WORD ON THE STREET   

Taking Her Case To Congress, Walker And Family Don’t Want Mold In Your Home, Too     

Associations Weigh In On Case Against Texas Remediation Company     

Guiding The Public On IAQ-Melinda Ballard Goes From Bad-Faith Victim To Kick-Ass Activist With Growing Membership In Policyholders Of America And A Thriving Career In Legislation 101   

Moisture Meters Help Detect, Locate, Measure Water In Building Materials   

WORD ON THE STREET

• GSA Training: Special IAQ training for associates of the U.S. General Services Administration began Sept. 5 with a session presented by Dave Pennebaker, a building scientist from the Mid-Atlantic Environmental Hygiene Resource Center. He is scheduled to present further trainings throughout October and November at all the GSA region offices across the country.
  These one-day courses, targeted to realty specialists and project and building managers, focus on recognizing the symptoms of IAQ problems, correcting these problems and preventing future occurrences. GSA Environmental Protection Specialist Bryan C. Steverson said the curriculum will cover the intricate aspects of IAQ, including the occurrence and prevention of mold in federal buildings.
  
  “The goal is to inform all parties of the causes, effects and steps to take when confronted with bad air within federal buildings,” Steverson said. “Our hope is to eliminate the future occurrences of bad air quality and help improve customer satisfaction.”
  
  
• Taking It To The Streets: A family in California has reached a $900,000 out-of-court settlement over toxic mold in their apartment. The Celmer family agreed to settle its lawsuit against a remediation contractor, as well as current and previous owners and property managers of the North Hills apartment complex in Anaheim, Calif.
  
  Melissa Celmer and her three sons developed symptoms of respiratory conditions while they lived in their apartment, which was found to have a hidden growth of toxic mold. However, a worker from Rainbow Contractors Inc. who was sent for remediation could not eliminate the moisture causing it, the Celmer family’s attorneys said in a statement.
  
  One of them, Jeffrey F. LaFave of San Diego, said, “We hope that this settlement sends a signal to landlords and property managers to treat water damage and mold growth issues seriously and to remedy these kind of problems quickly so that children and adults alike will not be made sick in the future.”
  
  
• Healthy Octoberfest: This month has been designated as National Home Indoor Air Quality Action & Awareness Month. Supported by a Presidential Proclamation, each week will focus on a different home indoor air topic, including secondhand smoke, children’s health, children and asthma, combustion gases, radon and lead poisoning.
  
  
• Do What You Say: The Federal Trade Commission has charged Florida-based Lentek International Inc. with false advertising for its air cleaning and battery-powered mosquito repellent device. The commission is challenging Lentek’s claims that its product repels mosquitoes, as well as claims that its air cleaning products clean indoor air through ozone and ionization.
  
  The FTC filed an administrative complaint that claims for the MosquitoContro device are false. The commission says the air cleaning products do not live up to the company’s claims that they would eliminate, remove or reduce substantially airborne pollutants, or provide relief from allergies, hay fever, insomnia and fatigue. The FTC asserts that Lentek does not have competent and reliable evidence to support the claims made for these products.
  
• Survivor, Mold: April 2002 saw the launching of MoldSurvivorsOfAmerica.org, the Web site of an organization helping mold victims become survivors. Membership is free for those directly affected by indoor mold. The site’s message board is a forum for primary members to share information on physical health effects and other disabilities related to indoor mold exposure in both the workplace and the home environment.
  
  Executive Director John Terranova realizes that there’s a lot more to mold exposure than just the physical effects. He said, “Mold victims also have to deal with quality of life issues such as mental anguish, loss of property and sometimes financial devastation. Affected individuals can be misunderstood, which can lead to despair and frustration. Information overload and the maze of professionals can frustrate the most patient of people.” The goal of Mold Survivors of America is to make this information easier to access and sort through.
  
  The site is designed to provide a directory of associate members such as laboratories, remediation contractors, developers, mental health caregivers, etc. who act as a resource to the primary members and helping them with discounts on products and services. “Technical papers, relative links, legislative updates and calendar events will be available on this Web site,” Terranova said.
  
• 9/11 Spending Tally: The Office of Management and Budget recently released an updated summary of more than $100 billion the federal government has spent or has committed to spend in response to the Sept. 11 attacks.
  
  Included in the spending totals were $8.8 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency response and recovery efforts such as cleaning and air monitoring, exterior building cleaning, air quality testing and environmental cleanup in schools, and indoor residential cleaning.
  
  
• Big Brother Watching: In an effort called well outside the scope of its traditional activities, the Office of Management and Budget' s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is currently reviewing an Environmental Protection Agency report on children's health before publication. According to sources, this is the first time, OIRA has ever involved itself in the shaping of a scientific study.
  
  Under executive order, agencies must submit major regulatory proposals to OIRA for review. Reports and studies, however, that involve questions of science– and do not involve a policy decision– have always been left to the agencies, which have the technical expertise that OIRA lacks. EPA was nearing publication when OIRA requested to review the report– America's Children & the Environment: Measures of Contaminants, Body Burdens and Illnesses– which updates a 2001 report on indicators linked to environmental hazards for children, including asthma, lead levels and cancer.
  
  
• Correction: Our July issue incorrectly stated that toxic mold victim Pamela Walker “faulted her insurance company for failing to intervene earlier and for not providing coverage included in its policy.” Since then, Walker has informed IE Connections that she does not blame the insurance company. A separate article begins on page 1 of this issue, listing the parties that Walker does blame.

Taking Her Case To Congress
Walker And Family Don’t Want Mold In Your Home, Too

Supporters of the federal toxic mold bill that is currently making the committee rounds in the House of Representatives should be familiar with the name of Melina, the 9-year-old girl for whom the bill was named. She, her sister Aleece, now 14, and their mother, Pamelia Walker, were already experiencing numerous symptoms of exposure to toxic mold when they were told to move away from home or else risk worse symptoms – even death.

But the symptoms Walker and her two daughters experienced were in no way telltale signs of toxic mold exposure. Their doctor was at first not able to pinpoint exactly why they were all getting sicker by the day. Service technicians and health officials coming to the home to investigate noted a strange, sulfurous odor and then left sick themselves, some even suffering asthma attacks and breaking out in hives. Although the family spent only 24 days living inside the home, the effects of their exposure could last as long as they live.

“Everybody in the field claims to be an expert, and now I know better,” said Walker, who has since spent the last year and a half living out of boxes. “Nobody should be saying that you can encapsulate mold, yet I was told that in my inspection. How do you encapsulate mold and do that successfully? I am not an expert, but I know for a fact that the mold has to be removed. Not part of it, all of it.”

Now engaged in a legal battle against the house’s previous owner, the realtor and an inspector, Walker and her family seek damages. However, Walker spends more of her time talking to other people who have gone through similar crises. She spoke about the problem with her boss, who just happened to be a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are now spearheading a campaign toward federal research and public awareness on the dangers of toxic mold. Through their actions, including addressing the annual Indoor Air Quality Association convention this month, they are heeding Melina’s advice to her mother: “Mommy, please keep this from happening to anybody else.”

Trouble Brewing
Walker’s story began March 16, 2001, when she closed a $115,000 deal to purchase a house in Southfield, Mich., located halfway between Pontiac and the Detroit office where she works.

“Everything was beautiful,” said Walker of the newly restored house. “White carpets, new cabinets – everything was new and fresh.” Hoping the home would provide a start that was just as new and fresh, she and her two daughters spent March 17 moving in the majority of their possessions and installing brand new furniture.

After a full day, they all went to bed in their deceptively beautiful home. Walker said they all woke up the next morning choking and experiencing sinus conditions. Most of their conditions were explainable at first, she said. “It was wet and snowy outside, and we were overworked and doing too much extra stuff.”

But she had a second guess when Melina, then age 7, started having asthma attacks. The girl’s doctor had already diagnosed her as mildly asthmatic, but she’d never undergone asthma attacks like this until her second day in the house. “I thought maybe she was just coming down with a cold, but she kept having attacks,” her mother said. “Melina was getting worse.” All that the doctor saw were the symptoms of cold and flu. As days passed, the physical conditions of all three continued worsening. The scope of their symptoms widened to include irritation of the eyes, nosebleeds and more.

Convinced an outside source was responsible, they considered everything around them potential suspects: paint, carbon monoxide, the carpet or perhaps an insecticide. They looked into everything. Someone from the gas company checked for a gas leak. People from the water department checked for a break in their line. Finally, a discovery made by little Melina scratched the surface of the problem. “She was screaming, ‘There are bugs here!’ We looked, and there were ants coming in and out of the ducts,” said Walker. “We had the ducts cleaned and found out they were collapsed.”

By this point, the two girls had broken out in hives, and Walker didn’t even notice that her own skin was covered with them as well. Oakland County’s health department recommended an environmental test, but it could not be performed until day 24 in the house. “It turns out that an environmental test is very expensive,” explained Walker. “I thought, ‘What a waste of money I don’t have, but I don’t know what else to do.”

While they waited until the test could be performed, an odor was brewing throughout the house. She said, “The smell was of moist dirt and sulfur. It was a burning smell, something that would literally burn the inside of your nose. It was very odd, something I’d never smelled before.”

Melina’s asthma was worse than ever. “I remember thinking, ‘Melina has never had asthma episodes of this magnitude.’ The doctors didn’t know what was wrong with her. I knew it was more than a cold.” More, indeed. More time passed. “Melina was so sick at that time,” Walker said. “She’d go to school and seem to get better, but then she’d come home and get sicker. She’s having breathing problems. I would look at her stomach going up and down, and it was very frightening.”

The day came for a team of scientists from an environmental testing company to come. “They walked in and acknowledged the smell right away. They decided it was not good,” Walker said. “I heard the person who was doing the testing say, ‘Oh, my god!’ I knew this didn’t sound good.”

The Discovery
The test revealed extremely high moisture levels in the house Pamelia Walker had bought. “The ducts had disintegrated into paper,” she said, “and it had been sitting in the house like that for 40 years. When it rains, you can literally see rain in your ducts. I didn’t have any ducts!” Where there was moisture, there was what appeared to be Stachybotrys, or a strain of toxic mold, growing in high levels.

At the time, the term “Stachybotrys” meant nothing to Walker. “I didn’t know anything about toxic mold,” she said. “I knew it existed, having seen some past articles and pieces on it. But it seemed to be something like a one-in-a-million thing, so the fact that I was doing this test just meant nothing to me.”

Now, the word rolls right off her tongue. “What they thought they saw was Stachybotrys,” she said. “They were going to submit the preliminary work within 24 hours. They asked me for all the phone numbers for where I was going to be in the next 24 hours. If their suspicions were correct, this would be the cause of my daughter’s asthma attacks.”

The test that once “meant nothing” soon meant everything in the world after one of the scientists “went out on a limb” to explain what she suspected. She told Walker, “I’ve found the culprit for Melina’s illness. If we confirm this, the home is uninhabitable. Take as few things away from the home as you can. Make sure they’re all decontaminated. If your daughter stays here, she will die.”

The word “toxic,” Walker realizes, is synonymous with “poisonous,” “lethal” and “deadly.” “Our life seemed like it was over,” she said. Left with no other option, she and her family simply left the house right away, empty-handed. Everything of theirs stayed because levels in some rooms were too dangerously high to remove and decontaminate most of their possessions. Furniture, papers, social security cards, family heirlooms, the children’s extensive library collection (“My daughters love books”) – it all had to be deserted; nothing was salvageable. “My daughters never again came home to that house,” Walker said. “It is very difficult to explain to children that our house is hazardous and everything you have there is gone. It’s all contaminated.”

Treatment
Pamelia Walker needed a place to stay. She pointed out that according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, one of the most basic needs to sustain life itself is shelter. Once protected from the April rain, it was still extremely difficult to plan the next strategy. Melina’s health took precedence over everything else.

Her doctor sent the family to an allergy specialist, where they immediately underwent skin testing for allergies. “They tried to get Melina to breathe to measure the air in her lungs, and she went into a major asthma attack. They thought she had pneumonia, and they ordered a lung X-ray.” Walker thought that if Melina’s lungs were damaged, it was all her fault.

Of all the luck, the X-ray was scheduled for Friday the 13th. “We were driving to the hospital, and I just cried the whole time,” said Walker. “I remember Melina being strong though, saying, ‘We can do this. I’m going to be just fine.’”

Although it usually took some time to return the results of an X-ray, Walker insisted she was not leaving the hospital without an answer. The results came back, and the doctor told Melina’s mother that the girl was OK. The feeling in her feet returned. Although relieved and thankful, Walker remained attentive so she could learn what medication would be needed to treat Melina’s continuing respiratory disorders and any other possible side effects. She learned how to administer tests to her daughter and read “peak flow meters,” which she had to do four times every day.

“We were out of the house, but we were not better,” she said. “Melina was prescribed some medicine. Some were steroids you had to break up, and Melina got tired of taking the medicine. She wouldn’t take it. I remember begging with her, ‘Please, please, Sweetie,’ and all she said was, ‘Mommy, please keep this from happening to anybody else.’”

Public Awareness
Melina’s concern for others led her mother to do research on toxic mold. The process was difficult given her limited access to a computer; without a home, she no longer had a home computer. And she said she was dissatisfied with the low level of assistance the federal government could provide. She even tried so-called “experts” in the medical field who told her, “I can’t imagine there being long-term effects.” Walker suspected there had to be long-term effects. But what are they? “Nobody knows! This stuff is not published,” she said. The only relevant research she found was taking place in Canada and some parts of Scandinavia.

It was now one week after they’d abandoned the house. Although one medical professional discouraged Walker from further blood testing, she had all their blood tested. They all tested positive with toxins. By this point, Walker said she was no longer fearful and sad. She was “really angry.” It was then that she began granting interviews. “After the first one, there was a flood of calls. Everybody wanted to interview me, and people began calling me with their own problems.

“That’s when I decided that this would be one office of the government where if you call for help and if it’s within my capacity, we will help.” Too many times, she herself had left messages for other government agencies that would not return her calls. One took about a month or longer just to provide an address, she said.

Walker, employed as the office manager for U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., spoke to the congressman about the life-changing events of March and April 2001. Conyers was quick to take up the cause. “I’m glad to have a boss who’s so passionate on the issue,” said Walker. The representative’s efforts resulted in the introduction of HR 5040, the United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act, nicknamed the Melina bill, which calls for governmental research into the growing problem of toxic mold and for the government to set standards.

But most of all, the bill increases public awareness about the threat toxic mold poses. “The Melina bill is intended to promote education,” Walker said. “We want people to be educated consumers – and not just about where they live but also their school and work buildings.” Through education, the bill helps to grant Melina’s wish, to “keep this from happening to anybody else.”

Two national associations have backed the recent move by the office of the Texas attorney general to freeze the assets of a mold remediation company accused of unethical business practices. Texas Attorney General John Cornyn announced that his office filed a lawsuit against Mold Restoration Inc., alleging that the mold remediation company lied to customers, misused funds and violated the terms of its contracts with customers.

In a joint press release applauding the attorney general’s decision, the Policyholders of America and the Indoor Air Quality Association criticized the “abusive and fraudulent manner” in which some remediation companies have acted. “It underscores the need to implement mandates and accreditation for remediation companies,” the associations stated in a press release.
“The actions of a few unscrupulous contractors are giving the entire industry a black eye,” said IAQA Executive Director Glenn Fellman. “This case clearly shows the need for standards and certification for the mold remediation industry.” His organization is one of several already involved in a coalition to develop mold remediation standards in the next year.

One of the criteria for a company’s membership in IAQA requires that the company maintain good business ethics. Given the Texas attorney general’s comments about MRI, its membership with the IAQA was suspended. Fellman said that during the suspension, the association would review the facts of the case. “If the allegations are proven true, the firm’s membership will be terminated,” Fellman added.

The lawsuit pending against MRI states the company did not store residents’ belongings in sealed rooms to prevent mold recontamination, and charged customers for air scrubbers and dehumidifiers but never used them. MRI also allegedly failed to perform work in accordance with cleanup guidelines under their contracts with consumers, while still charging them for the work.

Among the other specific allegations mentioned in the case are charging residents inflated fees for dry-cleaning services and off-site storage. Cornyn also said that some insurance proceeds did not go toward mold remediation but to paying for MRI employees’ personal expenses and for questionable “referral fees.”

The suit states that MRI enticed consumers with kickbacks known as “referral fees.” Basically, the suit alleges, these fees were the consumers’ own insurance monies returned to them to ensure MRI would complete the job. However, Cornyn added that some insurance funds afforded lavish vacations for the company’s co-owners.

“If the public is to be protected from these bad actors, remediation guidelines must become mandates, and perpetrators of fraud must face criminal charges,” said Melinda Ballard, president of Policyholders of America, a national association of homeowners.

POA and IAQA stated that their common goal is “to ensure the work performed by contractors is done in a cost-effective, professional manner and in accordance with the highest scientific standards available.” Without this guarantee, they said, “a home can become more infested, cross contamination can occur, and repair costs soar.”

Guiding The Public On IAQ
Melinda Ballard Goes From Bad-Faith Victim To Kick-Ass Activist With Growing Membership In Policyholders Of America And A Thriving Career In Legislation 101

Melinda Ballard, 44, serves as president of Policyholders of America, a nonprofit association of homeowners. She is a proven advocate for the public on issues relating to health and homeowners insurance. Ballard has become the national spokesperson for victims of toxic mold and has contributed to legal journals. She has also been an advocate for federal and state legislation concerning insurance premium rates, coverage and the duties of the insurer after a loss.

But from where does her zeal for protecting consumer interests emanate? What makes her such a staunch advocate for a reform platform that would eradicate bad faith and fraud? Melinda Ballard is credited for educating the public about mycotoxin-producing molds and the turmoil that can ensue if water damage is not handled properly. Following her family’s exposure to toxic mold, she took Farmers Insurance to task for bad faith and fraud, her case helped change the way many insurers adjust water damage for others.

Those insurance companies that still have not met Ballard’s satisfaction now have an association with more than 20,000 members knocking at their door. But Policyholders of America does more than just pressure insurance companies to do what is right. In this exclusive interview with IE Connections, Ballard explains what other successes she has accomplished and what’s in store for the future with POA.

Indoor Environment Connections: Tell us why you formed Policyholders of America. What is the mission of the organization?

Melinda Ballard: I formed POA in January 2002 and launched it in March. It was formed as a result of the hundreds of thousands of homeowners I spoke with – many of whom had insurance claims that were handled in the same fraudulent manner mine was handled. I kept a record of the calls and found myself providing the same sort of information to everyone. So, to save time, I decided to just refer them to our site and let them sift through the information they need.

POA has 11 directors, one of whom is a world-renowned scientist researching fungi.

All of us are volunteers, and we all are worker bees. Our membership can vote us out of office if they so desire. But, so far, our 20,000-plus families – voting members – are happy with the direction and purpose of the association.

Our primary function is to arm homeowners with knowledge so that they can receive the coverage they purchased. We also commit large sums of money to medical research – about $5 million to date. We take no membership from the trade, but we do have a category for professional members (attorneys) who are not voting members.

By the end of 2002, POA will have sent out about $1 billion in testing, consulting and remediation business. Any company on our POA Approved Contractor list must execute a pledge of professionalism. We do not accept referral fees. This is a free member service.

IEC: Your Web site, www.policyholdersofamerica.org, certainly has some creative imagery. Can you provide any insight into the symbolism behind the use of the Pink Floyd song “Money” and the flying pig named Marty that appear at the site?

MB: The song “Money” was selected because money is the only thing that the insurance companies understand. In their ads, they would have you believe they care about you. They care only about their bottom line, which is why we have seen so many of these companies practice fraud and bad faith in the claims handling process.

Proper repairs after water damage cost more than do improper repairs.

The pig, Marty, is named after Martin Feinstein, chairman and CEO of Farmers Insurance. Since about 65 percent of our members are victims of Farmers Insurance, we felt it appropriate for our flying pig to be named after the head hog.

IEC: How often do you hear from toxic mold victims, and what does POA do to help them?

MB: I get about 1,500 e-mails a day and probably 50 phone calls a day from victims. Some of them we can help, and unfortunately, some we cannot.

Just this week, we heard from a family in southern Texas. They had hired the remediation company Mold Restoration Inc., or “MRI,” which is being sued by the Texas attorney general for fraud. The family’s insurance company approved and paid an MRI bid, MRI cashed the check the day after they were served with legal papers. Then, MRI refused to give the money back to the family.

POA stepped in and found a remediation company, Mold Remediation Services Inc., to volunteer to do the work for free. It was a small job ($22,000), but there was no reason for this family to get caught in the crosshairs and be yet another casualty.

My greatest joy comes from the mail I get from complete strangers, especially the children. I get tons of “thank you” letters from people I’ve never met. It is these letters, notes and drawings from kids that keep me motivated to help other families.

IEC: POA has emerged as a powerful lobby in Texas as well as on the federal scene. Now that you have built a strong constituency, what’s next for POA?
MB: POA can and will impact elections. In Texas alone, we heavily influence 200,000 votes. In California, we influence about the same, and so on and so forth. We will continue this effort and increase the size of our voter base.

IEC: Do you have any political aspirations?
MB: I stuck my big toe in those troubled waters a year ago when I decided to run as a Republican in Texas House District 45. I had to bail out of the race because my son began to experience seizures again. I find now, however, that I can have a more positive impact not being directly in politics. Politicians trade political favors for votes and money; everything is a compromise including certain things like public health issues. That’s not my cup of tea. I am better off being able to be honest and independent, regardless of which special interest groups I make mad.

IEC: What is your biggest professional triumph as POA president?
MB: Professionally speaking, I would have to say that getting legislation introduced is our biggest coup. I spend a good part of my day these days with bill writers. Each piece of legislation will help the professionals in the air quality industry. We were instrumental in various state legislations and the federal toxic mold bill. There will be much more to come.

IEC: Tell us about your involvement with U.S. Congressman John Conyers Jr. and his newly introduced bill HR 5040, The Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act.

MB: Rep. Conyers and his staff – Joel Segal, Pam Walker and others – are really top-notch folks. They’ve taken a lot of heat from the building and insurance industry on this bill. It takes a strong person to stand up to the special interest groups.

POA was called in to rally support. Thanks to one IAQA member, Greg Long of TPV, who offered to split the cost of the electronic petition on our site, we have about 950,000 signatures supporting Bill 5040. We will continue the petition until we get 2 million signatures.

Joel Segal, Mr. Conyers’ legislative assistant, actually wrote the bill, and many of us offered our input.

IEC: Congressman Conyers is calling for a federal insurance program for mold remediation, similar to the flood insurance program operated by FEMA. Do you think insurers should be required to cover mold and mold remediation as a standard policy requirement, or do you think consumers would be better off with a government-run program?

MB: I think insurers should be assessed a fee based on their market share, and the fees collected would serve as seed money for the federal pool’s initial operating capital. Insurers have an incentive to get out from under mold coverage so they would have an incentive to participate financially in the formation of this government insurance pool. Thereafter, the federal insurance pool would be self-sufficient because it would “sell” coverage, and that coverage should extend to commercial policies.

FEMA does a pretty darn good job handling disasters. In fact, they handle water damage better than the insurance industry. I believe FEMA is the logical choice as the administrator of the insurance pool.

Some states are considering this type of pool on a statewide basis. Texas, for instance, is considering forming an “insurer of last resort” for mold. It mimics what was done in the ’90s for workers’ compensation claims. At that time, insurers bailed out of the workers’ comp coverage business, and the state created quasi-agencies to sell this insurance.

It would be most efficient to have this a federal agency rather than each state handling it.

IEC: In your opinion, should homeowners’ participation in a government-run program be voluntary or mandatory?

MB: I believe homeowners should be given a choice about mold coverage. But unless premiums are lowered to reflect the private carrier’s lack of coverage, no homeowner would be able to afford to purchase additional coverage. For example, let’s say you paid $1,000 and had mold coverage in 2001 and your insurer was able to exclude mold yet charges you $1,500 in 2002. Coverage should be commensurate with premiums, so in reality, you should be charged far less ($700 per year) since you’re getting less coverage. If the insurance industry was required to charge premiums based on coverage, the average homeowner would receive a substantial discount. With the savings, a family can afford to pay for mold coverage.

IEC: What could be done to keep premiums from rising if insurance companies had to cover the expenses of mold remediation?

MB: If insurers are to be responsible for remediation costs, remediators should all play by the same rules meaning the guidelines should become mandates. Frankly, this should happen regardless of who is responsible for paying the tab. That way, all bids and estimates are on a level playing field. You wouldn’t have one company saying that moldy Sheetrock can be scraped clean and reused while the other company says the Sheetrock must be removed.

Insurers would find their financial woes relating to mold would be dramatically reduced if and only if the policy language changes. Right now, a homeowner is NOT allowed to make repairs – rip out wet building materials – until the insurance company authorizes such repairs be made. The policy clearly states that if repairs are made prior to the conclusion of the insurance company’s investigation, coverage is jeopardized. In other words, if you remove wet plywood or wallboard before your adjuster says it’s OK to do so, the insurance company can deny your claim. This must change. The homeowner must be allowed to mitigate damage without penalty of having the coverage denied.

IEC: How would you rate the efforts of insurance companies to educate their policyholders about handling water losses? Do you think better consumer education about handling water losses would result in fewer mold-related claims?

MB: POA has done the educational job the insurance industry should have done years ago. The insurance industry has been quietly dealing with toxic mold litigation since 1985. No one really stepped up to the plate to educate the public until 1999.

I believe that the more homeowners who know the potential consequences of water damage, the faster they will mitigate damage so their water damage does not turn into a massive mold problem.

I liken it to e.coli in the food supply. People don’t eat raw ground beef, and beef processors and fast food restaurants practice better food safety techniques. When all was said and done about e.coli-tainted food, we still can buy a hamburger for 99 cents. This proves that better practices make for better prices to the consumer.

IEC: Do you want the toxic mold bill to pass in its current form? If not, what changes would you like to see?

MB: I believe the bill will be modified as it makes its way through committee. Some of the language will be taken out and some will be bolstered. I see the builder’s lobby to have the greatest negative impact on the bill in its current form.

For our members and homeowners across America, I strongly favor the FEMA-like government insurance pool. I also favor testing of certain public facilities. Certainly, if testing were part of a mortgage company’s requirement (like a termite inspection), many contaminated homes would not have been pawned off on poor unsuspecting families.

No initial bill addressing such a major problem will be perfect. We all, however, must try to support this step. Without this step, there will be no further movement.

Moisture meters are rapidly becoming a most important, and in fact, an essential item in the toolbox of any professional involved with indoor air quality inspections, mold remediation or prevention work.

It is easy to understand this when one understands that two conditions are essential to support biological growth and for mold and mildew to exist and thrive these are nutrients and most importantly moisture. Mold grows on virtually any organic material. Toxic mold that are of concern to the IAQ of a building thrive and digest material, especially those with cellulose-based ingredients such as wood, paper, drywall, flooring, sub flooring and ceiling materials. These form a good portion of the material used for practically all buildings.

The potential for mold growth is in theses materials; the food for mold is there waiting for moisture to activate growth. That is why the detection and location of excess moisture and humidity in the materials that make up a building structure is probably one of the first and a most important step in the location of mold- and mildew-related problems or potential problems.

Mold is more likely to grow and thrive on concealed surfaces hidden from view and normal air movement than it on exposed surface are better ventilated (or, as they say in Ireland, “better aired”) surfaces. These well-ventilated areas tend not to hold dampness and moisture as long as hidden surfaces that are less aired.

Examples of areas where mold growth is most prevalent are backside of drywall, voids between sub floors and its covering, wall tiles/coverings and their substrate, in crawl spaces, structural wood, wood cladding, ceiling and roof spaces. Excess moisture in wood and other celluloses based material not only will excess moisture increase the likelihood of attack by mold but also will support termite life. Wood at moisture levels in access of 20 percent is subject infestation and decay and biological growth. Ceiling tiles, and poorly maintained ducting where moisture or high humidity is present, can suffer mold attack.

In fact, anywhere where there is a building where there is a risk of elevated moisture levels caused by water leakage, flooding, high humidity or condensation are susceptible to mold and mildew growth. This is why the detectors and location of elevated moisture is essential.

The most practical and efficient way to do this is with a good quality suitable electronic moisture and humidity meter. The information gained from the moisture meter coupled with its operators own experience and knowledge will lead to cause and solution of these increasing problems.

There are moisture meters and humidity meters. Moisture meters detect, measure and locate moisture in a material. Humidity meters measure the relative moisture (humidity) in the air.

Basically, there are two types of moisture meters: pin-type resistance meters and pad-type non-destructive meters. Both these types of electronic moisture meters function by measuring the way moisture effects the electrical properties of the material being tested. Generally, the two types that measure different properties. Pin-type resistance, which is the older and destructive method measure resistance and the non-destructive pad type measure impedance, which is a combination of resistance and capacitance.

The Pin-Type Resistance method works the principle of DC resistance measurement. For most porous materials, an increase in moisture content will result in a decrease in electrical resistivity. The resistivity measurement meter have pin electrodes connected to it, when these are pushed or pounded into the material being tested, the DC current passes in a single line from one pin to the other, measuring the decrease in the resistivity. The higher the moisture content the lower the resistivity. This change is translated into a moisture related reading and displayed on a moving coil or digital or diode display.

Pin type resistance meters were widely utilized in the wood industry and most makes are available with a direct ready scale calibrated or more species of wood. This type of moisture meter is more suitable for wood that other construction material but are used on a limited scale. Apart from the obvious disadvantage of being destructive in nature. (Holes are make in the surface of the material being tested) thus risking release of mold spores into the atmosphere their other limitation over the non-destructive meter are:

• Narrow single line measurement
• Not suitable to the surface
• Very small measurement area
• Cannot be used on hard surfaces such as ceramic tiles.
• Measures only where both the pins are touching

For the IAQ, mold remediation and drying industries the most suited and popular moisture meter is the non-destructive type which enables non-invasive moisture detection and measurement in a wide range of building materials.

These are also referred to as impedance meters, pin-less and pad meters. There are different makes of non-destructive moisture meter on the market, working on different principle such as impedance capacitance, electromagnetic etc, most used and longest serving type in the electrical impedance type.

The non-destructive moisture meter operates on the principle of electrical impedance. Working on the principle that the electrical impedance of a material varies in proportion to its moisture content.

To measure and detect moisture, the two co-planar conductive rubber electrodes mounted on the base of the instrument case are pressed onto the wood being tested. The instrument measures the electrical impedance of this material by creating a low frequency alternating electric field between the electrodes. This field penetrates the material under test to a depth of up to approximately 30 mm (1¼ inches). The very small alternating current flowing through the field is proportional to the impedance of the material. The instrument detects this current, determines its amplitude and, after processing displays the computed moisture value on the moving coil pointer meter or LCD display material.

The field of penetrated (non-destructively) into the material being tested to a depth of up to 1 ¼ inches (30mm) for some of the pocket size instrument and up to 3 inches (75mm) for larger impedance meters as used for scanning EIFs and similar forms of construction.

As there is a wide variation in the nominal electrical impedance of different material types, good quality moisture meter of this type provide at least three selectable scales which are optimized for testing materials such as (1) wood, timber (2) drywall, roofing and (3) plaster, brick. In addition to these materials one of these sensitivity scales should be suitable for the detection and location of elevated moisture in or behind a range of covering materials such as wall, floor, and ceiling tiles, siding, carpet tiles and laminated floor coverings.

Usually, non-destructive moisture meters are calibrated to give percentage moisture content (by weight) in wood (there are some meters specially developed to give percentage reading in concrete) and relative or comparative readings for other materials. The relative scale are usually color coded to assist in evaluation of moisture levels.

When testing with a non-destructive moisture meters it is necessary to press the sensing electrodes against the surface of the material being tested. Meters that have exposed soft electrodes that are in direct contact with the material are more accurate have better depth of penetration than those which have the electrodes enclosed behind the meter casing, The exposed rubber pad version are also less prone to signal interference or effected by static build up.

Good quality non-destructive meters are equipped with switch able scales to alter for the different types of material encountered during inspection. The meter display usually has a percentage moisture content scale calibrated for wood and a relative or comparative scales which is color coded to assist in identifying areas of wet and dry.

Which type of moisture meter is for the mold remediation professional?
First choice would surely be the non-destructive (impedance) type meter as it is the more suitable offering more versatility for inspection work. However in certain instance a good quality pin type meter is required where for example deep wall probes are required to determine moisture levels in material behind heavy thickness of insulation or in at the back of inaccessible cavities.

The non-destructive (impedance) meter has many clear advantages over pin meters such as:

• They are non-destructive, i.e., there is no damage done to the surface
• Can detect elevated moisture on back side of drywall, ceiling tiles
• Will detect through covering such as wall paper, ceramic tile floor tiles, carpet and other coating without need to drill or poke holes
• Read through a material often means the moisture evaluation can be carried out on confirmed problem areas with maintain containment.
• Has different sensitivity scales for different materials
  Deciding which type of moisture meter to choose depends on how frequently you will need to use it. No matter which kind of moisture meter you purchase, it should have:
• A wide range of moisture levels
• Clear easy to read display either digital or analog. Avoid those little lights which are hard to read and interpret
• Analog meter should be color coded on comparative scale to assist in identifying areas of levels wetness/dryness
• A manufacturers warranty of a year
• Calibration checking, certifying and re-calibration service should be available if required
• Backup technical advice from manufacturers.
  If you choose a non-destructive type, in addition to above, make sure that it is equipped with:
• At least three sensitivity scales to cater for the different material encountered on inspections
• Has a signal penetration of at lease 1” (25mm) and will read through drywall
• Has soft electrodes that will make maximum contact on rough surfaces are in direct contact with the material being tested. Pin-type meters should have a socket that deep wall probes and other extension probes can be used.

Remember, a good moisture meter is not just a wise investment. It is an essential tool when making moisture inspections, and it can make and save you money.

Sean Fallon is the technical director for Tramex, a company that has been designing and manufacturing instruments for moisture detection and measurement since 1980. With locations all over the world, including Sean’s in Ireland, Tramex distributes moisture meters and IAQ Moisture Inspection Kits internationally. The Tramex location in Colorado can be reached by phone at (303) 972-7926, and Sean can be reached by e-mail at sean@tramex.ie.