| Sandwich | Plymouth | Falmouth | Hyannis | |
| (508) 888-0999 | (508) 888-0999 | (508) 539-1166 | (508) 771-4648 |
The answer lies in the quality of homebuilding and the materials used to keep moisture out of and heat in the home. Such product as: Tyvek, window flashing, better door seals, new roofing techniques, better windows and doors, insulation and many other materials are designed to maximize energy efficiency and control moisture. These materials and methods minimize the intrusion problem but don’t manage the inevitable mold growth that will happen when mold growth does occur.
Homeowners who fail to manage moisture intrusion and increased indoor humidity levels also are contributing factors. Tighter home building leads to higher probability of mold outbreak. In an effort to keep water out and heat/AC in we sacrifice the very drying source that kept mold out of houses for hundreds of years; ventilation. Though effective, ridge and soffit venting do not ventilate walls, floors or basements. You’ve probably had lumber delivered that was already infected with mold or plywood sitting on the jobsite for a few rainy days that was starting to mold.
Unfortunately, no matter how well a house is built there is a 100% chance of water getting into a house in the future. Design and building methods generally are not the cause of the moisture invasion. Typically the problem stems from a leaky pipe, a slow drip behind a sink, an ice dam from a bad winter, a leak in the roof that finds it’s way down into the ceilings and walls, toilet overflows, waterbed leaks, rain penetration, landscaping or gutters that direct water into or under a building or a poorly vented combustion appliance. Flooded basements and flooded rivers and streams are also a source that is difficult to control.
Mold is a problem that developed in the construction industry in the late 1990’s with the first multi-million dollar awards made in 1996. Insurance companies suffered new construction losses in excess of $1 billion and total mold losses of over $3 billion in 2001 alone. Insurers responded by explicitly excluding mold coverage from policies putting builders at a much higher risk level. Contractors are left without coverage and fully exposed to cover all losses associated with mold.