Mold equals Money (Part 2)

• Medical treatment – May include diagnostic testing, doctor’s visits and medication. Do you have insurance and would it cover this?

• Reduced productivity – If an individual is unwell, this reduces his/ her ability to perform at maximum potential. What would this do to the efficiency of your business operations?

• Poor worker turnout – Depending on the severity of symptoms, there may be an increase in absenteeism and sick leave application. Can your business survive without an adequate workforce? Structural and Contents Damage The ability of mold to grow indoors depends on the availability of moisture and a suitable food source. Water is the most critical factor that allows mold to grow and spread. In the indoor environment, moisture can come from a variety of sources such as wind driven rain, rising flood waters, high humidity leading to condensation, dripping air-condition units, plumbing leaks, overflowing toilets, clothes dryers that are not vented outside, cooking without using a range hood or cover, and steaming of clothes and other fabrics (eg carpet cleaning).

Mold is natural decomposers, they can feed on virtually anything that is organic eg food items, dust build up, ceiling tiles, gypsum, fabric, leather, wood, paper, and cardboard.

This means that once conditions are favourable mold can grow not only in our homes and workplaces, but on the items within it as well.

There are several financial costs associated with mold growth in a building. The cost of mold remediation varies widely, depending on numerous factors:

• The size of the area affected by mold,

• Whether or not there is mold in the air-conditioning system (duct inspection and cleaning may be required),

• Whether or not moldy materials can be cleaned or must be removed, safely disposed of, and replaced. Usually organic and porous items (eg paperbased items, ceiling tiles, gypsum, leather, fabric and wood) cannot be remediated sufficiently and may require disposal and replacement.

• Whether or not mold developed after flooding with water that may have been contaminated with sewage or other hazardous substances.

Other hidden costs may include:

• Insurance claims (Home Owners and Business Owners),

• Hiring of professionals and consultants in the field of Indoor Air Quality and Mold Remediation,

• Relocation of items as well as persons until completion of works,

• Closure of business to facilitate remediation works,

• Post Remediation Verification testing to determine if actions were effective and mold has been removed satisfactorily.

It is estimated that a simple mold removal job may cost as little as US$500 while a larger, more complicated job may cost upward of US$30,000. Is this something that you as a home or business owner can afford at this time?

The Caribbean Industrial Research Institute is the leading experts locally and regionally in the field of Indoor Air Quality and Mold Assessments. Its team of Certified Mold Consultants and Investigators offer a wide range of services that can help prevent or correct mold growth in homes and places of work. Contact CARIRI’s Environmental Microbiology Laboratory for more information at emicro@cariri.com or 285- 5050 ext 3504, 3509 or 3512.