Could the mold lurking in your basement or growing under your bathroom sink really kill you?

It could if it's "Stachybotrys," some medical experts say.

Stachybotrys (pronounced "stack-e-botris") is a toxic mold that has been found in all 50 states and grows in areas that are constantly wet. Leaking roofs, leaky plumbing, sewer backups, and frequently overflowing washing machines can create environments for this dangerous (some say deadly) mold. While the Centers for Disease Control state that a link between the presence of toxic mold and health conditions such as memory loss or coughing up blood has not been proven, consider this:

• Since 1994 in Cleveland, Ohio, there have been 45 cases of pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeding in the lungs) in babies under 6 months old, the majority of whom lived in water-damaged homes contaminated with high levels of Stachybotrys. Sixteen of the infants died.
• In June 2001, a jury awarded a Texas family $32 million in a highly publicized toxic mold lawsuit against Farmers Insurance Group. The jury said Farmers Insurance failed to promptly cover the necessary repairs for a water leak, thus allowing toxic mold to overrun Melinda Ballard's 22-room estate. The family was forced to flee their mold-contaminated home with just the clothes on their backs when their 3-year-old son began spitting up blood. Ballard's husband, suffering from memory loss, also lost his job as an investment banker.
• The toxic mold issue leapt into the national spotlight when activist-turned-celebrity Erin Brockovich testified before the California legislature in 2001 that she, her husband, and their three children are battling mold-related illnesses due to the fungus that has contaminated their home. Appearing with Brockovich were California homeowners Steve and Karen Porath, who had their mold-riddled home burned down on Feb. 14, 2001, after their 2-year-old began vomiting every night and the adults came down with chronic breathing problems.
• In 2002, 125 New York City families (all tenants at Henry Phipps Plaza South) settled a lawsuit for an undisclosed sum against their landlord alleging a toxic mold — the result of leaks that have plagued the apartment complex since the late 1970s — had spread sickness and possibly even caused the death of a 7-year-old girl who died from asthma-related causes. It was the first case in which mold-related illnesses were allowed as personal injury claims.
• The Katrina effect:  As homeowners returned to their homes in Mississippi and Louisiana, thousands are finding the devastating effects of toxic mold that has grown to immense proportions due to the stagnant flood waters that engulfed their homes for weeks.  There is no comparison of damage between the homes abandoned for weeks due to Katrina due to the devastation caused by mold,  to those flooded and pumped out only days later in the 2004 hurricanes that ripped across Florida.

Mold, like rot and insect infestation, is generally not covered by a homeowners insurance policy. Standard homeowners policies provide coverage for disasters that are sudden and accidental. They are not designed to cover the cost of cleaning and maintaining a home. If, however, mold is the direct result of a covered peril such as a burst pipe, there could be coverage for the cost of eliminating the mold.  It appears likely that this coverage issue will need to be resolved by the courts which may take years before Katrina-affected homeowners can move on and put the devastating hurricane behind them. 

No wonder members of the media and the legal community have been calling toxic mold the "asbestos of the new millennium.

Dangers of mold

Stachybotrys is getting so much attention because it produces "mycotoxins" or poisons that researchers say can seriously damage the lungs and central nervous system. However, it is only one of more than 100,000 species of mold (fungi). While most kinds of mold aren't hazardous to you if you're healthy, too much mold exposure may cause you to develop asthma or hay fever, or worsen your existing symptoms.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, when inhaled or ingested, stachybotrys can cause:

• Nasal and sinus congestion
• Cough
• Wheezing or other breathing difficulties
• Sore/hoarse throat
• Skin and eye irritation
• Upper respiratory infections, including sinus

Even if mold in your house doesn't cause you any medical problems, if it becomes established in the wood in your home, "dry rot" may form. Dry rot can result in a homeowner's nightmare. When the mold dies, the wood dries and then shrinks, breaking up into irregular chunks. Cracks in the wood fiber then act like straws, siphoning up moisture and carrying it to undamaged portions of the wood. Left unchecked, this process keeps recurring, continually rotting more wood, and can cause severe structural damage to your home.

The real kicker is that insurance companies typically consider mold damage a home maintenance problem and it is specifically excluded in the standard home insurance policy. Mold contamination is covered only if it is the result of a covered peril, such as a burst pipe. Mold caused by water from excessive humidity, leaks, condensation, or flooding is excluded from coverage.

What's worse is that mold claims (which were virtually unheard of ten years ago) cost insurers more than $1 billion in 2001, approximately five times the cost in 2000, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). As a result, home insurers are raising their premiums and most are excluding mold altogether, although some are offering riders that allow you to purchase some degree of mold coverage.  In Texas, many private-sector insurers began limiting cleanup of mold from any cause, often to $10,000 to $15,000; some policies now exclude mold coverage altogether.

Toxic mold has sent such shockwaves through the insurance industry that some homeowners with a history of making water damage claims have been completely unable to obtain affordable home insurance from the largest home insurers. Even new home buyers without prior claims can have trouble securing insurance for a home if that house has been the source of more than three insurance claims.

Warning signs

According to the III, homeowners should watch for:

• Sunken areas in baseboards or trim, or separation of the baseboard from the floor.
• Whitish mats under carpet, linoleum, in cabinets, or even behind furniture.
• "Fruit bodies," or mushroomlike growths on rotten wood on the underside of flooring or a cabinet. Fruit bodies are flat, up to a half-inch thick, and a pale olive gray, brown, or black.
• Swelling or crumbling of plaster or Sheetrock.
• Vinelike branches from the soil to the foundations, framing, or underside of flooring. Vines are typically white, brown, or black and are called "rhizomorphs." The fungus forms these vines that connect the soil to the wood.

If caught soon enough, mold can be cleaned up before extensive damage occurs. Although any visible mold can be sampled by an environmental consultant and analyzed by a laboratory, these tests are expensive. It is more important to get rid of the mold rather than spend a lot of money trying to find out more about it. The most effective way to treat mold is to correct underlying water damage and clean the affected area.

If you plan on trying to clean up the mold yourself, make sure you're free of allergy symptoms and/or asthma. Wear a mask and rubber gloves during cleaning. Small areas of mold should be cleaned using a solution of household bleach and water (mix 1 part bleach to 10 parts water). Add a little dish soap to the bleach and water mix to cut any dirt and oil. Open lots of windows to provide ventilation.

Apply the bleach and water mix to the moldy surface with a sponge, let it sit for 15 minutes, then dry the surface thoroughly. Dispose of any sponges or rags used to clean the mold.

If the mold quickly returns or spreads, it may indicate an underlying problem such as a leak. Any underlying water problems must be fixed to successfully eliminate further problems. If the contamination is extensive, you may have to seek professional help from a mold abatement specialist.

Fighting the fungus

Molds can be found almost anywhere moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, carpet, paper, and foods. One way to inhibit mold growth is to reduce indoor humidity by:

• Venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside
• Using air conditioners and dehumidifiers
• Increasing ventilation
• Using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dish washing, and cleaning.

You should also prevent the potential for condensation on cold surfaces by adding insulation to windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors. Additionally, don't install carpeting where there is a perpetual moisture problem, such as bathrooms, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation. The III also advises:

• Keep your home's exterior painted.
• Keep gutters clean of leaves and other debris.
• Maintain your roof to prevent water from seeping into your home.
• Keep flowerbeds away from exterior walls so that the soil doesn't touch your home's siding.
• Don't wet walls with lawn sprinklers for a long period of time. This can allow the fungus to form rhizomorphs, so even when the sprinklers are off, the decay continues.
• Fix plumbing leaks immediately.
• Don't pile wood or other debris in crawl spaces or against the sides of the house.
• Have your home inspected if you see evidence of the fungus. Remember: The fungus is tricky. The place where you see the fungus may not be the point of origin.
• Inspect hoses, pipes and fittings - Consider replacing hoses to major appliances like washer and dishwasher every five years. A typical water hose costs $5-$10 ( refrigerator ice maker, water dispenser, water heater, washer, dishwashers, kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks and bathroom toilets).