For You, the Property Owner or Manager: • Clean and repair gutters regularly. • Make sure water runs away from your foundation to help prevent a moldy basement or crawlspace. • Maintain and clean AC and HVAC systems on a regular basis. • Keep indoor humidity low – ideally 40 percent to 50 percent relative humidity, which can be measured with a moisture or humidity meter available at your local hardware store. • Vent appliances that produce moisture (clothes dryers, stoves, bathroom fans) to the outside. • Install dehumidifiers where needed, and put them to use especially during more humid months. • Add mold inhibitors to paints before application. • Do not install carpet in bathrooms and basements. • Fix any leaks promptly. For Your Tenants: • Be sure tenants know to contact you immediately if they discover a water leak. • Inform tenants about mold-producing conditions such as steamy showers. • Run the bathroom fan at least one hour after every bath or shower, and the kitchen fan while cooking. • Open the windows on nice days to ventilate the house or apartment. • Keep beds, couches and chairs away fromwalls. • Do not over-pack storage areas such as closets, cabinets or the attic. • Give them the EPA’s “Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home” - a quick read that will help themwith the basics of mold prevention. (Download it for free at www.epa.gov/mold/pdfs/ moldguide.pdf.) APIPEBURSTSATYOUR PROPERTY–NOWWHAT?! When a property has experienced flooding, mold growth or other types of microbial contamination can begin in as little as 24 to 48 hours. You will need to act quickly to get things as dry as possible, as soon as possible. In addition to shutting
require a building to be mold-free; howev- er, state laws often require landlords to pro- vide habitable housing to tenants. If a land- lord does not remediate a mold problem after written notice from his or her tenant, that tenant may have a legal claim against the landlord for compromising his or her health and damaging his or her personal possessions. A variety of expenses can build up when a person becomes ill from a potential case of toxic mold. Mold cases can be complicated and expensive to try, and often the remediation costs are high as well. Not to mention the time a property may go vacant because it is uninhabitable for renters. Lost time, impaired cash flow and repair expense can all come into play when you are dealing with mold. ISMOLDDAMAGE COVERED BYINSURANCE? The majority of policies in the market are written on standardized forms produced by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). Many ISO policies have an “absolute pollution exclusion.” Some courts treat mold as a “pollutant,” thereby excluding coverage for mold-related claims. Other policies may contain an absolute microorganism exclu- sion that “does not insure any loss, damage, claim, cost, expense or other sum directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to: mold, mildew, fungus, spores or other microor- ganism of any type, nature or description including but not limited to any substance whose presence poses an actual or potential threat to human health.” Nor is there usually coverage for repairs or remediation for mold or other microbiological organisms. So, to sum it up, mold is usually not a covered peril. If you don’t want to pay for mold damage or any health issues that arise frommold, it’s best to make sure it doesn’t grow in the first place! TIPS FORPREVENTINGMOLD GROWTH INYOURPROPERTIES Remember, controlling moisture is the key to stopping mold growth! Here are some tips that can help reduce moisture, hu- midity and condensation in your property.
the water off at the source or street, you may need squeegees or fans. Or if the job is a large one, you may need to call a water mitigation specialist. Make sure you have such a vendor selected NOW so you aren’t frantically scouring Google as water gushes through your property! You also need to contact your insurance carrier reasonably quickly. Your carrier may have resources to help you minimize your loss, and you don’t want to open yourself up for a claim denial because you didn’t file something in a timely enough fashion. For some carriers, the window for reporting a loss after you have discovered it can be as little as 60 days – always be familiar with the terms of your policy. Your agent should be happy to answer any questions you have about your responsibilities. CAN I REMOVE MOLD MYSELF, OR DO I NEEDA PROFESSIONAL TO HELPME DOA PROPER CLEANUP? According to the EPA, the proper party for mold cleanup depends upon how big the job is. If the moldy area is less than 10 square feet, in most cases you may be able to handle the job yourself: • It is not recommended to use bleach as that can actually exacerbate the mold growth on the opposite side of the material. • First, fix the source of the leak or other water problem. • Seal off other areas of the house before you start work so that any mold spores do not spread to other areas. • Scrub mold off hard surfaces with deter- gent and water and dry them complete- ly. Absorbent or porous materials such as ceiling tiles or carpet may have to be thrown away if they become moldy. • For the purposes of insurance, you may need to set these outside until the adjuster has had an opportunity to examine them.
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BreAnn Stephenson is assistant vice presi- dent of Affinity Loss Prevention Services. Contact her at breann@affinityLPS.com.
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