Mold Issues - A Guide for Buyers, Sellers, & Landlords PDF

**Mold** **Mold is a concern for buyers, sellers, landlords and renters. It has been a concern for the Real Estate Agents as well. ** **MOLD** 1. **Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposure include allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory complaints.**...

**Mold** **Mold is a concern for buyers, sellers, landlords and renters. It has been a concern for the Real Estate Agents as well. ** **MOLD** 1. **Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposure include allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory complaints.** 2. **There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.** 3. **If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.** 4. **Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.** 5. **Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60%) to decrease mold growth by:  ** - **Venting bathrooms, dryers and other moisture-generating sources to the outside** - **Using air conditioners and dehumidifiers** - **Increasing ventilation** - **Using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dish washing and cleaning  ** - **Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.** - **Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials, such as moldy ceiling tiles, may need to be replaced.** - **Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof or floors) by adding insulation.** - **In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., near drinking fountains or classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation.)** - **Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet and food.** ** ** **How do molds affect people?** **Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions) and irritants. Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash.** **Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.** - **If there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, consult EPA guide Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document is applicable to other building types.** - **If you choose to hire a contractor (or other professional service provider) to do the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold. Check references and ask the contractor to follow the recommendations in EPA guide Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other guidelines from professional or government organizations.** - **If you suspect that the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system may be contaminated with mold, (it is part of an identified moisture problem, for instance, or there is mold near the intake to the system) consult EPA guide** - **Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? before taking further action. Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold - it could spread mold throughout the building.** - **If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.** - **If you have health concerns, consult a health professional before starting cleanup.** **The above does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information, consult a health professional, your state or local health department, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mold website.** **  ** **Mold Clean Up** **Whether you should hire a professional or do the cleanup yourself  depends on a number of factors. One consideration is the size of the mold problem. If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet, (less than roughly a three-foot by three-foot  patch) in most cases, you can handle the job yourself, following the Mold Cleanup Tips and Techniques. However:** **Mold Testing or Sampling** **Is sampling for mold needed? In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary. Since no EPA or other federal limits have been set for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to check a building\'s compliance with federal mold standards. Surface sampling may be useful to determine if an area has been adequately cleaned or remediated. Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold-sampling protocols, sampling methods and interpreting results. Sample analysis should follow analytical methods recommended by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other professional organizations.** ** ** **Are there federal regulations or standards regarding mold testing?** **Standards or Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for airborne concentrations of mold, or mold spores, have not been set. Currently, there are no EPA regulations or standards for airborne mold contaminants.** ** ** **Why Does it Matter?** **It is important to remember that mold means moisture, and moisture can mean there is a problem. The fact the mold is present can mean there is a continuous leak. It could mean a basement flooded in the past or there was a problem in the past that someone is not talking about. Mold in a home can indicate a major problem, past or present. Buildings and homes should be inspected for evidence of water damage and visible mold. The conditions that cause mold should be corrected and/or prevented to prevent mold from growing.** - **Use mold inhibitors which can be added to paints.** - **Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months.** - **Be sure the home has adequate ventilation; this includes having exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom areas.** - **Keep humidity levels in the building/home below 50%.** **Methamphetamine** **Methamphetamine (also called meth, crystal, chalk and ice, among other terms) is an extremely addictive stimulant drug that is chemically similar to amphetamine. It takes the form of a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder. Methamphetamine is taken orally, smoked, snorted or dissolved in water or alcohol and injected. Smoking or injecting the drug delivers it very quickly to the brain, where it produces an immediate, intense euphoria. Because the pleasure also fades quickly, users often take repeated doses, in a "binge and crash" pattern. Methamphetamine can be prescribed by a doctor to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and other conditions, although it is rarely used medically, and only at doses much lower than those typically abused. It is classified as a Schedule II drug, meaning it has high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled.** **Most of the methamphetamine abused in the United States is manufactured in "Super Labs" here or, more often, in Mexico. But the drug is also easily made in small clandestine laboratories, with relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients such as pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient in cold medicines. To curb production of methamphetamine, pharmacies and other retail stores are required by law to keep logs of purchases of products containing pseudoephedrine; individuals may only purchase a limited amount of those products on a single day.** **Methamphetamine production also involves a number of other, very hazardous chemicals. Toxicity from these chemicals can remain in the environment around a methamphetamine production lab long after the lab has been shut down, causing a wide range of health problems for people living in the area. These chemicals can stay in the home even after normal cleaning.** **There are currently no laws in the State of Wyoming that make it mandatory for a property owner to disclose the previous or present existence of a meth lab. There are also no predetermined cleanup requirements in the State of Wyoming for the chemicals associated with meth production.** 1. **Find out if a home was used for meth production.** 2. **Ventilate the home or building before beginning cleanup to protect workers.** 3. **Remove all items from the home.** 4. **Clean all surfaces and dispose of anything that has a chemical smell.** 5. **Clean the ventilation system.** 6. **Have a professional plumber and duct technician clean plumbing and ductwork.** 7. **If odor or staining remains, call a professional technician to evaluate the home.** **There can be significant health hazards for people that are in a building that has been improperly cleaned after meth production. These include but are not limited to:** 1. **Decreased Mental Function** 2. **Breathing Problems** 3. **Vomiting** 4. **Nose and throat problems** 5. **Lung Damage** 6. **Chemical Burns** 7. **Lead** 8. The most common item that you will deal with regardless if you are involved in Buy/Sell or Rentals is Lead Based Paint. Everyone transaction that you are involved with where you a have a structure built on or before 1978 must include a lead based paint disclosure form. In fact, it is a good idea to include this form with all your transactions regardless of when a structure is built, in order to make sure that you never forget the form.  9. 10. Another requirement is that you supply the buyer of the home or the tenant with a pamphlet from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), "[[Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home]](https://classes.wyrealestateschool.com/pluginfile.php/26205/mod_lesson/page_contents/302/LeadFlyer.pdf)." 11. Having Lead Based paint is not a deal breaker, or at least it doesn't have to be. Many homes throughout the Country have lead based paint inside them. It will all depend on the situation: 12. 1\. Is the paint cracking and peeling? 13. 2\. How big of an area is it? 14. 3\. Has it or can it be encapsulated? 15. 4\. What type of financing is the buyer getting? 16. The reason that this is important and deals with Risk Management is DISCLOSURE. If the house has lead based paint you must disclose this. 17. See the pamphlet previously mentioned to get more information on Lead in the home:  18. [[Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home]](https://classes.wyrealestateschool.com/pluginfile.php/26205/mod_lesson/page_contents/302/LeadFlyer.pdf?time=1621430010645) 19. **Radon is a radioactive gas that doesn't have a color, odor or taste. Radon seeps up from the earth into the air we breathe, and comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in almost all soil.** 20. **Your home can be at risk for radon, whether it is new, old, well-sealed, drafty, with a basement or without a basement. Because radon is produced in soil, which is porous, it is able to move up through the dirt and rocks and through walls into the air we breathe. If radon is allowed to build up, it can become a health concern. Older houses, houses with poor ventilation and houses built in areas with a high uranium content in the soil are at risk for higher radon levels.** 21. **Exposure to the radioactive particles in radon can damage the cells that line the lungs and can cause lung cancer in the future. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Wyoming. The EPA says radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Radon can make the lung damage caused by smoking worse, putting smokers at an even higher risk for lung cancer.** 22. **Radon home test kits can be ordered online. Radon kits can only be mailed to Wyoming addresses and instructions are included with the kit.** 23. [**Alpha Energy Laboratories**](https://www.doctorhomeair.com/wyoming/) 24. [**Air Chek Laboratories**](http://www.radon.com/sub/wy/) 25. **Radon kits can also be ordered from the Wyoming Radon Program at \$7 for 1 kit or \$12 for 2 kits. Call 307-777-6015 to order a kit.** 26. **.4 Average Outdoor Level** 27. **1.3 Average Indoor Level** 28. **4.0 Fix It! Level** 29. **Radon levels are measured in picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). The EPA says any home that tests over 4.0 pCi/L should get fixed as soon as possible. Homes that test between 2.0 pCi/L and 4.0 pCi/L should be fixed soon.** **Asbestos** Asbestos is a mineral fiber used in a large number of commercial products. Unfortunately this material can cause a number of health related issues. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil. Because of its fiber strength and heat resistance asbestos has been used in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire retardant. Asbestos has also been used in a wide range of manufactured goods, mostly in building materials such as roofing shingles, ceiling/floor tiles, paper products and some cement products. It has also been used in automobiles for brakes, clutches, and transmission parts. Asbestos has been also used to make heat resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets and coatings. **Where asbestos may be found:** - Attic and wall insulation produced containing vermiculite - Vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives - Roofing and siding shingles - Textured paint and patching compounds used on wall and ceilings - Walls and floors around wood-burning stoves protected with asbestos paper, mill-board, or cement sheets - Hot water and steam pipes coated with asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape - Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets with asbestos insulation - Heat-resistant fabrics - Automobile clutches and brakes **How Can People Be Exposed to Asbestos?** Asbestos fibers may be released into the air by the disturbance of asbestos-containing material during product use, demolition work, building or home maintenance, repair, and remodeling. In general, exposure may occur only when the asbestos-containing material is disturbed or damaged in some way to release particles and fibers into the air. **Health Effects from Exposure to Asbestos** Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease. That risk is made worse by smoking. In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of developing harmful health effects.  Disease symptoms may take many years to develop following exposure. Asbestos-related conditions can be difficult to identify. Healthcare providers usually identify the possibility of asbestos exposure and related health conditions like lung disease by taking a thorough medical history. This includes looking at the person's medical, work, cultural and environmental history. After a doctor suspects an asbestos-related health condition, he or she can use a number of tools to help make the actual diagnosis. Some of these tools are physical examination, chest x-ray and pulmonary function tests. Your doctor may also refer you to a specialist who treats diseases caused by asbestos. **Three of the major health effects associated with asbestos exposure are:** - Lung cancer - Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining of the lung, chest and the abdomen and heart - Asbestosis, a serious progressive, long-term, non-cancer disease of the lungs **How to Identify Materials That May Contain Asbestos** Generally, you can\'t tell whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled. If in doubt, treat the material as if it contains asbestos and leave it alone. You may want to have your home inspected for asbestos-containing materials by a trained and accredited asbestos professional if: - You are planning to remodel your home (remodeling can disturb building materials) - Your home has damaged building materials (like crumbling drywall and insulation that is falling apart) A trained and accredited asbestos professional should take samples for analysis, since a professional knows what to look for, and because there may be an increased health risk if fibers are released. In fact, if done incorrectly, sampling can be more hazardous than leaving the material alone. Taking samples yourself is not recommended. If building materials in your home aren't damaged and won't be disturbed, you do not need to have your home tested for asbestos. Material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed (by remodeling, for example) should be left alone. **What to Do If You Have Asbestos in Your Home** If you think there may be asbestos in your home, don't panic. Asbestos-containing materials that aren't damaged or disturbed are not likely to pose a health risk. Usually the best thing is to leave asbestos-containing material alone if it is in good condition. Generally, asbestos-containing material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed (by remodeling, for example) will not release asbestos fibers. Asbestos-containing materials may release fibers when they are disturbed, damaged, removed improperly, repaired, cut, torn, sanded, sawed, drilled or scraped. Keep an eye on asbestos-containing materials and visually check them over time for signs of wear or damage. If you suspect material contains asbestos, don\'t touch it. Look for signs of wear or damage such as tears, abrasions, or water damage. Damaged material may release asbestos fibers. This is particularly true if you often disturb it by hitting, rubbing or handling, or if it is exposed to extreme vibration or air flow. For slightly damaged asbestos-containing material, sometimes the best way to deal with it is to limit access to the area and not to touch or disturb it. If asbestos-containing material is more than slightly damaged or if you are going to make changes in your home that might disturb it, repair or removal by a trained and accredited asbestos professional is needed. **Asbestos Do\'s and Don\'ts for the Homeowner** - Do leave undamaged asbestos-containing materials alone. - Do keep activities to a minimum in any areas having damaged material that may contain asbestos, including limiting children\'s access to any materials that may contain asbestos. - Do take every precaution to avoid damaging asbestos-containing material. - Do have removal and major repair done by people trained and qualified in handling asbestos. It is highly recommended that sampling and minor repair also be done by a trained and accredited asbestos professional. - Don\'t dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos. - Don\'t saw, sand, scrape, or drill holes in asbestos-containing materials. - Don\'t use abrasive pads or brushes on power strippers to strip wax from asbestos flooring. Never use a power stripper on flooring that may contain asbestos. - Don\'t sand or try to level asbestos flooring or its backing. When asbestos flooring needs replacing install new floor covering over it, if possible. - Don\'t track material that could contain asbestos through the house. If you cannot avoid walking through the area, have it cleaned with a wet mop. If the material is from a damaged area or if a large area must be cleaned, call an asbestos professional. **If You Have an Asbestos Problem** If the asbestos-containing material is more than slightly damaged or could be disturbed, there are two types of actions that can be taken by trained and accredited asbestos professionals: repair and removal.  Repair usually involves either sealing or covering asbestos material. With any type of repair, the asbestos remains in place. - Sealing (encapsulation) involves treating the material with a sealant that either binds the asbestos fibers together or coats the material so fibers are not released. Pipe, furnace and boiler insulation can sometimes be repaired this way. This should be done only by a professional trained to handle asbestos safely. - Covering (enclosure) involves placing something over or around the material that contains asbestos to prevent release of fibers. Exposed insulated piping may be covered with a protective wrap or jacket. Removal may be required when remodeling or making major changes to your home will disturb asbestos-containing material. Also, removal may be called for if asbestos-containing material is damaged extensively and cannot be otherwise repaired. Removal is complex and must be done only by a trained and accredited asbestos professional. Improper removal may actually increase your and your family's exposure to asbestos fibers. **Asbestos Professionals: Who Are They and What Can They Do?** In general, there are two main types of accredited asbestos professionals that can be hired to handle asbestos-containing material: - Asbestos Inspectors. These individuals can inspect a home or building, assess conditions, take samples of suspected materials for testing, and advise about what corrections are needed. If repair or removal of asbestos materials is chosen, inspectors can ensure the corrective-action contractor has followed proper procedures, including proper clean up, and can monitor the air to ensure no increase of asbestos fibers. - Asbestos Contractors. These professionals can repair or remove asbestos materials. Federal law does not require persons who inspect, repair or remove asbestos-containing materials in detached single-family homes to be trained and accredited; however, some states and localities do require this. For safety, homeowners should ensure that workers they hire to handle asbestos are trained and accredited. State agencies have the most up-to-date listings of accredited professionals in your area. **Before You Hire an Asbestos Professional** - Avoid a conflict of interest. An asbestos professional hired to assess the need for asbestos repair or removal should not be connected with an asbestos firm that does the actual repair or removal of materials. It is better to use two different firms so there is no conflict of interest. - Ask asbestos professionals to document their completion of federal or state-approved training. Each person performing work should provide proof of accreditation to do asbestos work. - Check on the past performance of your asbestos professional with your local air pollution control board, the local agency responsible for worker safety, and the Better Business Bureau. Ask if the firm has had any safety violations. Find out if there are legal actions filed against it. **If You Hire an Asbestos Professional Inspector** - Make sure that the inspection will include a complete visual examination and the careful collection and laboratory analysis of samples. - If asbestos is present, the inspector should provide a written evaluation describing its location and extent of damage and give recommendations for correction or prevention. The inspector may recommend and perform checks after the correction to assure the area has been properly cleaned. **If You Hire an Asbestos Professional Contractor** - Before work begins, get a written contract specifying the work plan, cleanup, and the applicable federal, state, and local regulations which the contractor must follow (such as notification requirements, removal, handling and disposal procedures). Check with state agencies and asbestos worker protection laws to learn about federal, state, and local laws. - At the end of the job, get written assurance from the contractor that all procedures have been followed. - Ensure the contractor follows these procedures: - Avoids spreading or tracking asbestos dust into other areas of your home. - Disposes of all materials, disposable equipment and clothing used in the job in sealed, leak-proof, and labeled heavy-duty plastic bags. The work site should be visually free of dust and debris. - Upon completion, clean the entire area thoroughly with wet mops, wet rags, sponges, or HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) vacuum cleaners. A regular vacuum cleaner should never be used. - Does not break removed material into small pieces. This could release asbestos fibers into the air. - Applies a wetting agent to the asbestos material with a hand sprayer that creates a fine mist before removal. Wet fibers do not float in the air as easily as dry fibers and will be easier to clean up. - Ensures the work site is clearly marked as a hazard area. Do not allow household members and pets into the area until work is completed. - Seals the work area from the rest of the house using plastic sheeting and duct tape, and turns off the heating and air conditioning system. For some repairs, such as pipe insulation removal, plastic glove bags may be adequate. They must be sealed with tape and properly disposed of when the job is complete. After the work is complete, an inspector or an independent air testing contractor may perform air monitoring to make sure there is no increase of asbestos fibers in the air which may be necessary to assure that the contractor\'s job was done properly. **Watch the video \"1950s The Beauty of Asbestos\" **The only thing that they don\'t mention is the dangers to the consumer. Unfortunately when the video was made they just didn\'t know the danger. **C.L.U.E. Reports** C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) is a claims history database generated by LexisNexis® enabling insurance companies to access consumer claims information when they are underwriting or rating an insurance policy. Insurance companies contributing loss data to C.L.U.E. can gather and obtain information from the exchange. In addition, some insurance agents, with the authority of the company they represent, can access and withdraw data. C.L.U.E. reports are used almost exclusively to underwrite and rate new policies. Most insurers renewing existing policies do not access C.L.U.E. reports at renewal, largely because they already have loss histories for existing policyholders and properties in their own databases. It includes policy information such as name, date of birth, policy number, claim information (such as date of loss, type of loss and amounts paid), and a description of the property covered. For homeowner's coverage the report includes the property address and for auto coverage it includes specific vehicle information. Consumer claims information includes any losses you have requested the insurance company to cover, whether or not the insurance company paid for it. Only policy information, including loss history, is stored in the database. No other sources of data, such as credit reports, criminal records, civil lawsuits, or legal judgments are incorporated into C.L.U.E. reports. The database contains up to seven years of personal property claims history. Only insurance companies subscribing to C.L.U.E. are able to contribute loss data and access C.L.U.E. reports. It should be noted consumers can access C.L.U.E. reports on themselves and their own properties. Some companies choose not to subscribe to C.L.U.E. Therefore, losses filed with nonparticipating companies will not appear on a C.L.U.E. report. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, LexisNexis® is allowed to produce a C.L.U.E. report for the following insurance-related purposes: - When used in connection with underwriting an insurance policy---This includes situations where the consumer asks for an insurance quote or applies for insurance. - When the request for the C.L.U.E. report is initiated by or at the request of the insurance company or agent Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, C.L.U.E. reports can be accessed only by the owner, insurer, or lender for the property. A report may requested by the current owner of the property by calling LexisNexis® toll free at 1-866-312-8076. We a licensee is working as Buyer\'s Agent it is very important that they tell their client about the CLUE report. The buyer can request the seller order one to see that there are no past claims, and if there were claims, what they were. This can help reveal all sorts of potential or past problems with the home.