Where does mold start

• New construction materials: Since mold can grow on construction materials like wood and drywall, the question of mold first arises when these materials show up on the site.
• During Storage of construction materials: Once materials are on site, they're either used right away or stored for some period of time. If materials aren't being used in the construction immediately, they should be considered as stored materials and protected from the weather.
• During construction: The next stage to think about is the actual construction of the house and how to deal with materials getting wet as the structure goes up.
• After the home is occupied: Once the house is finished and occupied there are still lots of things that can be done to control moisture and prevent mold.

Why worry about mold?

Numerous studies have revealed startling information. The American Medical Association reports that 94% of all respiratory ailments are caused by polluted indoor air. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found a direct link between mold contamination in the homes and cases of infant pulmonary hemorrhage. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, approximately 20% of patients with leukemia die of fungal leukemia caused most frequently by the species Aspergillus.

A 1999 Mayo Clinic study pegged nearly all the chronic sinus infections afflicting 37 million Americans to molds. Recent studies also have linked Molds to the tripling of the asthma rate over the past 20 years. Mold or water damaged homes double the likelihood of a child developing asthma.

Harvard University studied 10,000 homes across the U.S. and found 50% had mold damage. And mold isn't just confined to homes. A workplace mold study estimated that 35% of adult-onset asthma attributable to workplace mold exposure.

With over 10,000 Mold lawsuits filed every year and with tens of thousands pending, insurance companies are finding the issue of mold in buildings very costly. Insurance Industry paid over $3 billion in mold claims in 2002, over $9 billion in 2003. Average Cost of a Mold Lawsuit: Builder $50K, Homeowner $25K, Settlement $150K; average time to settle, three years.