Common Causes of Toxic or Allergenic Mold in Rental Homes, Apartments, Offices InspectAPedia® -
Possible causes of mold in rental apartments, homes, offices - how extensive?
Questions & answers about the cause of mold contamination & mold complaints in rental units, apartments, homes, offices
This document describes common sources of toxic or allergenic mold growth in rental apartments and homes - a simple guide for renters and landlords who need to know the common sources of mold, the risk of significant hidden mold and just how extensive a hidden mold problem may be in a rental apartment or home.
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Possible causes of apartment mold, possible extent of mold
I have been made aware of a leaking roof in the 2nd floor apartments so severe that requires buckets to contain. The
water, I have been told runs down the walls into the ground floor apartments where we are a tenant in one. The apartments
are known to be old and from the road I can see large blackish streaks across the light brown roofing.
What steps the tenant has already taken to deal with suspected mold contamination
I've just bought two HEPA filters for the bedroom and living room which has seemed to make a significant difference in
the severity of the congestion. Also, I have been told that the air conditioning and heat is run on a water coil system
(the air is circulated through all of the apartments) which happens to be in our bedroom closet. when I removed the vent
to put a filter in I found mold covering the back of the metal slats in vent cover. I cleaned it with bleach.
Tenant Wants to Move out of Moldy Apartment - Lease Breaking Issues
I need to move because I cannot live with this building-related sickness. It is important to know what I'm dealing with
before I go to management, because it seems to be such a severe structural issue, they may try to do something
underhanded and cover it up.
I have a year lease and need to handle the situation in a way that will allow me get out from under this situation without our being taken advantage of and we are no expert in these matters.
Compromised autoimmune system increases health risks for tenant in moldy apartment
Also I have some sort of autoimmune condition(Lupus, MS they haven't pinned it down) we are no longer able to do what I
went to school for. Our fine motor skills are compromised (and I have slight tremor).
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In addition to continuing to read the remaining sections of this article, readers may also want to see
MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE - this article helps a lay person decide on the probable level of risk of mold or other contaminants, it considers individual health vulnerability, and concludes with advice about when hiring an expert to evaluate building conditions is warranted.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
"A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home",
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
Allergen Tests in Buildings advice about how to test, what to look for, in evaluating the level of dog, cat, or other animal allergens in a building
"IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA, What do they really tell us?" Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic - ELISA testing accuracy: Here is an example of Miller's critique of ELISA
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompts our interest in actually screening for the presence of high levels of particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
http://www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
Allergens: Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases
Allergens: WebMD discusses allergy tests for humans at webmd.com/allergies/allergy-tests
Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
Recognizing Allergens: What various indoor allergens look like - identification photos to help identify pollen, dust mites, animal dander, toxic or allergenic mold - Common Mold and other Allergens, Irritants, Remedies & Advice
Rodent control issues, including dander, fecal, and urine contamination of Buildings and Building insulation are discussed at our
Associations: Sick House, Sick Building, SBS - Air Quality, Government, Private Associations and Information Resources
Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon)
Atlas of Indoor Mold, Online Clinical Mold Atlas, Toxins, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
Black Mold that is Harmless Photos of recognizable, usually harmless black mold on wood, bluestain, ceratocystis, ophistoma
Building Floods: quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
Classes of Mold: what types of cosmetic, allergenic, or toxic mold are a problem? Can mold be cleaned-up successfully?
"A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
"Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
"Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens,"
Patricia Donald,
Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology,
Lewis Jett
Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
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