Toxic Mold

Toxic Mold

Congressman John Conyers Introduces
H.R. 1268: "The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act" ("The Melina Bill")

The growth of "toxic mold" is becoming a problem of monumental proportions. Exposure to mold growth in residential, public and commercial buildings is believed to have caused serious medical conditions which include bleeding lungs, digestive problems, hair loss, nausea, loss of memory, reduced cognitive skills, and death. Property damage from mold growth has destroyed millions of dollars in real estate and forced homeowners to the curb. We cannot eliminate mold. However, there are steps that can be taken to minimize the dangers of indoor mold growth.

The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act will mandate comprehensive research into mold growth, create programs to educate the public about the dangers of toxic mold, and provide assistance to victims. In addition, the Act will generate guidelines for preventing indoor mold growth, establish standards for removing mold when it does grow, provide grants for mold removal in public buildings, authorize tax credits for inspection and/or remediation of mold hazards, and create a national insurance program to protect homeowners from catastrophic losses. Taken as a whole, the Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act will attack indoor mold growth with good science, public awareness, and tangible relief.

Home ownership is part of the American Dream, but for many toxic mold has transformed that dream into a nightmare. It’s time to stop toxic mold from robbing Americans of their health and their homes. If you are concerned about the hazards of mold contact your congressional representative and ask them to cosponsor and/or support the United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act.

I FOUND THIS INFORMATION ON THE WEB….THIS NEWS IS IMPORTANT AS IT RELATES TO MOLD.

leaky basement

The rainy fall and snowy winter are bad enough by themselves, but if any of that moisture gets into your basement, it can be a nightmare. Not only do leaky basements cause structural and cosmetic damage to a home’s foundation, the resulting mold growth can also harm a family’s health. Instead, protect your home this fall with professional waterproofing – it’s the only alternative to the ill health, property damage, and expensive cleanup of a leaky basement.

Until recently, basement waterproofing required noxious chemical treatments that could actually be worse for environmental and family health than the water damage it was designed to prevent. But thanks to new non-toxic and eco-friendly waterproofing techniques, a homeowner can now protect against water damage just by picking a company with a modern approach.

Today’s techniques improve on the classic method of basement waterproofing called “trenching.” In trenched basements, hydrostatic pressure is relieved by shallow pits dug around a room’s perimeter, and the pits are traditionally filled with river sediment to soak up rising groundwater before it can cause damage. But in practice, the river sediment is almost always too damp, and acts like a natural humidifier instead. This makes for a musty, humid basement where mold can thrive.
Waterproofing professionals further defend basements by installing Humidex ventilation units. As seen on HGTV, Humidex units work by exchanging moist, stale air in the basement with fresher, drier air from the upper levels of a home. A Humidex is so powerful, it can actually replace all the air in a home 6-10 times a day, virtually guaranteeing a dry basement.