Darlene’s Toxic Mold Story - Apartment HVAC problems
- Posted by admin on April 27th, 2007 filed in Education, Toxic Mold Stories
Since becoming very ill from toxic molds being in my apartment’s HVAC system, and in the apartment building in which I live, my goals are to try to help in getting all stories out there of the many others that also suffer from across the states. I have been very ill for a little over a year now, in which mold has made my life a horrific disaster. Quality of life, I honestly don’t know what that has meant since becoming ill. Not being able to go anywhere for lengths on time, just being able to get up in the mornings have become such a struggle. Since becoming aware of what I was actually breathing in from my central air/heating system, (aspergillus, pencillium, phoma type molds, yeasts, etc. tested by a professional mycologist) life is an every day struggle.
As far as management for the building being aware of the issue, well they have had a copy of my mycologist reports since last year’s testing took place. What I have come to find out, is this mold issue has been in the building and problems a lot longer than I rented from them and nothing but washing a few apartment walls and repainted was called the remediation. Only one apartment recently that had some molds coming out of the walls, well the painters came in, cut out portions of the walls, took out portions of the insulation, put portions of new wall board and new pieces of insulation, painted and that was their remediation. On this particular occasion, when I had walked down this hallway, there was a big gray cart with the moldy wall pieces laying on the top. Yes, this sent me back into urgent care being treated for yet another overwhelming hit.
Although, I can’t say that any of my days are great, since still living in the toxic building that consists of disabled/handicapped and elderly people. I have asked over and over, why doesn’t anyone take this story to the media, well I have tried and turned heads is what I got. Although I must add that one television station almost took the story, but backed down before coming with the reasoning that the editors just decided not to take the story. Is it because it is a HUD subsidized building complex, who knows. These people know it just isn’t the few of us that have medical documentation to prove our illness, but what if the entire 300 or so people from the two buildings got sick, and I bet some are and don’t even acknowledge that it is caused from the molds.
A recent meeting a few months back, with the vice president of management confirmed their were others that had complained about the molds issues for a few years, (both buildings), how does this slip by and noting is actually done except for the painters or on staff maintenance man trying to remediate molds problems in the walls or the HVAC system.
My health has deteriorated so much, not ever having a respiratory illness before, now having asthma, COPD, RAD, Bronchitis, skin rash, shortness of breath, cough, raspy voice, chest tightness, heaviness in the chest, fibromyalgia that has exacerbated, the list just goes on and on. The many medications including nebulizer treatments, inhalers, oxygen tank, and many pills….there is just no end. I cant have a life, I am always to exhausted even to play with my little grand-daughters let alone do anything else. My children are seeing their mother deteriorate before their very eyes, I am only fifty and feel like I am 100. It just never ends….I don’t want to die from this,but with the project housed voucher from HUD, I can’t rent any where else.
What happens to the 300 people between both buildings. We all are not safe here. Who will help us speak out, after all we could die from these toxins. Here is little of what is happening with the toxins that are affecting us here. I would like to help in getting more stories out by putting them on my oped news, and on Myspace with some others. If I can help by putting these stories out there, please feel free to email me stories at dsb06 at yahoo dot com or send them to http://www.myspace.com/fightdeadlytoxins
I want to be involved by helping others get their tragic stories out more into the public eyes. We need to be heard, and if the only way I can be heard is through the internet sharing my story, I hope others will let me post their stories as well. This is a national health crisis, and needs more attention from all of us.
Thanks Darlene for sharing your story! If you have a story you would like to see published please submit it into the comments of any post and we will publish it. Lets get the word out.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Dear Darlene,
My name is Alyssa Loreti I live in Brandon Fl I am currently renting an apartment at an older community of which i have been at since may 9th 2007. I have been dealing with mold issues for about 2 months now and it’s been terrible I have a 15 month old daughter who this is seriously affecting and I can find no one to help us. The property manager is not doing anything no matter what i say or do. I have also reported them to numerous places like florida health department and the BBB. They say they cannot help me!! I don’t know what do to anymore i do not want to give up because I fear for my health as well as my daughters.
March 20th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I am nervous about advice from people if I have no idea of who they are, or why they think they have an answer, so let me introduce myself.
My name is Daryl I am with A Accredited Mold Inspection Service, Inc. I have conducted home inspection in Palm Beach County for 10 years, and mold inspections all over Florida but mostly South Florida for 5 years.
You should consider getting a report as well as someting in writing from a doctor and a lawyer and give it to the management for the building.
Consider having any water damaged or humidity prone areas of your property inspected. In reguard to your AC have your blower fan, the back side of the coils, the supply plenum and ducts etc inspected by a mold inspector who is an industrial hygienist, or an amiaq.org certified indoor environmentalist, or certified indoor environmental consultant. They should properly diagnoses the conditions, document your problems, includes detailed digital photos etc, and explains exactly why you have mold in your AC, and what must be done to correct the problem.
A report indicating the types of mold you have is may not be adaquate.
The landlord may get concerned when he sees a legally defensible document disclosing mold problems at his property If the report shows what can be done to correct the problem.
But a report alone may not be adequate, show the report to an allergy doctor and get something from your allergy doctor stating that your conditions appear to be related to mold in your property. Also send the report to an attorney, pay $150.00 to $300.00 and have the attorney prepare a letter requesting that repairs be made. Give the landlord reasonable time to comply, 2 or 4 weeks for example. If the situation is not corrected then you have a better chance of breaking you lease.
Of course giving advice is easy; getting it to work is the hard part. Your landlord may just get mad and kick you out, I have seen this happen a few times as well, so be tactful.
Another problems is that lots of times mold inspectors do not know how to diagnose a mold problem especially in an AC unit, most just know how to take samples and send them to the lab and collect money. Not much on thinking, researching, or inspecting. We inspectors are not regulated in any way in this state. Many know no more about why some AC units get moldy, and how to advice correction than the man on the moon.
99% of the time your AC is moldy because it is now, or has in the past, pulled in humidity as a moisture source and dust as a food source via some hole in the AC closet wall, return plenum, or AC enclosure itself. This is likely if the unit is in the garage or attic. Have the AC cleaned via NADCA standards and seal any of the above mentioned entrainment pathways holes. & install a good filter. The ducts may need cleaning and encapsulation or replacement. Another warning, lots of times people get more sick after the ducts are cleaned, the reason is cleaning stirs up dust & mold in the ducts.
Very important to use your bathroom ceiling vent fans and also set the AC thermostat to the auto setting, never the on setting in Florida, this will control humidity that feeds AC mold.
Good luck
Daryl Watters,
May 13th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I also became very ill from mold. My throat closes and I have IGG & IGA in my bloodtest that match the dangerus mold spores in my home. I have been out of my home for two years now and I am feeling better but I know how fast things can change if I am near stuff. My insurance co pretended that we were not covered for a long time but we caught them in their error. What helped me was walking out with nothing. I guess the toxins live on everything. The mycotoxins from Stac..are worse than the mold. Keep fighting and even people who are not the canary in the coalmine like we are will eventually die from the stuff.