New Jersey high school struggles to fund repairs to mold-infested building

In the beginning of March, school board members and students from Trenton Central High School in New Jersey spoke at a meeting about the building's dismal conditions, sharing stories about water leaking through the ceiling, warped floors and inadequate plumbing. The state of the school is so bad that representatives from other districts whose facilities were in need of repair lobbied for funding to go toward Trenton. 

In a March 28 article, local news source NJ.com reported that the School Development Authority (SDA) has promised $13.3 million to put toward urgent repairs by the end of 2014, but members of the school board say they haven't seen any of that money yet and can't wait that long. 

In the meantime, the district has had no choice but to use resources from its already tight budget to fix the parts of the building that are the most dangerous, tackling hazards such as mold and asbestos. 

"We only have a certain amount of money, so we're trying to address it in small sections until the SDA tells us how they're going to move forward with repairs," said Dwayne Mosley, district director of facilities construction. "We can't allow our students and staff to continue to work in an area where there's imminent danger."

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals that exposure to mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your home or business isn't infested with it, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

Employees with offices in the Dodge County Courthouse in Mantorville, Minnesota, will be moved temporarily to a different part of the building after officials learned that there are potentially dangerous radon levels in the basement.

According to Post-Bulletin.com, a local news source, county commissioners installed a monitor in certain rooms of the facility following evidence that the hazardous gas had been building up over night when the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems were turned down. The analysis revealed that the radon didn't dissipate during the day in at least a few of the rooms and that it had reached levels deemed dangerous by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA states that radon – a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas – is responsible for 21,000 deaths each year, making it the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

When radon is detected in a building, it's important for people to do whatever they can to avoid being exposed to it for a prolonged period of time, which is why officials from Mantorville opted to relocate their employees while the situation undergoes evaluation and mitigation. 

"We're very concerned about the health and safety of staff members," commissioner Steven Gray said at a county board meeting on March 26. 

If you want to have your home inspected for signs of this deadly gas, it's a good idea to reach out to a home inspection contractor. These professionals will conduct radon testing at your current property and determine if you are safe. Additionally, it's essential to get a house inspected before you buy it, since it's impossible for the untrained eye to pick up on these kinds of hazards.

Exposure to radon can cause serious health problems. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it's the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and is responsible for about 21,000 deaths each year. With this in mind, it's essential to take proper precautions to ensure that the hazardous gas isn't present in homes, schools and other buildings across the United States. 

On March 20, the Iowa Senate voted 37-13 to require public and private schools to test for radon and install systems designed to get rid of the gas if it leaks into the buildings. Additionally, residential construction companies would have to include pipes for removing radon in all homes built from January 1, 2015 forward.

Eastern Iowa news source, The Gazette, states that opponents of the bill cited the significant amount of money that it would cost schools to comply with the potential new law as one of the main reasons they don't support it. But bill sponsor Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, noted that he thinks it's a logical response to the 400 deaths in Iowa each year due to radon exposure.

"There are times when government really needs to step in and mandate something," said McCoy. "When something is causing cancer and killing individuals, in most cases unbeknownst to them, I think we have an obligation to make sure that when new construction occurs that we're taking these minimum steps."

If you want to have your home checked out, you may want to reach out to a home inspection contractor. These professionals can conduct radon testing at your current property and determine if you are safe. Additionally, it's essential to get a house inspected before you buy it, since it's impossible for the untrained eye to pick up on these kinds of hazards.

When Hurricane Katrina – one of the strongest storms in the past 100 years – struck the coast of the United States in 2005, it devastated the city of New Orleans, killing nearly 2,000 people and displacing people from their flooded homes for months to come. 

As a tribute to the experiences people endured during and after the storm, playwright John Biguenet recently debuted "Mold," the final work in his trilogy of plays based on the disaster. 

"'Mold' tells the story of Trey and Marie Guidry, a young couple who had lost their own home, and have now returned from Houston a year to the day after the flood to begin assessing what to do with his parents' home," states NOLA.com. "Their journey and those they encounter reveal the heartaches of loss, unresolved familial issues and often painful questions of just what home is."

Since flooding brings excess moisture into a house, it provides the perfect environment for mold to grow and thrive, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With this in mind, it's essential for homeowners to do whatever they can to treat their properties and combat this hazardous fungus before it begins negatively impacting their well-being. 

Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina isn't the only recent natural disaster that has led to significant mold problems among residents of the city it hit. Superstorm Sandy, which ravaged the East Coast in October 2012, has also left thousands of homeowners stuck dealing with the effects of the fungus. 

EPA data reveals that exposure to mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your home or business isn't infested with it, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

Exposure to mold inside a business or residence can lead to health issue such as coughing, wheezing and upper respiratory tract symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That being said, if a building shows significant signs of this hazardous fungus, it's important to take the proper actions to avoid being affected by it.  

After discovering black mold in its City Hall, the town of Bolivar, Missouri, was forced to come up with a quick plan of action to deal with the issue and ensure comfort and safety among the people who work there, reports KY3 News. City Administrator Darin Chappell said that while some of the employees have experienced headaches, there haven't been any signs of significant health problems. 

It's likely that the mold began to grow following a thunderstorm several months ago that damaged part of the roof, leaving behind a mysterious smell even after it was repaired. 

While the fungus in the building is being removed, city operations – including the police department – have been spread out across the town for the foreseeable future. The source states that it could be months before the facility is ready to be used again. 

"All the services that we provide – we will respond to calls for service, we will still have a desk available for walk-in reports, things like that.  It may be slightly inconvenient, however, we will still be able to do our jobs," Police Chief Steve Hamilton told KY3 News.

If you think your home or business may be infested with this potentially dangerous fungus, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

It's been a rough winter in many parts of the United States, with a number of storms leaving behind several feet of snow. And, although many people think the worst is over once a blizzard subsides, the truth is that melting snow can cause its own inconvenient and potentially dangerous problems for homeowners. 

In a March 1 press release, ServiceMaster Clean, a company that provides disaster restoration services, reminded people that as the snow turns to water – particularly if it does so rapidly – the liquid can seep into a house through a basement, a crack in the foundation or a leaky roof. Any time moisture gets into a property, mold can begin to grow and thrive. 

Not only can this hazardous fungus destroy wallpaper, wood, drywall and other materials, but, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), long-term exposure to it may cause moderate to severe health problems – particularly for those who suffer from asthma and allergies.

According to ServiceMaster Clean, the best way to deal with mold is to prevent it from entering the house in the first place, which requires people to be proactive when they anticipate a storm. 

"Before it snows, clean gutters, downspouts and drains around the home so water can flow freely. Seal up holes or leaks in the basement, and make sure the roof, soffits and fascia are in good shape," states the press release. 

If water does enter your house, try to remove it within the first 18 to 24 hours before it gets a chance to cause any significant damage.

In some cases, mold isn't visible to the untrained eye, which is why it's essential to have a home inspection contractor perform mold testing before you purchase a new house.

Spring is traditionally a busy time for the real estate industry, as more people begin putting their homes on the market and expressing interest in purchasing property. If you're thinking of checking out some houses this season, it's important to be aware of what you need to do before making an offer or signing any paperwork. No matter how nice a home appears, it is in your best interest to get a home inspection to determine if there are any issues that may cost you money or even affect your health in the long run. Professional home inspection contractors can also determine whether a property shows signs of mold, and help you with the following: 

Determining the source – Mold needs moisture in order to survive. In most cases, the fungus appears after a leak has allowed water into a home. It's commonly found in areas like the kitchen, bathroom and basement where liquid flows frequently and water can seep in through cracks in the foundation. It's important to resolve these problems so mold can't continue to thrive. 

Finding where it is hidden – In some cases, a seller will try to hide traces of mold by painting over it. This makes it invisible to the untrained eye, but professionals have equipment that tests the air to measure mold levels. 

Removing it – Getting rid of mold once it's there is challenging. Sometimes it even requires removing entire walls. This is another reason why it's important to work with a home inspection contractor, since they can help you figure out if and how to combat the fungus. 

If a mold problem is particularly severe, you may want to reconsider buying the property. After all, you don't want to move into a new house that could end up making you sick or costing significant amounts of money in repairs. 

Weather predictions in the Midwest have health officials worried about radon levels in people's homes, according to a recent article by The Kansas City Star. In Kansas City, Missouri, for example, scientists have said that a drought will affect the area well into the spring, altering the ground conditions and stressing home foundations so that the radioactive gas can travel more easily into houses.

Although smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that exposure to radon accounts for 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. This disease is treatable, but the survival rate is low, with only 11 to 15 percent of those affected by it living for more than five years after being diagnosed. 

With these scary numbers in mind, it's important for homeowners – not just in the Midwest, but everywhere in the country – to take proper precautions to ensure that they are not breathing in this hazardous gas.

"We're seeing a higher percentage of homes coming in with higher readings, and we've been seeing it for a year and a half," said Gary Hodgden, whose company tests homes in the area for traces of the radon. "I know of someone who, four years ago, had low levels of radon when he tested. More recently, the test came in at four times that amount."

If you want to have your home checked out, you may want to reach out to a home inspection contractor. These professionals can conduct radon testing at your current property and determine if you are safe. Additionally, it's essential to get a house inspected before you buy it, since it's impossible for the untrained eye to pick up on these kinds of hazards. 

The Haley Sofge Towers, a housing unit for elderly residents in Miami, isn't exactly providing its inhabitants with the relaxing Florida lifestyle they crave in their golden years. According to NBC 6, a South Florida publishing network, the building has a serious mold problem.

The source states that many of the tenants, a large percentage of whom are on fixed incomes and don't speak English, have been experiencing health problems as a result of constant exposure to the hazardous fungus. 

Efron Cotero, who has mold covering the walls of his unit, said that he developed respiratory problems after moving into the towers, noting that he's just one of hundreds of residents who has been sick. Additional occupants told the source that their breathing issues began when they started living in the county-owned building, and even had documentation from their doctors explaining the severity of their respiratory illnesses. 

The situation is so bad that NBC 6 took the tenants' grievances to Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, who issued a formal complaint to the county. 

"We've taken it to the administration level," said Barreiro. "There are a bunch of cases I've elaborated in the letter to the administration, the mayor, and asked them for transfers or to fix the units."

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to mold can cause mild to severe health problems, particularly for people who already suffer from asthma and allergies. No matter what, it's not good to be in its presence on a daily basis. To make sure your home or business isn't infested with this potentially dangerous fungus, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you're safe.

We’ve reported quite a bit over the past several months that there are a number of cities and towns in New York and New Jersey experiencing mold problems after Hurricane Sandy tore through the East Coast in late October 2012. 

According to a February 12 article from New York Daily News, relief groups in New York are warning that Gerritson Beach, a small community in Brooklyn, will likely face serious mold issues as the warm weather approaches. Nearly 2,000 homes in the town were flooded as a result of the super storm and Eric Klein, CEO of CAN-DO.org, an organization that helps provide lasting solutions to critical problems such as natural disasters, said that Gerritson Beach has the worst mold problem he has ever seen.

Although mold can be found all year round, according to The Weather Channel, it thrives in warm, humid environments, which explains why people in Gerritson Beach are wary about the spring and summer, knowing the hot weather will cause the fungus that already lives within their homes to grow. Many residents in the area have already noticed its effects, reporting that exposure to mold has worsened asthma symptoms and led to other health problems.

Pat Bartha, a 57-year-old Frank Court resident, told the source that she thinks the fungus caused a bad bout of bronchitis she recently suffered from.

“I’m scared to death,” Bartha said, explaining that she shares her home with her pregnant daughter, whose baby will be born right around the time that the mold problem is expected to worsen.

Exposure to mold can lead to serious health issues, and should never be taken lightly. To make sure your home or business isn’t infested with this potentially dangerous fungi, contact a home inspection contractor to perform mold testing and help you determine if you’re safe.