Probably did not need a mold inspection

[Jim Baird]

New Yorker has every body stirred up in the PNW. This week's letters are all about the story and the debate it sparked.

I'm much less worried about getting hung as I am about having to most likely increase my discussion of mold. I am sick and tired of talking about mold.

I thought I was sick of mold until the discussions about earthquakes started. Thank you very much New Yorker Magazine.

[kurt]

I found the article to be the sort of thing that might spark a discussion of public safety. What I hear from my friends and family in Portland is they're all sick of it and wish the article never happened.

Tamper proof outlets, ionizing smoke alarms, or uneven stair risers? All kinds of discussion and advisement.

Earthquake that is absolutely coming at anytime between now and infinity that will decimate entire metro areas? I'm sorry, that's so yesterday, can't we talk about something else?

I've read where it's hard to even get locals to consider doing early warnings so maybe elementary school children can seek high ground. The only debate seems to be in the New Yorker.

What's that response in humans called? The "it's too big to think about response"? Isn't there a name for it?

[Erby]

Fatalism?

[Marc]

It ain't too big to think about because there is an escape available - move out.

A 10 mile wide meteor striking the earth and ending all civilization is something we have no escape from, so talk about a football game or the grandkids.

Marc

[Les]

I am curious. it is difficult to find exactly what qualifications and license? you have to have in various states. how many states regulate mold, mold inspection, mold remediation, etc?

[kurt]

Illinois Board or Realtors has a "Toxic Mold Disclosure" form that fuels the stupidity.

No license yet.

[kurt]

Fatalism?

Maybe fatalism. I thought there was a specific word to describe the mental state of dismissal of unsolvable problems.

Marc, no one's moving out.

San Francisco blew, the folks couldn't wait to rush back in and rebuild.

We know the entirety of of Seattle was buried in a mud wall dozens of feet thick....didn't stop anyone. Hurricanes blow the coasts apart...people can't wait to build again. N' Awlins is underwater...literally. Ain't stopped nothing yet. There's no water in the SW...must be time to build more housing and bring in more people.

The New Madrid fault blew the Mississippi River a mile away from where it used to be...people built St. Louis on top of it. New Madrid, we at least know it's a while 'til it blows again. The Ring of Fire, though, we know it could be anytime.

It's a weird modern human thing. The Earth isn't in control, we are...or something.

Of course, I live in Chicago, the midwest toxic waste dump. At least I know where it is and I can (kind of) avoid it.

[gtblum]

I am curious. it is difficult to find exactly what qualifications and license? you have to have in various states. how many states regulate mold, mold inspection, mold remediation, etc?

Les,

I had read somewhere, that only 4 of the 50 states had any regulations. Got nothing to direct you to. I just remember seeing it.

[Marc]

I am curious. it is difficult to find exactly what qualifications and license? you have to have in various states. how many states regulate mold, mold inspection, mold remediation, etc?

It's a mixed bag, depends on what sort of regulation.

Mold Legislation Continues to Sweep the Nation

Marc

[inspector57]

Texas has licensing for mold guys.

But the mold is gold rush was pretty much over here before the licensing

kicked in because the legislature changed the laws to let insurance

companies drop mold coverage from homeowners policies.

When the money dried up, the mold is gold crowd thinned out

considerably. This is not to say they are gone, they just don't have deep

pocketed folks on the hook to clean something up just because they say it

has "toxic" mold.

I know a guy who had a client call a year after they moved in wanting him to pay their

$30,000 bill for mold clean up because he "missed" the mold inside their

a/c ducts.

A letter from his lawyer made it go away BUT the machine is still out

there convincing people they have a problem that costs a huge amount of

money to fix and SOMEBODY else is to blame and needs to pay.

Be careful out there!

[kurt]

Interesting article..... Bolds are mine...... it's a well done piece by attorneys identifying what the real issues are and who tends to benefit.....litigants, mold remediation folks, and anyone else that can drag a buck out of it.

The last sentence nails it down AFAIC......

Conclusion

The flurry of mold-related legislation belies

the absence of scientific and medical evidence

that mold exposure can cause a toxic

reaction. Nonetheless, the end result, at least

in part, may actually prove beneficial to

those involved in mold litigation, including

potential defendants, experts and attorneys.

The guidelines anticipated by California?s

Toxic Mold Protection Act, for example,

may provide some guidance as to what

actions property owners and managers

should take when confronted with mold and

water intrusion issues at their properties.

Remediation contractors hired to develop

and implement remediation plans may also

benefit from the certainty the awaited standards

will provide. Moreover, these guidelines

may assist in refining the standard of

care as to all potential defendants which, to

date, has been vague and undefined as both

sides attempt to assess liability in these cases.

That said, despite more than 100 attempts at

mold-related legislation at the state and federal

levels, we still have no standards which

govern the assessment, identification and

remediation of mold. This leaves all those

involved wondering if the monumental

efforts by our legislatures will ever actually

result in laws by which we must live