Indoor Air Quality Solutions, IAQS

Mold a concern in Lake schools, though district officials say it’s not a problem
By Denise-Marie Balona, Orlando Sentinel

TAVARES — Lake County school employees, parents and students have complained hundreds of times about mold and other indoor-air quality problems in local schools in recent years — sometimes repeatedly, records show.

A recent Orlando Sentinel investigation shows that mold, which experts say can cause health problems ranging from itchy eyes and runny noses to respiratory distress and infections, is a chronic concern across Central Florida.

A Sentinel review of Lake school documents, including maintenance work orders and independent environmental reports from August 2007 to August 2010 shows that:

•Nine schools and several district-level offices — the most of any Central Florida county — have had elevated levels of some of the most potentially dangerous types of mold.

•Numerous schools continually ask the district to investigate mold and other indoor-air-quality issues such as odors, high temperatures and high humidity.

•Workers frequently repair a variety of leaks and air-conditioning malfunctions — two of the most common causes of air-quality problems such as mold, which thrives on moisture, including humidity.

•It’s difficult to get a full picture of Lake’s mold problems. Some records are hard to locate, partly because they are not in the district’s relatively new electronic databases. Also, work related to mold and air quality is categorized in different ways so it is time-consuming to track. For example, work might be labeled as an air-quality issue or filed as a plumbing or flooring issue.

•The district generally takes a few days to several weeks to handle mold and air-quality problems. At times, it takes months. Almost three months passed before workers recently replaced some ceiling tiles at Beverly Shores Elementary in Leesburg that had grown mold from a water leak.

Despite the findings, district leaders say Lake responds immediately to complaints and currently has no mold problems.

“We’re not aware of any unaddressed issues and we are diligently working to make sure our schools are safe and free from mold,” district spokesman Chris Patton said.

Officials have downplayed the number of complaints, saying reports of mold and moldy odors can turn out to be dirt and the stink of too many air fresheners — or something else.

At times, it is tough to determine what exactly is causing flu-like symptoms in teachers and students — Florida air is full of allergens. Many complaints, however, turn out to be legitimate. How effectively they are addressed varies.

At least occasionally, workers have to fix the same issues in the same locations, which suggests they may not have been handled adequately the first time.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

BOYNTON BEACH — The mold blooming in unit L-107 at Venetian Terrace is a sickening black wallpaper of flowery-looking growths.

Like thousands of homes throughout Palm Beach County, it is in foreclosure, abandoned and caught in a labyrinthine legal system that has left it to putrefy with a leaky air conditioner that leaves dark puddles in the carpet and warping drywall.

Attorneys say L-107 is a prime example of everything that has gone wrong in real estate: a no-money-down loan on a condo now worth a fraction of its 2007 purchase price, a mortgage that went bad almost immediately, a borrower who walked away, a lost note, unclear ownership rights, and robo-signed documents handled by a foreclosure mill.

Another key factor: a court system so overwhelmed that even though a final judgment in favor of the bank was entered in August — more than two years after the uncontested foreclosure was filed — an auction sale isn’t scheduled until April 21.

But unlike the neighbor of a single-family home that can sit vacant with minor bother, June McCallion lives next door to L-107 and says she is ill from the musty odors invading her home.

“I’ve been living next door to hell,” said McCallion, 64, who suffers from a degenerative neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and now has respiratory problems exacerbated by the mold. “I would please just like someone to fix this.”

But who?

No one is taking responsibility for the decaying condo at Venetian Terrace, and the recent stops and starts in foreclosures as banks review and resubmit flawed court paperwork may allow L-107 to fester indefinitely.

“This is not an isolated story. I hear it all the time,” said attorney Gary Poliakoff, a principal with Fort Lauderdale-based Becker & Poliakoff and a specialist in property law. “What’s happening out there is horrendous and no one is acting rationally from top to bottom.”

Boynton Beach requires lenders to register foreclosures and do basic maintenance on the properties. More than 1,000 homes are on the city’s list, but L-107 isn’t one of them.

Chase Home Finance, which filed for foreclosure on the unit in April 2008, has been accruing a $250-a-day fine from the city since Sept. 30, when it skipped a code enforcement hearing and failed to clean up the unit.

Although Chase has changed the locks and put the electricity in its name, the homeowner is legally responsible for the condo, spokeswoman Daisy Cabrera said. Asked why Chase doesn’t use a property preservation company to care for the condo, as it does for other abandoned foreclosures, Cabrera declined to comment.

Palm Beach County records show Aparecida Barreto, 47, bought the condo in August 2007 for $160,000 but stopped paying the mortgage three months later. It is not known whether she lived there.

Broward County records show Barreto also bought a Deerfield Beach condo in August 2007 for $195,000 with a no-money-down loan through Countrywide Home Loans. That property went into foreclosure in October 2008 with $194,302 still owed on the principal balance.

McCallion began complaining about L-107 more than a year ago, when insects started to invade her home. Today, a thin black layer of thousands of dead bugs covers the kitchen countertops and floors of the abandoned unit.

But the mold, McCallion said, is the worst part. Her clothes stink from it, and she said she has packed several boxes of books and belongings that have to be thrown out because of their musty odor.

Until recently, she was sleeping on her living room sofa because her bedroom, directly adjacent to L-107, had become uninhabitable. A cleaning of her air ducts, which cost hundreds of dollars, allowed her to sleep in her bed again, but she’s not sure how long that will last.

“My only alternative right now is to go into a nursing home,” she said. “I feel like everyone’s deceiving me, and I’m getting sicker and sicker.”

The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office now values L-107 at $36,000. It’s overseen by an association, but neither the Venetian Terrace property manager nor its association representative responded to calls from The Palm Beach Post.

Skip Lewis, senior code compliance officer for Boynton Beach, said there is evidence someone attempted to remove the mold.

On Oct. 26, he re­inspected L-107 and found small sections of drywall cut out. But the air conditioner, which was shut off because of the leak, had been turned back on, possibly by someone thinking it would clear the mold.

“It looks like someone started doing something and it was just too big of a job,” Lewis said.

Part of the conundrum began with L-107’s mortgage. The loan was granted by Texas-based Woodlands Family Mortgage Inc., but Chase filed the foreclosure represented by the Florida Default Law Group, one of four large firms under investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.

In court records, Chase claims to be the holder of the mortgage note. Attached to the original foreclosure filing is a copy of the note, but there’s no endorsement to Chase. Also, Chase claimed the original note was lost and asks for it to be re-established by the court.

In subsequent documents, an endorsed original note shows up, but one endorsement is left blank while the other is endorsed to Chase.

Foreclosure defense attorney Tom Ice, of Royal Palm Beach-based Ice Legal, reviewed the foreclosure documents on L-107 and said that the blank endorsement suggests the note was sold into a trust that is not identified in the case.

The foreclosure also contains two affidavits swearing to the amounts owed on the mortgage, both signed by so-called “robo-signers.” One of the signers, Beth Cottrell, has acknowledged in depositions that she didn’t read or verify foreclosure documents even though she swore to having personal knowledge of the cases.

Chase froze its foreclosures in late September over robo-signer concerns.

Besides the questionable documents, Ice speculated that Chase just doesn’t want the property and has been able to delay the case for what will be three years if the sale occurs in April.

“When it comes to foreclosures, nothing adds up. It’s all backward,” Ice said.

Meanwhile, McCallion suffers.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

By NEWS CANADA

Indoor air quality can suffer, especially over the winter when windows remain closed. However, with a few easy steps, homeowners can dramatically improve the indoor atmosphere. Here are some pointers from The Home Depot Canada to ensure your home’s air quality is up to par:

Manage mould – Keep your basement dry and mould-free by ensuring gutters and downspouts aren’t blocked, and that they direct water away from the home. Also be sure to get rid of carpets from bathrooms and basements with high humidity as mould often grows in these areas.

Clean easy – Choosing Eco Options products, such as the Eco Mist line of effective cleaning solutions, offer non-toxic cleansers for every surface of your home without the strong odours of traditional cleaning products.

Paint smart – If painting this fall, use Eco Options certified interior paints that are low in VOCs or VOC-free. Interested in the hot colour trends for fall? Try a subtle grey or taupe from the Martha Stewart Living collection. Just remember to open all windows to ventilate properly when painting indoors.

Check your chimney – Over time, soot from smoke and other particles can build up in the chimney causing smoke from fires to enter into the home. Make sure you have it inspected every fall and cleaned as necessary.

Protect from invisible hazards – For those that don’t already have a carbon monoxide detector, now is the time to install one. For those who do, test it and make sure it is working properly.

Freshen the furnace – A dirty furnace is less efficient, especially during the winter months when it is in constant use. Replace or clean the furnace filter in early fall and once a month during periods of continuous use. To check the filter, take it out and hold it up to the light. If it looks clogged, be sure to wash or replace it with a new filter of the same type and size. A furnace’s blower and motor should also be cleaned regularly. So if they haven’t been checked in a while, it might be time to call in an expert.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

Central heating and double glazing keeps us warm in the winter months, but the house dust mite loves them too.

The cold weather’s arrived and the nights are drawing in: it’s that time of the year again to turn on the central heating and be glad of double glazing. However, allergy experts are warning that we are not alone in finding our homes a winter haven.

For the house dust mite the warm and slightly humid atmosphere of our centrally heated, hermetically sealed houses are a perfect place to survive and propagate – and they are a major cause of allergies at this time of year.

This is the start of the indoor allergy season. Allergies are very common, with estimates of one in three people having an allergy at some time in their lives. People have an allergic reaction when their immune system reacts to a harmless substance by making a specific antibody to fight it. This releases histamine and other chemicals which are the cause of inflammation and irritation.

What causes indoor allergies?House dust mites are the leading cause of indoor allergies. Most of the problems stem from the mite’s droppings which break up into extremely small particles – tiny enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs.

However, they are not the only cause of indoor allergies.

Everywhere in the house there will be microscopic mould allergens, unable to be seen by the naked eye. Mold favours warmth and dampness, so expect to find it in bathrooms, kitchens, fridge door seals, shower curtains and the corners of window frames. Mold may also be present in the moist soil of pot plants.

A pet – such as a dog or a cat – is also a source of allergens. These come from their dried saliva and skin flakes that they shed. Smaller domestic animals, such as guinea pigs and hamsters can distribute allergens from their urine-soaked bedding as they scurry around their cage.

So, what are the symptoms of indoor allergies?According to the Asthma, Allergy & Inflammation Research charity (AAIR), the principle culprit of indoor allergies – the house dust mite – can trigger allergic reactions such as asthma, eczema and rhinitis – a condition where the inside of the nose becomes inflamed, causing cold-like symptoms such as sneezing and a blocked or runny nose.

Other symptoms of indoor allergies are:
Coughing, wheezing shortness of breath
Itching, watering and inflammation of the eyes
Headache
Disturbed sleep
Poor concentration

Symptoms are often worse while in bed or first thing in the morning.

“Sneezing is the obvious symptom,” says Rosie Bradshaw from Guernsey describing her winter allergies. “It makes me very tired,” she tells us. She says house dust mites, fluff, animals, household cleaners and open fires have all triggered allergies.

Combating the indoor allergiesThe experts say there are ways to fight back against indoor allergies.

One of the first things to do is to reduce dampness. The AAIR charity recommends opening windows while cooking, washing and bathing. Also, avoid hanging clothes up round the house to dry: the evaporated moisture has to go somewhere.

“I try to open the windows as much as possible,” says Bradshaw, who would rather put on extra clothes than turn the heating up. “Fresh air is wonderful,” she adds and helps her avoid any problems with condensation in the house.

Its recommended that you encase mattresses, duvets and pillows with allergen-proof barrier covers and washing all other bedding once a week at 60 degrees or above – a temperature high enough to kill house mites.

It also recommended that you remove carpets and cartpeting whenever possible or vacuuming them regularly with a high-filtration HEPA vacuum cleaner.

“We have wooden floors in the bedroom because they’re easier to clean and you don’t get the dust that you get with a carpet,” says Bradshaw. “And we have cotton linen, which we wash very hot, and we have protectors on our mattresses and pillows,” she says.

Cats and dogsAs for pet allergies, the experts at the AAIR charity say households who do not currently have a pet should think carefully before acquiring one, particularly if there is a family history of asthma or allergies. Asthma UK says people who have cats and dogs should bar them from the bedrooms and preferably living areas too. Dogs and cats should be washed regularly, groomed outdoors and their bedding should be laundered.

Bradshaw says that people should try to discover what causes their allergic reaction. However, she cautions that finding out – and then making any necessary changes – could be a lengthy process. “It’s trial and error. You have to do it over a period of time because all these changes are major changes affecting the whole family,” she says.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

By Kate Spinner

New federal air quality rules, expected in the coming weeks, will likely trigger a wave of emission controls on industries in Southwest Florida, and the possibility of motor vehicle inspections.

Air quality in the metropolitan region from Sarasota County to Hillsborough County ranks among the worst in the state for the pollutant ozone, created when industrial emissions, car exhaust and other vapors, such as those from gasoline, react with the sun.

Though ozone pollution here is much less severe than many other parts of the nation, it occasionally becomes bad enough to cause health problems for children, the elderly and people with respiratory illness.

Southwest Florida’s air quality barely meets current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards, and with those thresholds set to rise, the region will be forced to put better curbs on air pollution.

In Southwest Florida, new industries will likely have to install improved emissions controls and older plants may have to upgrade equipment. Vehicle inspections also remain a possibility, but only if other measures do not go far enough, said Tom Rogers, an environmental administrator with the Florida Division of Air Resource Management.

The EPA had planned to impose the new standards at the end of October, but postponed the date recently without explanation. The agency has been under immense industry pressure to maintain the status quo and getting lawsuit threats from advocacy groups pushing tougher rules.

The new rules will mark the first enforced adjustment to air quality standards since 1997.

“EPA is working hard to finalize an ozone standard that is based on what the science tells us about this threat to Americans’ health. We will announce the final rule as soon as it is ready — this is an important and complex rulemaking and EPA is working to ensure we get it right,” said agency press secretary Brendan Gilfillan in a prepared statement.

Poor air quality

High in the atmosphere, ozone occurs naturally and protects the planet from the sun’s rays. At ground level it becomes a pollutant, created when fuel emissions react with the sun and hot weather.

Extremely sensitive people suffer when air contains more than 60 molecules of ozone for every billion molecules of good air ingredients, such as oxygen and nitrogen. Scientists express that measurement in parts per billion, or ppb.

Within the past 12 months in Sarasota, air quality exceeded 60 ppb for eight hours or longer 35 times, said John Hickey, manager of Sarasota County’s air quality program.

When ozone goes above 75 ppb, most communities issue air quality alerts to warn the young, elderly, those who exercise outdoors and people with asthma or other lung diseases.

Under the EPA’s expiring rules, however, communities do not have to reduce air pollution unless ozone levels routinely spike above 80 ppb. The EPA uses a complicated calculation, based on a three-year average, to judge a community’s air quality.

The new eight-hour standard will fall somewhere between 60 ppb and 70 ppb. Air monitoring stations in Sarasota scored between 70 ppb and 74 ppb for the three-year period ending in 2009. The highest readings during that time climbed into the 80 ppb to 85 ppb range. The highest reading so far this year was 80 ppb at Lido Park on Oct. 22.

Health threat

To most people, ozone in Southwest Florida rarely gets bad enough to notice — in comparison, the worst parts of Los Angeles rise into the 100s — but it can pose serious health problems for some people.

Clean air advocates say the standard should protect everyone, including the vulnerable few.

“We don’t want health standards set to protect a middle-aged, healthy man. We want to make sure his mother and his child and his brother with asthma are all protected,” said Paul Billings, vice president of national policy and advocacy for the American Lung Association.

Norman Edelman, a New York physician and chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, said 20 million to 30 million people in the U.S. have lung disease, making it more difficult for them to breathe as ozone levels increase. Children also develop poor lung function when they are chronically exposed to high ozone levels, Edelman said.

The Clean Air Act requires the federal government to set air quality standards that are healthy for all people and to review those standards every five years.

During such review in 2007, the EPA’s scientists concluded that the national standards were not protective enough and should be set somewhere between 60 ppb and 70 ppb. The EPA in 2008 was going to set the standard at 75 ppb, but the American Lung Association and National Resources Defense Council threatened to sue. A year later, the EPA said it would reconsider the 60 ppb to 70 ppb standard.

The EPA estimates that improving air quality to 60 ppb by 2020 would save 4,000 to 12,000 people from premature death related to respiratory illness and heart failure. Further, the agency estimates that people will collectively miss 2.5 million fewer days of work or school under the tougher standard.

That boost in air quality comes with a high price tag: up to $90 billion, according to EPA estimates. However, the EPA estimates the cost on the health system overall will drop by as much as $100 billion.

Industry groups say stricter standards will cost much more, crippling the economy. A report by the Manufacturers Alliance, funded by the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Petroleum Institute, estimates the economic cost at more than $1 trillion starting in 2020.

Depending on how strict the EPA gets, the rules could trigger a Florida vehicle inspection program, said Reggie Sanford, enforcement analysis manager with the Air Management Division in Hillsborough County.

“If you’re at a certain level of non-attainment, then according to federal law you’re required to have an inspection and maintenance program,” he said.

Inspection programs are extremely controversial because they can leave people, especially the poor, without a legal car to drive and usually meet with staunch public opposition.

View the full original story by Kate Spinner at the following site http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20101108/ARTICLE/11081045/2055/NEWS?Title=Air-rules-could-force-changes-here&tc=ar

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com