The Mold Insurance Claim Explosion: why now?

Mold has been on this planet forever; even the Bible describes an effective technique for ridding a building of mold.  If you are asking "Why has it become a problem now," you are not alone.  Let's look at some of the obvious reasons.

• Modern, Air-Tight Buildings After the energy crisis of the 1970's, we improved the energy efficiency of our new construction, we instituted new building codes, and we retrofitted existing buildings.  Gone are the drafts that moved moisture and allowed some of it to escape the building.

• Modern Building Materials
  Modern building materials are breeding grounds for mold.  Drywall is better for growing mold that plaster walls.  Stucco has been replaced by EFIS.

• Shoddy Construction Practices
  The breakneck pace of construction throughout the 1990's allowed many homes and buildings to be constructed with defects which allow water and moisture to seep into the interior.

• Improvement in Medical Diagnostics
  An increasing number of asthma cases are now being traced back to mold and medical experts are now blaming many cases of allergies on mold.

• The Media
  Publicity has brought the mold issue into the living room of every American.  The local news, national news, television news magazines, newspapers, print magazines, the Internet, and even drive-time talk radio all carry stories inspiring fear of mold and terror of mildew.

• Aggressive Attorneys
  The newest mantra for the legal profession is "There is gold in mold."  Attorneys train other attorneys in how to sue for mold and how to defend the mold claim.

In the past two years, there has been a major confluence of factors, independent factors, coming together to create a Big Bang.  Out of it emerges the mold melodrama.