HOME MOLD WOES GROW SOME BLAME METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION.

Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Hidden in the carpet and stairwell of a Newhall town home is the culprit that made Lori Anderson and her daughter sick.

Anderson didn't smell it and certainly did not know the water stains were dangerous. And when she tried to replace a piece of wet carpet, she didn't realize the toxic mold growing beneath it would contaminate her and her house.

The Andersons' story is like so many others, adding this family to the long list of victims - Ed McMahon, city of Santa Clarita employees and thousands of others - who are sick from the fungus growing inside their homes and offices.

``It kills people, too,'' said Gary Ordog, a medical director of Medical Toxicology in Newhall. ``The public is just starting to realize what is causing their problems if they are ill and have mold in their house.''

Mold can be found almost anywhere. It grows on any substance where moisture is present. While mold is needed outdoors to break down leaves, wood and other plant debris, it becomes a toxic substance when it grows indoors, causing illnesses from headaches and hair loss to respiratory disease and cancer.

It's become such a problem that Gov. Gray Davis signed the Toxic Mold Protection Act of 2001, requiring the California State Department of Health Services to convene a task force to develop permissible exposure limits to mold, assess the health threat posed by the presence of molds and set standards for assessment, identification and remediation of mold.

The Centers for Disease Control and the Institute of Medicine also are reviewing data regarding the relationship between damp or moldy indoor environments and the manifestation of adverse health effects, especially respiratory and allergic symptoms.

This study will make recommendations for guidelines for public health interventions and future research.

At Medical Toxicology, Ordog operates one of the largest mold specialty practices in the country. He said he treats 5,000 patients and sees up to 30 new ones each day. Through environmental testing, his office can determine which mold a patient has been exposed to and how to treat it.

``People are recognizing what's wrong with them and realizing they can cure the problem,'' he said.

Mold must be killed before someone can move back into a house or office - a remediation that is beginning to cost insurance companies thousands of dollars and caused one, State Farm Insurance Co., to announce it would no longer write new homeowner policies.

Lori Anderson has filed a lawsuit against her Vista del Canon homeowners' association, claiming it was negligent in maintaining the roof, common area and drainage as well as having allowed mold to grow in the Canyon Country condominium complex.

Anderson's attorney said his client discovered the mold when she noticed her roof and windows were leaking. When she tried to remove an area of soaked carpet, mold spores spread and contaminated other areas of the house.

``The damage was so severe the roofing contractor fell through the structure,'' Samaha said. ``They didn't clean up the mold in that area.''

Steven Marks, an attorney representing the homeowners' association, said it conducted an investigation and then began the necessary repairs. The association even paid for Anderson and her daughter to stay at a nearby hotel.

Marks has not seen the lawsuit, which has yet to be served, he said. When it is, Farmers Insurance Company will handle the claim.

``We've done all the right things,'' he said.

Mold remediation has become increasingly common in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially in homes built during the 1970s and 1980s, said Mike Cosley, president of American Craft Restoration.

During that period, structures were built with less breathing room between windows and foundations to save energy. But with less air circulating, mold can flourish.

Mold grows in drywall backing, furniture and insulation, Cosley said. It grows in laundry rooms or behind dishwashers after water lines break, causing wood to rot.

``Even after all the water is soaked up, water has seeped into the inside the walls where (mold) has a food source - no air movement and dark and cool,'' Cosely said. ``People don't know it until they see the mold growing.''

Anderson didn't see the mold growing in her town home until it was too late. Then, under doctor's orders, the Andersons abandoned her Vista del Canon home. That was in August.

Both have developed respiratory problems, and Anderson has lost hearing in both her ears. She also suffers from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

``It was sometime before they realized this wasn't right,'' said Samaha, Anderson's attorney. ``It's not so bad for you and I who are healthy. But for those who have a compromised immune systems, who are young or old, it wreaks havoc on their body.''

WHAT TO DO

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends the following if mold is found in a home, and to prevent it from growing:

-- Wash mold off hard surfaces and dry completely. Absorbent materials, such as ceiling tiles and carpet, may have to be replaced if they are contaminated.

--Fix leaky plumbing and other sources of water.

--Keep drip pans in your air conditioner, refrigerator and dehumidifier clean and dry.

--Use exhaust fans or open windows in kitchens and bathrooms when showering, cooking or using the dishwasher.

--Vent clothes dryers to the outside.

--Maintain low indoor humidity, ideally between 30 to 50 percent. Humidity levels can be measured by hygrometers, which are available at hardware stores.

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SOURCE: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency