Category: Homeowners

Understanding Mold Exposures for the Homeowner

Posted on by steve hom

National estimates show that one in three houses has a moisture problem, and one in ten houses has enough mold that could cause allergic reactions.  All of us are exposed to some mold every day with no side effects. We may breathe in mold spores that are present in the air or eat foods in which mold has begun to grow. People with mold allergies, however, may have a reaction if exposed to too much of the fungus.

While not everyone is allergic to mold, if a person has a mold allergy it can cause a variety of reactions throughout the body, and in particular the central nervous system.  Symptoms can include the inability to concentrate, memory loss and headaches.  Children can react with behavioral and learning disorders, sometimes misdiagnosed as attention deficit disorder or asthma.  One form of mold, black mold, is extremely toxic and can be deadly, especially to children with mold allergies.

Recently, a jury awarded a Wichita couple $1 million in damages because a house they bought was infested with mold the plaintiffs claimed had caused allergic reactions.  The jury ruled that the sellers were negligent in failing to disclose a leaky roof that caused the mold.  Around the nation, juries have awarded damages in the hundreds of millions of dollars for mold lawsuits, not only against previous property owners, but also construction firms, engineers, architects, and others alleged to be responsible for mold problems.  In fact, mold lawsuits have been one of the fastest growing areas of litigation in recent years. 

A homeowner’s insurance policy usually covers mold damage only if it results from something sudden and accidental, such as a burst washing machine hose.  But if the root cause was a maintenance defect or neglect, mold removal most likely would not be covered.  Due to skyrocketing losses from mold and other water-related damage claims, some homeowner’s policies in 44 states have exclusions for mold and other water-related damage in standard policies, according to the Insurance Information Institute.  Homeowners facing this change have two options:  purchase extra insurance for mold in the form of a rider or take measures to prevent the problem from occurring.  Riders can cost from $50 to $1,400 per year, depending on the insurer and location, according to a spokesman for Tillinghast, the insurance-consulting unit of Towers Perrin.

     What to Do About Mold

Whenever water gets into a house-through a leak in the roof, a burst pipe, a hard rain seeping into the basement, etc.-the affected area must be dried completely within 48 hours (72 hours tops) to prevent mold.

Mold can also result from high humidity, but this problem can usually be solved with a dehumidifier.  Yet another cause of mold is clogged air-conditioning coils.  Ask a service technician to check the air-conditioning coil to make sure the condensation drain line is free flowing and the coils are clean.

Mold may be present in your basement without your knowing.  Hold a flashlight toward the floor so that the light shines down the wall but not directly at it.  Look for shadows cast by the fuzz of mold, usually in a band on the bottom of the wall.  Also look at the tack strip under carpeting for signs of rot and behind baseboards for mold.  If you find mold anywhere, it may be advisable to contact a professional for further assessment.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mold that covers an area smaller than a 3-by-3-foot square can be safely removed by a homeowner.  Many people use bleach on mold, but the EPA disagrees.  Bleach can kill mold, but the dead mold will remain and could cause the same allergic reactions as live mold.  Instead of bleach, just use detergent and water.  Detergent lifts the mold away.  Then dry the area as quickly as possible.   

For larger problems, you should consult a professional environmental consultant.  Fire and water damage restoration companies will provide free or low-cost assessments, too, but keep in mind there could be a conflict of interest with these companies.

For more information about mold, consult the EPA brochure, “A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home.” It’s available online at www.epa.gov/mold.  For more in-depth information, see the EPA brochure “Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings” which also applies to homeowners.

Stay Dry with Sump Pump Coverage

Posted on by steve hom

Outside a violent storm slams rain against your house, the streets fill with water, the rain rushes down the down spouts, but through it all you hear the comforting sound of the sump pump hard at work. Before going to bed, you check on the condition of the basement and find it remains dry. The sump pump is purring and easily removing the water rising in the pit. You sleep soundly.

The next morning, the storm has passed but you feel something is not quite right. You rush to the basement and find it completely flooded. The pump has broken down sometime during the night. You make a frantic call to your insurance agent to report the damage and what a relief when you learn you are covered — you elected sump pump protection with your homeowner’s policy.

Basements are areas that homeowners should never overlook when insuring their homes. Often valuable personal property is stored in basements, in addition to heating, cooling and refrigeration systems.

Subject to an additional premium and underwriting, homeowners’ policies may be endorsed to cover losses, either structural or personal property, caused by water that either backs up from a sewer or drain or overflows from a sump pump or similar system, even if the loss occurs from a mechanical breakdown of the sump pump (Damage caused by loss of electricity to the sump pump is not covered.). Such damage is normally excluded from basic homeowners’ policies. A deductible often applies to any occurrence covered by the endorsement and there is usually a maximum limit of liability for any loss.

Even with the sump pump or backup endorsement, water damage from flooding or from water below the ground’s surface continues to be excluded from homeowners’ policies. Most insurance policies are clear that if a flood is the cause directly or indirectly of the sewer back up or sump pump failure, the damage is not covered by either the homeowner’s policy or the sump pump endorsement.

But you can cover some of the losses from flooding by purchasing protection from the federal government’s National Flood Insurance program. This program will cover direct physical loss caused directly or indirectly by backups through sewers or drains; discharges or overflows from a sump pump or related equipment; or seepage or leaks on or through the insured property but only IF there is a general condition of flooding in the area and the flood is the proximate cause of the sewer or drain backup, sump pump discharge or overflow, or seepage of water.

Checking with your professional insurance agent and broker can forestall problems from water damage by making certain that you understand why you may need the optional coverages – sump pump and/or flood – to protect your home.

Sump Pump Tips

-A yearly check up of your sump pump can prevent problems in an emergency. A well functioning sump pump drains water from a pit and prevents water from overflowing into your basement.

-Check to see if any debris, garbage, or build up may have worked its way into the sump since the last time it was used.

-Connect a garden hose and fill the sump with water. If the pump does not start, you may need to replace the switch or even a fuse.

-While pumps do not have filters, they do have screens or small openings through which water flows. Check this area to make sure it is not plugged or clogged.

-While sump pumps are usually a good line of defense against flooding, under isolated conditions like a power outage, you may find yourself standing in knee-deep water surrounded by thousands of dollars worth of damage. If you live in an area where power outages are common, especially during severe thunderstorms, it may be worthwhile to invest in a generator to keep your sump pump operating.