Some say energy- efficient
construction, popular since the '70s, is the culprit. Others say
homeowner habits cause the problem
October 3, 2004 - Memories of the oil embargo three decades ago that produced long lines
at gas stations have been short-lived for Southern Californians who
still love to drive gas-guzzling cars. But those days did spur energy
conservation changes in residential construction that remain today.
Since the 1970s, homes have been built increasingly airtight to save
on gas and electricity. Some observers, however, believe the practice
has increased problems with indoor air quality and resulted in higher
incidences of household mold. But not everyone links the increase in
mold concerns to building practices. Also on the list of potential
culprits are certain building materials and the habits of homeowners
themselves.
"We find more problems with recently built homes compared to the ones
built before the oil embargo of the 1970s," said Jim Kingsrud of Home
to Home Inspections & Consulting in Laguna Hills. "We are seeing a lot
more of the stachybotrys -- that's the one that all the hype is
about."
Kingsrud's inspectors see mold problems in everything from older
retirement homes to high-quality new town homes, apartments and
single-family residences. The reasons for the mold, he said, range
from improper maintenance to construction defects. The issue of a home
being airtight just complicates the problem.
An energy-efficient, airtight home -- one that has doubled paned
windows, heavy insulation and weather stripping around doors and
windows, for example -- does not cause mold itself. But when moisture
enters through a plumbing or rain leak, it can become trapped. When
such leaks are unnoticed and untreated, mold can begin growing in as
little as six hours. Among the mold types are everything from mildew
to sometimes toxic varieties that can cause serious illnesses, such as
stachybotrys, penicillium and aspergillus.
"Mold has been around forever, but we are seeing more of it now
because of the construction industry," said Johnny Zamrzla, owner of
Palmdale-based Zamrzla & Associates, experts in water infiltration in
homes. "It's because they are making construction tighter."
High-profile court cases, such as the $7.2-million settlement over the
death of Ed McMahon's dog and a $32.1-million jury award to a Texas
homeowner that was later reduced to $4 million, have brought media
attention to the mold issue.
And while some blame airtight construction, members of the California
Energy Commission, created in 1974 in part to promote energy
efficiency through appliance and building standards, don't view their
recommendations as part of the problem. The positives of building
airtight homes, which can save up to 75% a year on energy costs per
home, far outweigh any negatives, said spokesman Rob Schlichting.
"For the most part, we are better off now living with energy-
efficient homes," he said. "I don't think there is a correlation
between airtight construction and mold."
Others blame the construction industry and building defects. In the
push to build homes to meet rising demand, more unskilled labor is
being used and corners are sometimes cut.
"Energy-efficient homes are a good thing," said Sandy Skipper- Lopez,
the national director of Homeowners Against Defective Dwellings. "But
energy-efficient homes improperly constructed ... are a recipe for
disaster and make homes Petri dishes for mold."
Another culprit is the use of more porous building materials, such as
plywood and drywall made of organic materials, which can become prime
food sources for mold.
Foundations in particular are being blamed. Continuous footing
foundations, which have become more commonplace since the 1994
Northridge earthquake, are often involved, said John LaRocca, a
longtime Los Angeles-based inspector and licensed general contractor.
With a continuous footing foundation, a series of 6- to 8-inch- thick
walls are spaced underneath a home to support the foundation. The
spaces between these walls can create pockets of trapped moisture,
which can be absorbed through the building materials and seep into a
home.
"That can create a mold problem," LaRocca said, "or at least set up
the potential for it." For their part, homeowners contribute to the
potential for problems by keeping their homes closed up because of,
among other reasons, safety concerns.
Everyday activities, such as bathing, cooking and even just exhaling
increase humidity levels. Indoor saunas, hot tubs and clogged clothing
dryer vents also contribute. Without proper ventilation -- using a fan
or opening a window or door -- mold problems can occur.
"Fans in the kitchen aren't for smoke control," said Bob Raymer,
technical director and licensed engineer with the California Building
Industry Assn. in Sacramento. Fans are for ventilation and humidity
control.
"Moisture from the shower, if a window is not opened, adheres to walls
and sooner or later there's moisture in your house," Raymer said. "You
do that enough and you start to feed the mold."
At the root of the problem, Raymer said, is improper ventilation.
Keeping homes healthy is an evolving science that requires a mindset
change by builders and homeowners, said Kathleen Guidera, executive
director of the Minneapolis-based Energy and Environmental Building
Assn.
"Everyone needs to take responsibility on this issue," she said. "A
perfectly well-built house can be totally screwed up by the
homeowner."
Additionally, Guidera noted, building codes nationwide are lagging.
But Texas is leading the way in potentially changing the way homes are
constructed to help alleviate the problem.
The Texas Residential Construction Commission was created in 2003 in
part to help reduce lawsuits between homeowners and builders and to
help develop better construction-industry standards to increase
ventilation in homes while reducing the incidence of mold.
"I think you can build a home that is going to allow the structure to
breathe and keep moisture levels at a proper level so you can have an
energy-efficient home at the same time," said Stephen Thomas, the
commission's executive director.
California is doing its part to address the issue too, having passed
two pieces of legislation in 2001 related to mold. One requires
homeowners to disclose the incidence of mold to prospective buyers.
The other set up a taskforce to research mold and its effects on
health and to make recommendations on remediation and possible changes
in construction. The task force is behind schedule, primarily due to
budget cuts.
"I am on a fact-finding mission," said Pamela Davis, a policy analyst
with the California Research Bureau, a state agency think tank that
researches various issues for the state Legislature. Davis, who also
is a registered nurse and specializes in toxins, said she planned to
issue a report to the Legislature next year.
"I would imagine we will see some changes in the building codes over
the next few years because of the research," she said. But, she added,
"I don't think we are going to make leaky buildings again."
Instead, Davis said, she believes tighter buildings will remain but
will have more provisions for better ventilation.
But for the moment, Davis' advice? "There is no substitute for opening
up the windows," she said.
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