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| A Quarterly Publication of the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® |
March 2009 Issue
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About Us March Dates to Remember
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How to sleep
with mold As a professional REALTOR®, you know what to do when you hear phrases such as “four pico curies per liter,” “greater than 1 percent asbestos by weight” and “pre-1978 housing.” But what do you do about “appearance of a possible fungal matter existing on floor framing” or “a dark substance protruding from an electrical cover” or “a musty smell from the basement”? After eight years of being in the news and on covers of magazines, there are still a lot of questions about mold. Buyers and sellers cringe when they hear the word, inspectors dread uttering it, and all too often REALTORS® run from it. But, how would you feel if I told you I know many REALTORS® who make great commissions at the closing table after successfully dealing with mold? And, they still sleep well at night! The first thing you need to understand is that just because a listing has mold, it does not mean you should run and hide. Just like any repair that must be made to a home, mold can be corrected by a licensed professional. We all work hard getting new clients so the last thing we want to do is to lose a customer over something like mold. Our office receives calls every month from sellers who are furious with their previous REALTOR® for not having the mold removed before they bought the home they are selling. Now, the seller must pay to have it removed, sometimes at a higher price. Two long-term goals for any business person are to maintain relationships and protect liability. Liability with mold is real; articles are published monthly about lawsuits involving mold and real estate transactions. The problem does not fix itself nor can you just cover it up; it must be removed and the water source eliminated. Treat the repair similar to an electrical repair; have it done correctly and by a certified professional. Unfortunately, many people believe mold can be chemically treated by spraying on bleach or other biocides. That is not true. Mold remediation must remove the problem and reduce or eliminate exposure to a building’s occupants. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you can not just kill the mold, you must also clean up the contamination. Dead mold is still allergenic and some dead molds are potentially toxic. To compound the problem, most chemicals non-professionals use are water-based, with contact kill times in the 15-30 minute range. Much of the material being treated becomes wet, which then requires drying. And even after drying, the dead mold must still be removed. Remediation creates airborne mold spores and these must be controlled with the appropriate engineering controls, such as negative pressure enclosures and HEPA filtration. Otherwise, the entire home could become contaminated. Engineering controls remove the contaminants from the air and prevent migration throughout the home. Other specialized equipment that may be used for the job includes HEPA vacuums, dehumidifiers, special hand-tools, and in extreme cases, blasting equipment. Clean up is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and yes, technicians will wear protective suits and respirators. But, most projects allow the home’s occupants to remain during the remediation. When looking for a remediation contractor check credentials, insurance and references. While there is no federal or state government-recognized accreditation for mold remediators there are widely recognized professional associations that train, test and certify professionals in this industry. Certifications from the IICRC and IAQA are recognized by government entities and insurance adjusters as the leaders in the industry. Also, look for general liability insurance that specifically lists mold. If the word mold is not written on the policy, you have no insurance for a mold claim. Look at the box for “Type of Insurance/General Liability” for the word. If it is not there, the company’s insurance carrier will not cover claims involving mold work. Mold insurance is difficult to obtain. A company must prove to its insurance company its employees have had formal training and are conducting themselves in a professional manner in the industry. Got mold? Feel comfortable at the closing table, protect your liability and sleep well at night. Get the problem taken care of correctly and immediately. (King is the managing member of Remtech Environmental LLC. He has been in the environmental fields of mold, asbestos and radon for nearly 20 years. King has served as president of the North Carolina Environmental Information Association and holds certifications with IICRC, IAQA, NEHA/NRPP and NCHHCB. He can be reached at [919] 201-2101. Learn more about Remtech at www.remtechenvironmental.com.)
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| Raleigh
Regional Association of REALTORS® | Phone:
919.654.5400 Fax: 919-654.5401 |