health effects legal options if you are a renter mold...

HEALTHEFFECTS

• Somepeoplearesensitivetomolds,andforthesepeople,moldscancausenasalstuffiness,throatirritation,coughing/wheezing,eyeirritation,andskinirritation.

• Peoplewithmoldallergiesmayhavemoreseverereactions.Anestimated6-10%ofthegeneralpopulationand15-50%ofthosewhoaregeneticallysusceptiblearesensitizedtomoldallergens.

• Immune-compromisedindividualsandindividualswithchroniclungillnessesmaygetseriouslunginfectionswhenexposedtomold.

• Exposuretomoldplaysaroleintheexacerbationofasthmasymptomsinsensitizedindividuals.

• Studieshavesuggestedapotentiallinkofearlymoldexposuretodevelopmentofasthmainsomechildren,particularlyamongchildrenwhomaybegeneticallysusceptibletoasthmadevelopment.

• Inordertoprovethatmoldiscausingyouorahouseholdmembertosufferadversehealthconditions,youwillneeddocumentationthatmoldisthecauseoffromamedicalprofessional.DIAGNOSINGMOLD-RELATED

ILLNESSES

• Firstconsultafamilyorgeneralhealthcareproviderwhowilldecidewhetheryouneedreferraltoaspecialist.

• Specialistsmightincludeanallergistwhotreatspatientswithmoldallergiesoraninfectiousdiseasephysicianwhotreatsmoldinfections.Ifaninfectionisinthelungs,apulmonaryphysicianmightberecommended.

LEGALOPTIONSIFYOUAREARENTER

• YourlandlordhasadutyundertheOhioLandlordTenantActtocomplywithbuilding,housing,health,andsafetycodesthat“materiallyaffecthealthandsafety.”

• YourlandlordalsohasadutyundertheActtoputandkeepthepremisesina“fitandhabitablecondition.”

• Ifyoufeelyourlandlordhasnotmetthesedutieswithregardtomoldinyourhome,youhaveseveralrecourses:

o IfyouliveinpublichousingoryouhaveaHousingChoiceVoucher,youcancontactyourhousingauthority.

o Youmaycontactyourlocalcodeenforcementorcountyhealthdepartmenttoreportacodeviolation.

o Escrow–payingyourrenttoyourlocalcourtasaneconomicincentivetoforceyourlandlordtomakerepairstoleaks,holes,brokenwindows,etc.–maybeanoption.PleaseconsultCOHHIO’sinformationalpacketonescrowformoreinformationbeforeplacingyourrentinescrowwiththelocalcourt.

SOURCES

http://www.ohhn.org/moldbasics/http://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htmhttps://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/eh/healthyhomes/Mold.aspxhttps://www.epa.gov/mold

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/5321.04v1

MOLDINYOURHOME

E-Mail:rentinfo@cohhio.org

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Website:www.cohhio.org

IDENTIFYINGMOLD

• Visualinspectionfordampness,observablemoldgrowth,anddetectionofmustyodorsarethemostfrequentlyusedmethodstoassessthepotentialforindoormoldexposure.

• Visualobservationofmoldgrowthislimitedbythefactthatfungalelementssuchassporesaremicroscopic,andamoldproblemmaynotbeapparentuntilgrowthisextensive.

• Inmostcases,ifvisiblemoldgrowthispresent,samplingisunnecessary.

• NoEPAorotherfederallimitshavebeensetformoldormoldspores,sosamplingcannotbeusedtocheckabuilding'scompliancewithfederalmoldstandards.

• Surfacesamplingmaybeusefultodetermineifanareahasbeenadequatelycleanedorremediated.

• Samplingformoldshouldbeconductedbyprofessionalswhohavespecificexperienceindesigningmoldsamplingprotocols,samplingmethodsandinterpretingresults.

SOURCESOFMOLD

• Inindoorenvironments,moldoriginatesfromtwosources:

o 1)moldinfiltratingfromoutdoors(e.g.throughopenwindows)

o 2)moldcolonizationontheinteriorofthehome.

• Mostmoldsrequirefairlywetconditions(nearsaturation),lastingformanydays,toextensivelycolonizeanenvironment.

• Commonbuildingmaterials,suchasplywood,drywall,furringstrops,carpets,andcarpetpaddingarefoodformolds.

• TheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyandtheCDCrecommendthatitshouldbeassumedthatbuildingsormaterialssoakedformorethan48hoursarecontaminatedwithmoldunlessotherwiseproven.

• Housingfeaturesthatcanincreasemoisturelevelsandgrowthofmoldincludepoorventilation,excessproductionorcondensationofwaterinthehouse(humidifiers,unventedclothesdryers,etc.)andwaterleakageorflooding.

• Moldexposureinhomesoccursprimarilyviainhalationofairbornesporesandfungalfragments.

PREVENTING/ELIMINATINGMOLD

• Thekeytomoldpreventionismoisturecontrol.

• Drywater-damagedareaswithin24to48hourstopreventmoldgrowth.

• Ifthewaterand/ormolddamagewascausedbysewageorothercontaminatedwater,thencallaprofessionalwhohasexperiencecleaningbuildingsdamagedbycontaminatedwater.

• Ifthemoldyareaislessthan10squarefeet,youlikelycanhandlethecleanuponyourown.

• Cleanmoldoffhardsurfaceswithwateranddetergent,anddrycompletely.Absorbentmaterialssuchasceilingtilesthataremoldymayneedtobereplaced.

• Ifyouchoosetohireaprofessionalserviceprovidertodothecleanup,makesuretheyhaveexperiencecleaningupmold,andcheckreferences.

• IfyoususpectthattheHVACsysteminyourhomemaybecontaminatedwithmold(itispartofanidentifiedmoistureproblem,orthereismoldneartheintaketothesystem,etc.),considerhiringaprofessionalserviceproviderwithexperienceinsuchmatters

• DonotruntheHVACsystemifyouknoworsuspectthatitiscontaminatedwithmold-itcouldspreadmoldthroughoutthebuilding.

• Ifnooneinyourhouseholdsuffersfromallergiesorunexplainedsymptomsorillnessesandyouseenoindicationthatyourairductsarecontaminatedwithmold,havingyourairductscleanedislikelyunnecessary.