ST. GEORGE, Utah (KUTV) – Home renovation contractors in St. George have reported an increase in mold in southern Utah.
One company, Edge Restoration, said the number of mold cases has nearly tripled this year.
Jacob Beynon of Edge Restoration worked on plumbing two houses today – each with black mold.
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“When it starts, it's usually very small and just a few spots, and it's pretty easy to take care of,” Beynon said. “If it goes on for months and months and months, you get this huge layer of mold or this huge area that's infested with mold, and that has a much bigger impact on a person's health.”
Another company, Service King Restoration, said the number of mold cases is steadily increasing each year as people spend more time in their homes, building codes become more stringent and public awareness grows. The cause of mold growth is water damage.
“When there is water damage, there are fewer places for it to evaporate, and that is what causes the mold,” said Derek McDonald, owner of Service King Restoration. “Most of the homes have had some type of water event in their history.”
Desai Madrigal, who conducts home inspections, added that “mold arises from any moisture: water, rain, traffic jams, floods,” which occur regardless of a dry climate. Burst pipes or leaks in devices are often the cause of growth.
McDonald said the worst homes are those that have constant leaks or go untreated. Both companies said this caused some homeowners to feel sick but didn't know why.
The EPA stated that mold in homes can cause health consequences, including symptoms of fever, asthma attacks and irritation all over the body.
Mold inspections are not a standard part of the home inspection. Madrigal said he sees mold in about 10% of his homes.
Madrigal said: “The worst ones I've ever done, unfortunately, were typically rental properties where the landlords either didn't fix things or didn't really pay enough attention to them.”
McDonald said tenants may not be familiar with the history of the home in which they live. He said it's important to have conversations with landlords to create transparency because water damage can be painted over without anyone knowing about it. Additionally, air testing does not necessarily detect mold in walls.
“If you don't know where the mold is in your house, it's like hunting ghosts there,” McDonald said. “It’s very hard to decide where to even start.”
All three sources said the sooner the better to check for mold. They said even if a water stain appears to have dried on its own, it usually needs to be treated with a dehumidifier for several days before it returns to its original state.
“I think there are a lot of people who don’t know about it,” Beynon said. “I had no idea how big an impact it could have on your personal health.”
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