The 2005 Hurricane Season redefined the effects of “mold amplification” and reclassified the post hurricane recovery effort from a short term reactive fix to a long term proactive approach. This is largely due to the reality that the full hurricane impact remains unseen for several days after the storms assault on Floridas peninsula. As a Professional Industrial Hygienist and Certified Microbial Consultant, I have witnessed and documented this delayed water damage discovery in residential and commercial buildings post Katrina, Rita and Wilmas intrusion into the buildings structural integrity. Like the classic “domino effect” it is almost predictable that once the first chip falls – that is, structural integrity is compromised via a water intrusion episode “mold mania” will gradually creep in like an unwanted guest. If left undetected, it can gradually threaten to continue compromising the buildings structure and its air quality.
Understandably, “mold mania” does not merely describe the publics reaction to mold it also defines how mold multiplies post a hurricane episode. A case in point occurred several weeks after Wilma and is illustrated with this FEMA consultants reaction which was overheard at a recent FEMA meeting: the consultant asked his assistant “do you smell what I smell?” The response came in a whisper “it smells like the “m” word.” Floridas moldy breath is something most prefer to ignore than discuss. In my profession the musty odor that they smelled is associated with fungal “mold growth” which is actually mycotoxins and aflotxins produced post amplification. Some fungi mold simply need moisture in the form of humidity to amplify. As such, Wilma created a good food source for fungal amplification (growth) in Floridas peninsula. Most toxic species are third level colonizers which require water activity in excess of 80%. Wilma provided this water activity and more. Many buildings and homes experienced water intrusion from leaky roofs, damaged window frames and dismantled doorways. Post hurricane rain promoted leakage in these compromised areas. Wilma set the stage for mold amplification. Understanding this delayed process is the first step in developing a proactive hurricane recovery response plan. Water intrusion around the window frames are the most difficult to identify. For example, a pinhole leak can allow high quantities of moisture into a wall cavity as insulation and drywall absorb the water. Likewise, a one square inch hole or air leak in a building can allow up to thirty quarts of water in the form of humidity into the building over a ninety day period. All walls breathe. Thus, hidden mold spores enter the wall cavities and mycotoxins (toxic vapors) are allowed to escape and occupy the building envelope. As mold spores are released into the air of a building, they are picked up by the return air of the a/c unit. This increases the problem by allowing mold amplification within the a/c unit which then disburses it throughout the building. As such, a professional and comprehensive approach to identification of mold amplification is required. In this profession two extreme views on mold on often heard. The first, “mold has been around forever, it is not a problem”. The second, “all mold is toxic”, the truth is somewhere between these two views. Historical references to mold can be traced back thousands of years. The negative effects of mold and bacteria in dwellings were recognized long before modern science. The following is one of the oldest known references for remediation of a contaminated house with microorganisms. This Biblical procedures for remediation of fungi is found in Leviticus, Chapter 14, verses 33-47 In verse 39, it speaks of the high priest coming into the home to inspect the house. It states, “If black mold is present the contaminated stones must be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside of town. All the walls inside the house must be scrapped and the material that has been scrapped must be dumped into an unclean place outside of town. 42 New stones and plaster are to replace those that were thrown out. 43 If the mold reappears in the house after the stones were torn out and the house were scrapped and re-plastered, it is a destructive mold. The house is determined to be unclean. 45 It must be torn down its stones, timbers and all the plaster and taken out of the town to an unclean place. 46 Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean. 47 Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house must wash its clothes.” Pursuant to modern scientific standards general provisions for the remediation of microbiological contamination “mold” or bacteria are as follows: before remediation begins it is imperative to have an indoor air quality and water damage assessment conducted to determine the vertical and horizontal extent of contamination within the building. Many times hidden mold may be lurking within wall cavities, especially adjacent to or under windows. And it is this hidden mold that a Professional Industrial Hygienist should identify. A professional water damage and microbial assessment will not only determine the total water damage that occurred within a dwelling (seen or unseen) but it will also identify the mold or bacteria spores per cubic meter of air (occupational exposure), health effects, and develop a scope of work or blue print to determine what is necessary to remediate the problem. Before choosing a Professional Industrial Hygienist you should ensure that the consultant is certified by the American Indoor Air Quality Council and should be a member of the Indoor Air Quality Association. Floridas 2005 Hurricane Season and related water intrusion issues during new construction has led Florida Atlantic University to launch the first college accredited mold class in the nation, titled “Mold and Moisture Prevention During Construction.” This class will be offered at the Ft. Lauderdale Campus in January 2006, for architects, engineers, building managers and builders.
