start to grow after just a day or two so it's important to act as quickly as possible if your home has been flooded. Make sure you only enter your home once it's safe though. 

Mold can start to grow on the walls, or inside the wall cavities, of rooms that were flooded. If a room with drywall walls was flooded then you'll need to cut away the bottom section of drywall that's at least 30cm (12 inches) above where it got wet.

If you see mold growing on any drywall then you'll also have to cut away the drywall and remove it. Mold cannot be properly cleaned from porous materials like drywall. Once you've removed wet or moldy drywall from your home you should dispose of it.

More Mold Infestation Reports in Chicago

Residents of a Mundelein apartment building (Lake County), where potentially toxic mold was found growing, were temporarily relocated until mold and structural problems could be corrected.

In a high profile case, the Lamka family was forced to abandon their Rolling Meadows (Cook County) home after members experienced a number of health problems possibly linked to mold. Carpeting was ripped out and many walls and ceilings were gutted.

Kerry and Jodi Strain of Muirfield were not able to occupy their new $360,000 home due to unhealthy levels of mold contamination. Testing revealed levels of penicillium and aspergillus, mold contaminants that cause health problems. 

Recent Mold Infestation Reports in Chicago

In April 2001, St. Charles East High School gained notoriety after it was closed because of mold contamination. A student at the school has filed a class-action lawsuit against the district. Testing alone has already cost nearly $750,000 and remediation costs are estimated to be in the millions of dollars.

In August 2001, St. Theresa School in Palatine was shut down temporarily because of concerns about possible mold contamination. In May, mold was also found in two classrooms and some offices at Garfield Elementary School on Elgin.

Do You Need Professional Mold Removal?

DO contact a mold removal company if you have any of the following:

1. Mold that covers more than 10 square feet (about a 3 foot x 3 foot area).
2. Significant water damage (floods, second story bathtub overflow that damages the floor and/or ceiling, burst water pipes and the like).
3. Walls, floor, ceiling or other water-damaged areas have been wet for more than 48 hours.
4. Existing, on-going mold and moisture problems.
5. Your furniture, walls, wallpaper, floorboards, etc. have visible and extensive damage.
6. You suspect a hidden source of water – for example, when you see condensation build up in an area where no water should exist.
7. Someone in the house is experiencing significant health problems or being affected negatively by the moldy odors.
8. You have reason to believe that your home’s heating or air conditioning system may have a mold problem (mold near the intake, condensation build up on any of the system’s component parts, etc.).  In this case, DO NOT turn on the system or attempt to clean the mold yourself because the possibility of the mold becoming airborne is extremely high.
9. If you see or smell some obvious signs of mold but not the mold itself and you suspect it might mean something terrible is happening behind the walls.

Hidden Mold

In some cases, indoor mold growth may not be obvious. It is possible that mold may be growing on hidden surfaces, such as the backside of dry wall, wallpaper, or paneling, the top of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, etc. Possible locations of hidden mold can include pipe chases and utility tunnels (with leaking or condensing pipes), walls behind furniture (where condensation forms), condensate drain pans inside air handling units, porous thermal or acoustic liners inside ductwork, or roof materials above ceiling tiles (due to roof leaks or insufficient insulation).

Some building materials, such as dry wall with vinyl wallpaper over it or wood paneling, may act as vapor barriers, trapping moisture underneath their surfaces and thereby providing a moist environment where mold can grow. You may suspect hidden mold if a building smells moldy, but you cannot see the source, or if you know there has been water damage and building occupants are reporting health problems. Investigating hidden mold problems may be difficult and will require caution when the investigation involves disturbing potential sites of mold growth make sure to use PPE.