Hello Donna

  It is nice hearing from you again. It has been a while since we last spoke. Welcome to my forum Donna.

  I am very sorry to hear about your friends. I understand how their lives have been upset by this. People have a tendency to trust such things as, health agencies, the government, schools and institutions and so forth. It is sad but it is because of our trusting ways that we become vulnerable to such things as toxic mold. The saddest part about it is that if we could find out about the mold soon enough, we could avoid any serious problems. Weather people aren't aware of it or pe

ople won't admitt to having mold, the result is the same. Treatment that comes too late. There is so much needless suffering that occurs in this world, I hope we can help a few people avoid the perils of toxic mold.

    Thanks for stopping by Donna and I hope to hear from you again soon.

Hi, Bill,

Mould litigation in Spain and the YUK is non existent.

Fortunately there is still a modicum of common sense in both countries (as well as most of the rest of Europe) that indicates that if you are daft enough to sit in a fire - you will get burned.

The health risks associated with damp and the various moulds that thrive in the home are well known and there is plenty of information available for people to prevent or combat any ill effects.

The cost of insurance against damp and dry rot in the home is not excessive and this type of insurance is mandatory on a property with a mortgage against it. Not only can this insurance pay to prevent the spread of mould, once detected, it also enourages owners to be responsible and check the condition of the home they live in.

It is amazing that more attention is paid to the road worthiness of the family motor car than to the healthy aspect (or otherwise) of the family home. A wise home owner will give his home a service check every year, at least - wouldn't that make sense if you know that what invades your home could kill you?

Unfortunately, now these hysterical headlines are being seen in America, it won't be too long before lawyers in Europe sense another bonanza coming their way but, hopefully, common sense will prevail. 

Isn't it time for the constant search for something to blame to come to an end? After all, according to the latest, greatest, most insidious internet marketing ploy of them all, "The Secret" is that we attract everything into our lives - SO WE SHOULD ACCEPT THAT IT IS OUR OWN DAMNED FAULT!

The Old Coot 

Hi Bill,

I hope we can help a few people avoid the perils of toxic mold.

How can people be stupid enough not to help themselves?

A home with mould can be detected very, very simply.

There will be a distinctive smell.

There will be patches of discolouration on the walls, floors or ceilings. (Often dark grey or black).

The moulds will form fruiting heads that are easily visible. These are the source of the spores and need to be in the open so that the spores can be dispersed by draughts.

There will often be white, fibrous threads in areas that are usually dark.

Areas of walls, floors or ceilings will become spongey. 

In cellars, especially, any wood affected could become extremely soft with a spongey or granular texture. This wood must be replaced because it will be a constant source of re-infection.

ALL MOULD IS TOXIC IF THE SPORES ARE INHALED IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY - SOME ARE TOXIC IF INGESTED - ONE THING THAT THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON - THEY ARE PASSIVE!

They don't hide in ambush and attack while you are not looking. They don't appear over-night in sufficient mature quantities to create a lethal cloud of spores. They don't use subterfuge to convince you that they are totally innocuous.

THEY ARE ALL EASILY PREVENTED! Usually a bit of fresh air is all that is necessary.

Osama bin Fungus is no terrorist - just an opportunist camping in your home because you are too idle to stop him.

Truth can be painful, can't it? Myself, I blame toxic mould.

The Old Coot

Hello Arthur

  Thanks for the information about mold in Spain and it's impact on life there.

  A couple of things that you mentioned here, I would like to readdress. There are certain situations where mold can be very difficult to detect. There is not always the tell tale odor and it is quite often in locations that are not visible to the occupants of the home. Examples of this are when, for instance, there is condensation that accumulates on heating and air conditioning duct work. Water gathers in crawl spaces and attics where people do not or cannot inspect regularly. Often, before the mold problem becomes evident, there has already been a substantial amount of damage both to the structure and to it's occupants.

   Several years ago I worked as a stucco contractor in N. Carolina and there was a very serious problem with the way some contractors were installing the systems. We used a synthetic type stucco system that was applied over a styrofoam covered wall. It is very important to leave expansion joints around windows and door openings to avoid possible leaks. The joints had to be filled with a certain type of caulking that would expand and contract with the temperature changes. In many cases, water would get in between the styrofoam and the exterior sheathing and get trapped. This caused a mold problem that remaind concealed untill there was so much damage done that sometimes, entire houses had to be torn down. This mold was able to enter the airspace inside the home and it caused some very serious illnesses in a lot of cases.

   I have to agree with you that it is very important  that people take the responsibility on themselves to prevent mold related problems. However, there are many situations that require more knowledge about mold than the average homeowner has. The person who bought the house that I moved out of because of the mold evidently knows very little. He moved into a house with severe structural damage from the mold and has put his health at serious risk. I tried to explain to him about the potential problems that he might face but the Landlord assured him that there was nothing to worry about.

    Well, you take care Arthur and thank you for sharing your thoughts and knowledge with us.