Comments on: Darlene’s Toxic Mold Story – Apartment HVAC Problems http://www.talkmold.com/2007/04/27/darlenes-toxi-mold-story-apartment-hvac-problems/ Comprehensive Mold Discussions Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:42:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: MEG http://www.talkmold.com/2007/04/27/darlenes-toxi-mold-story-apartment-hvac-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-4945 MEG Wed, 14 May 2008 00:12:38 +0000 http://www.talkmold.com/2007/04/27/darlenes-toxi-mold-story-apartment-hvac-problems/#comment-4945 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. 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.

]]> By: Daryl Watters http://www.talkmold.com/2007/04/27/darlenes-toxi-mold-story-apartment-hvac-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-4570 Daryl Watters Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:47:24 +0000 http://www.talkmold.com/2007/04/27/darlenes-toxi-mold-story-apartment-hvac-problems/#comment-4570 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, 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,

]]> By: Alyssa Loreti http://www.talkmold.com/2007/04/27/darlenes-toxi-mold-story-apartment-hvac-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-1914 Alyssa Loreti Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:58:34 +0000 http://www.talkmold.com/2007/04/27/darlenes-toxi-mold-story-apartment-hvac-problems/#comment-1914 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. 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.

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