United Kingdom Online Stachybotrys Toxic Mould Guide
 

Very advanced Cladosporium mould growth in a UK home attic.

Mould growing inside an air conditioner. Picture taken April, 2011,
 by Certified Environmental Hygienist Divine Montero.

Water damage and mould growth inside a bathroom sink cabinet. Picture
taken April, 2011, by Certified Environmental Hygienist Divine Montero.

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15 Steps To Do Your Own Household Mould Removal & Remediation

UK Mould Questions & Answers

     Q. (Feb. 13, 2012) About 5 years ago we had our first flood had 3 more since then, giving us around 6 inches of water  each time  it was also black water which I understand is bad. The restoration people came in and sprayed once when everything had been taken out and then they brought dehumidifiers in and lots of fans, I understand you are supposed to keep the windows and doors open when the fans are  on( we were told to keep ours closed all the time the fans where on). After about 3 weeks they say the houses where dried out and handed certificates to the housing association to confirm this, when asked when they were coming in to take the plaster off the walls we were told they wasn’t doing it and they haven’t with any other flood either.....about 5 years ago my son started with problems with his stomach so we have been trying him with different diets and things trying to make him feel better, last July I gave in and took him to the doctors and he did a full blood count which came back as him having high liver enzymes and after 4- 5 further blood tests which came back higher each time he is now seeing a specialist in Leeds (United Kingdom) on Friday and i have been doing some investigating and the symptoms my son has got, matches some of the  symptoms of toxic mould ....diarrhea, stomach pain and cramps, nose bleeds, headaches, tiredness and in one way or another we are all suffering with different things ......do you think these could be related to mould from the house  and if so how can i get the specialist to take me seriously. Please I’m at my wits end  thank you sooooo much.
     A. Your son's and family’s health problems may well be mold-related. One test your son and other family members may not yet have had is a mold antibody blood test.  By analyzing mold antibodies (body's natural defense to mold invasion), the lab can determine which molds are growing inside your son's body. You very much need to read my in depth mold advice ebook Mold Health Guide, only $15 for email attachment delivery  from http://www.moldmart.net. Because today's medical colleges do not teach about how mold exposure causes dozens of diseases, most doctors are ill-prepared to diagnose and treat mold victims properly. By reading my book you can then suggest diagnosis and treatment options to your son's doctors. The repeated floods and the fact that the walls have not been opened up for the removal of very likely mold infestation inside the flood-soaked walls suggests that you are probably living in a mold hell. Please visit the website Flood Mold. Do you own or rent? If you rent, get out immediately and move to a mold-safe place to live. Don't move any of your possessions without first scrubbing them thoroughly with borax laundry detergent, a natural mold cleaner, in warm water to get rid of deposited/landed mold spores and mold growth so you don't mold cross-contaminate where you move to. If you own your home, please follow the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation at http://www.moldinspector.com/mold_removal.htm . If I can be of further help, please email me. Thanks, Phillip Fry, mold consultant, Certified Environmental Hygienist

United Kingdom Information and Help for
Toxic Black Mould Inspection, Testing, Remediation, and Prevention

EnviroDetectives™ can deliver its do it yourself mould test kits, mould-killing ozone generator, mould advice ebooks, and mould training anywhere in the United Kingdom including Aberdeen, Bath, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Canterbury, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Exeter, Gatwick, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool,  London, Maidstone, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northampton, Nottingham, Oxford, Southampton, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwick, Watford, Windsor, or York.

Black Mould and its Toxic Mould
Effects on Human Health

Fungi, mildew and mould (mould) are not new problems. Mould contamination, mould damage, and mould infestation have always been threats to people, animals, and plants. Even in the book Leviticus, chapters 13 and 14, there is a mention of a plague, which is also known as mould: "Watch the plague (mould) and if the plague spreads, the unclean item or property must be removed and destroyed."  Read Toxic Mould Allergy, Mould Allergy Control

           Stachybotrys chartarum, the infamous disease-causing mould nicknamed "toxic black mould", was first identified and described by a scientist from wallpaper collected in a home in Prague in 1837. The toxic effects of Stachybotrys have been reported as early as the 1920s.
 

The fungus Coccidioides immitis, the cause of widespread "Valley Fever" in the southwestern USA desert cities, is on the U.S. Dept. of Human Service list of biological agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety, and that can potentially be utilized by terrorists to infect and kill American citizens and residents.
 

 Moulds can grow on almost any celluose substance (such as paper, wood, gypsum board) as long as the surface is humid and/or wet.
 

Some people are more sensitive to mould exposure. For these people, living or working in mould infestation can become permanent health afflictions, allergies, sinusitis, or in worse cases, cancer (from Aspergillus mould) and even death (Stachybotrys mould). Individuals with serious allergies to moulds may have more severe reactions such as fever and shortness of breath. People with chronic illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mould infections in their lungs. Read Toxic Mould Allergy, Mould Allergy Control
 

Exposure to moulds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, runny noses, eye irritation, congestions, asthma aggravation, severe headaches, dizziness and fatigue. More severe symptoms may involve profusely bloody runny noses, the coughing up of blood, severe headaches, fibrous growth in the lungs, cognitive dysfunction and loss of memory. Read Toxic Mould Allergy, Mould Allergy Control
 

 Based on these and more other dramatic cases, moulds are potentially dangerous and cannot be ignored. They must be removed as soon as they are discovered. If tenants or homeowners experience mould problems, it is the responsibility of their landlord or adjuster to include cleaning and removal of any mould problems, before further damages can occur.
 

 Because the deadly black toxic Stachybotrys mould spores are rarely airborne (unless directly disturbed physically), direct sampling may be the only way you will know if you have black toxic Stachybotrys mould spores in your home, condominium, apartment, office, or commercial building.

                               Mold Remediation Protection Gear:

Toxic mould Stachybotrys present in a quarter of UK properties
- October/November, 2003.
http://www.estatesreview.com/maindetail.aspx?codep=412

Insurers and homeowners could face significantly clean up costs as a result of research by the RICS which suggests that a toxic form of mould could be present in a quarter of UK residential properties, warns Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC), the leading insurance law firm.

Toxic mould, known as Stachybotrys Chartarum, is believed to cause cancer, asthma bronchitis and other allergies and has already triggered a wave of multi-million-dollar claims in the United States.

RPC says that other non toxic forms of mould are commonplace in UK properties where the presence of water is a widespread problem. Mould often grows unseen behind walls and under floorboards but is frequently tolerated because it is not seen as a danger to health.
 
Comments Robert Hogarth, partner of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain: “The increased perception that mould and damp conditions can now present a serious threat to health may persuade property owners to remove the mould where in the past they would not have done so.

“The costs associated with surveying and removing toxic mould are likely to be significant. Insurers that have not yet written exclusion clauses for toxic mould into their policies should consider doing so.”

Commercial property
According to RPC, only some commercial property insurance policies wholly exclude the costs associated with removing and repairing damage caused by mould.

“Whether insurers or landlords pay for the clean-up of commercial buildings could be a potential source of conflict,” said Mr Hogarth.

RPC also points out that if toxic mould is discovered in a place of work employees might have reasonable grounds to refuse to work there while the building is detoxified. The cost of relocating workers and disruption to business could be significant.

For surveyors, the discovery of toxic mould in the UK could have a serious impact on professional indemnity premiums.

Said Mr Hogarth: “In the future surveyors may need to check buildings for the presence of toxic mould. Surveyors could be sued for diminution of value if they fail to detect harmful contaminants.”

Residential property
RPC says that homeowners are unlikely to be able to claim for survey or clean-up costs associated with toxic mould or sue architects or developers for building defects which permit mould to grow.

“Nearly all home insurance policies specifically exclude mould. Claims for repairs against architects and developers in relation to speculative housing are likely to be successful if brought more than six years after the housing is built.” said Mr. Hogarth.