Most people aren't bothered by the thought of mold until they discover it's living and breeding inside their home.
There, it can be an indicator of a major construction problem, such as leaking pipes behind walls. And its presence in the home can pose health hazards.
Mold is a growing problem in Southern Nevada and is becoming the subject of scientific research as well as lawsuits.
Linda Stetzenbach, director of microbiology at the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies at UNLV, said the topic of molds has been pushed to the forefront in recent years due to increased awareness, better testing and improved identification methods.
The booming building industry in Southern Nevada adds to the incidences locally, she said, but it's also a national problem, having been showcased on television news shows such as "20/20" and "48 Hours."
Most of the time, Stetzenbach said, water intrusion is the culprit, at times caused by faulty roofs. Sporadic rainfall and water leaks create the perfect environment for mold to grow.
Water was the culprit for Phyllis and Martin Schwartz, who four years ago started noticing a change in their health and couldn't pinpoint the problem.
"I was starting to lose my balance. I didn't know what it was," Phyllis said. "I couldn't think straight. I was noticing I would work all day and I couldn't get things done. I would say 'Geez, I'm going crazy.' "
Soon thereafter the work on a broken water heater exposed toxic mold growing inside the walls.
She and her family were immediately evacuated from the home at Alta and Rancho drives where they had lived for 25 years. They lived in a hotel for the next four months.
The home Phyllis used to open up to tours because of her extensive rug and art collection was soon surrounded by yellow tape and declared a health hazard.
The culprit? Stachybotrys.
Stachybotrys is a greenish-black fungus usually found on materials that become chronically moist or water damaged due to excessive humidity, water leaks, infiltration, condensation or flooding.
Although she settled with the insurance company two years ago, Phyllis Schwartz says the mold problem has turned her life into an absolute nightmare.
Schwartz, a real estate broker, and her husband, a doctor, said she never imagined it could happen to two people so well versed in construction and health issues.
Stetzenbach said although it can be difficult to detect mold, there are some tell-tale signs. It can be as simple as noticing water spots and changes in health.
If you smell mildew in the home, she said, that means something is wet and is an indicator that it needs to be dried. If you see a leak, stop the water as soon as you can.
"Occupants of buildings need to be very pro-active," she said. "We do have fungal problems, and you need routine maintenance of air conditioner units, roofs and windows. Unfortunately, so often when buildings are built and budgets are cut, maintenance dollars are the first to go."
Judi Root, a resident of Quail Estates West, 2851 S. Valley View Blvd., also discovered toxic mold in her condo due to a coincidental encounter.
Root, an advocate for homeowners associations, appeared on a news program discussing the associations on the same night Stetzenbach was appearing to talk about mold. Stetzenbach commented on Root's hoarse voice and told her toxic mold could be causing the problem.
What was found after air samples were taken in January and February by John Terranova, an indoor air quality consultant, was high levels of toxic molds in her walls.
Cladosporium was found in the air, and stachybotrys and penicillium in the guest room, dining room and master bathroom. Airborne aspergillus/penicillium spores were also detected throughout the home.
"When people have construction defects, 80 percent are reported water intrusions," Terranova said. "When you add water to an indoor environment, you are going to get mold."
Root's lawyer, Roger Grant, attorney for the firm Feinberg, Grant, Kaneda and Litt, says the mold was removed by SWAT 24 -- a local cleaning company specializing in water and fire damages -- at a cost of $6,000. Although Root says she saw bags of mold being scooped from inside her walls, she's not entirely confident that it is completely gone.
Root, a pack-a-day smoker for the last 40 years, blames her health problems on the toxic mold. Her doctor backs up her health concerns, saying, "Her symptoms of nose and throat inflammation and irritation are suggestive of indoor mold exposure." He also suggests she might consider leaving her condo for up to two weeks.
Root is part of a class-action suit filed by members of the Quail Estates West homeowners association against their builder, Ribeiro Development Corp. of Las Vegas and Clark-Ribeiro, the joint partnership it says developed the complex.
The suit, filed Sept. 28, 1999, alleges that numerous construction defects exist in the homes and common areas of the development.
So far, Grant said, the instances of mold have been limited to Root's residence, although more units are being tested.
Connie Gentile, property manager at Quail Estates West, said there have been repairs made to the complex but otherwise declined comment, citing the lawsuit.
Studies have shown how hazardous molds can be to health. Stachybotrys, for example, has been associated with adverse affects on the central nervous system, eyes, skin and upper and lower respiratory tract. It may also be a factor in chronic fatigue syndrome.
Stetzenbach said the elderly and the young may have different reactions and may be more susceptible than normal, healthy college-age people.
"There's a big 'depends' on all of this," she said. "It depends on the population, type of fungus, time of exposure, amount of exposure."
Stetzenbach tested the mold samples taken from Root's residence, and said: "Concentrations in her dining room and master bedroom are quite high. ... She has several hundred times higher counts inside her home than she would be exposed to outside."
Terranova said he's seeing mold problems around the Las Vegas Valley every day, sometimes receiving two to three calls each day.
"It's been in the Sawyer State Office Building, hospitals, it's been in some casinos, large corporate accounts," Terranova said. "We are seeing it more and more in homes and residences and especially condos.
"The big problem with multifamily housing is if you have one unit affected, a lot of the time other units are cross-contaminated."
Stetzenbach and her team of 10 scientists are continuing to do further research on molds, especially on indoor airborne fungi.
"If we have better detection, perhaps one day standards can be developed to minimize risk to people," she said. "Part of the challenge is there is no 'normal,' there are no standards for airborne microorganisms for indoors."
The Schwartzes say their life has been changed forever. They are living in a temporary home in Summerlin, having given up their former home.
Martin has retired due to health problems and Phyllis is starting to sell properties again after spending years settling issues with their former home. She wants to make more people aware of the problem.
"The severity of this toxic mold is very real. It's scary," she said. "I would suggest anyone buying a home today get an environmental testing. There's a lot of people that are living with this and don't even know it."
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