Millions Are at Risk From Mold — Here Is Why the Industry Must Change Now

The Mold Industry Is Lagging Behind Science

The mold remediation industry is lagging behind science. For years, it has failed to adapt to noteworthy scientific evidence highlighting the serious health risks associated with water-damaged buildings and the mold and other microbial contamination they can harbor. Additionally, the industry tends to overlook abundant evidence indicating that mold and its byproducts pose a bioaerosol problem with potentially significant health implications for a large percentage of the population.

State-regulated and other unregulated water-damage remediation projects are currently limited to visibly contaminated or compromised areas, neglecting the impacts of water-damage contamination on the broader environment. Furthermore, verification standards post-remediation are insufficient, considering the health consequences.

Contaminated and improperly remediated water-damaged buildings negatively affect the health of millions in this country. By modernizing our approaches and techniques and listening to science, the industry can deliver infinitely more successful outcomes, including healthier spaces in every structure we treat. The impact of properly remediated buildings that support wellness cannot be overstated. The mold remediation industry is poised to revolutionize and transform indoor environments.

Decades of Scientific Evidence

Although a keener understanding of the contamination produced in water-damaged buildings is more recent, the science has been clear for decades. Water-damaged buildings are ubiquitous, and the contamination they produce is unhealthy.

According to data from the EPA’s Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) Study, 85 percent of buildings surveyed showed signs of past water damage, and 45 percent had active leaks at the time of data collection. Furthermore, mold is the number one complaint for military families living in more than 700,000 privately run housing structures.

The prevalence of aerosolized microbial contamination in indoor environments following water damage events has been extensively documented. These investigations highlight that both fungal and bacterial amplification occurs in such scenarios, alongside the production of harmful byproducts from microbial respiration, including mycotoxins, beta-glucans, and actinobacteria. The heightened presence of these in water-damaged indoor settings is known to present significant health risks to building occupants.

It has been reported that 20-25 percent of the global population has a genetic predisposition (HLA DR|DQ) that increases their risk of mold-related illnesses. Furthermore, additional studies indicate that 10 to 15 percent of the population is immunologically sensitized to mold. Simply stated, tens of millions are either currently symptomatic or at risk, either genetically or immunologically.

Based on this data, the mold remediation industry should proceed with an assumption that occupants in water-damaged or damp buildings likely have some form of mold sensitivity. Their remediation processes and protocols should certainly address the structural issues but also must resolve the whole environment’s microbial contamination.

Water Damage Contamination Transmission in Indoor Environments

Current mold remediation processes largely stem from the best practices used for lead paint and asbestos removal in the 1970s. Establishing a containment barrier around the area of concern is a good practice, as it helps reduce cross-contamination during removal and reconstruction. However, lead paint and asbestos do not multiply or reproduce following a water damage event, nor do they produce mycotoxins and other microbial contaminants.

Therefore, the approach to mold remediation should be guided by scientific research confirming microbial amplification and its transmission throughout indoor environments. Remediation efforts should be directed to the entire environment by integrating processes that not only tackle the moisture and structural compromise in the affected areas but also ensure comprehensive decontamination is properly performed throughout the structure.

Many factors influence the extent of environmental contamination, beginning with the type of water event and when the leak was discovered. If occupants do not notice water intrusions for days, weeks, or even months after they occur, microbial contaminants have already become airborne and migrated throughout the indoor space. Consequently, the source contamination is not contained to the original affected area, and the entirety of the building necessitates a thorough reversal of microbial contamination.

Water Damage Contamination: It’s a Health Issue

The uncontained contamination produced by water-damaged buildings is known to impact human health negatively — and it is not just fungi. The harmful effects of mold particulates on human health are well-documented in both U.S. and Western medicine, with over 1,000 published articles in medical literature confirming the link between mold exposure and various illnesses.

Water-damaged buildings can quickly amplify fungi and bacteria, along with their byproducts, even without observable growth. The particles that are predominantly smaller than two microns are particularly concerning, as studies have consistently demonstrated the ease at which they can be deposited directly into the lungs. Microorganisms thrive on damp or wet building surfaces, then become aerosolized within indoor air currents. They settle out of the air onto surfaces, only to be re-aerosolized later. This ongoing cycle of aerosolized microbial contamination represents a significant environmentally sourced health risk.

Data Collection and Verification Criteria

Historically, industry data collection standards and testing are typically focused on mapping species and quantities of fungi, overlooking fungal viability and other types of contamination such as actinobacteria and endotoxins. This oversight may indicate incomplete environmental diagnosis, which is critical since these microorganisms are linked to various adverse health effects.

A more comprehensive approach to diagnosing microbial contaminants in buildings is warranted before commencing any remediation activities. Given what we understand today, merely reducing the quantity of fungal species is no longer sufficient. The goal should be to comprehensively reverse microbial contamination not only from a species and quantity standpoint, but confirmation of abatement efficacy should also include culturable analysis whereby no growth of whatever is left is an important outcome objective.

A Holistic Approach to Solving the Problem

Incorporating modern best practices from both the healthcare and biotechnology industries — specifically high-level infectious disease disinfecting and comprehensive environmental decontamination — is long overdue. Advances in science, technology, and remediation methodologies have considerably evolved, allowing for the comprehensive reversal of microbial contamination in indoor environments to levels either at or approaching zero viability.

Implementing these accessible modern techniques can significantly enhance the ability to reverse microbial-contaminated indoor spaces. In doing so, these enhanced processes deliver wellness-supporting environments, reducing the potential for re-emergence of illness or continued adverse immune response post-abatement efforts. Millions of individuals depend on the expertise of professionals in this field to elevate their practices and improve their standards.

Further Complicating Better Outcomes

Most states lack laws or certification requirements regarding mold assessment and remediation. As a result, remediation companies are ill-informed and lack the high-level expertise necessary to solve the complex problems associated with water-damaged buildings and their contamination. Unfortunately, the factors that cause health issues in water-damaged buildings frequently remain unresolved, even though scientific and healthcare research has identified what we need to look for and how to address these problems.

The solutions exist and are accessible. Until there is universal regulation mandating successful protocols, the industry must regulate itself and implement the processes and protocols shown to be effective.

A Case Study: Real Results From a Holistic Approach

A client contacted us regarding a musty odor in their kitchen. The home, which is 4,343 square feet with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, had been completely remodeled just two years prior. During our investigation, we discovered significant fungal growth behind the Sub-Zero refrigerator.

We determined that the ice maker’s drain line was improperly connected to the main drain within the wall cavity behind the refrigerator. As a result, every time the ice maker drained, it discharged water into the wall cavity and surrounding area for the past two years. The family has four children, aged 5 to 13.

Best practices for drying, remediation, and reconstruction were implemented, along with strict adherence to the Gold Standard NORMI Sanitization Protocol. This protocol involves thorough, comprehensive techniques and sequencing high-level sanitation cleaning and dry fog decontamination of the entire indoor environment. Data shows that microbial contamination has been effectively reversed throughout the indoor space, including the air and surfaces, with no viable results found.

Preliminary post-NORMI Sanitization/decontamination Protocol Lab Results: Viability Results: Zero Growth

Conclusion

Understanding the health impact of the contamination caused by water-damaged buildings and the transmission of contaminants throughout affected indoor environments is critical to comprehensive water damage and mold remediation efforts. Current standards of identifying water intrusion promptly, employing proper dry-out methods, and repairing compromised components are essential.

However, improved diagnosis, effective and comprehensive decontamination, and improved verification techniques must also be used. It is imperative to establish a definitive, elevated standard within the industry as a whole. The remediation industry has the responsibility to elevate its standards based on scientific and healthcare conclusions and the sheer numbers of identified at-risk populations. The industry’s opportunity is immense to comprehensively transform contaminated environments into indoor environments that support wellness, allowing for the healing potential of millions.

References:

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3. Neil Nathan, M.D., Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, and Chronic Environmental Illness
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