Mold and Health Issues

(Updated April 2015)

In 2001, a family in Texas won $32.1 million (later reduced to an amount kept confidential) in a case involving extensive mold damage to their home. Even Erin Brockovich, Michael Jordan, Bianca Jagger, and Ed McMahon have experienced mold contamination in their houses. The governor of North Carolina had to move out of the mold-infested Governor's Mansion in August 2005.

Mold is a health risk for children, adults, and even pets. Learn how to avoid mold, how to eliminate mold once it is discovered, and the health effects of mold, in these articles, books, websites, and videos.


E - EBSCO articles available for NAR members only. Password can be found on the EBSCO Access Information page.


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The Facts About Mold
Item #141-30

The Facts About Mold is an informational guide created by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). This quick reference is useful for agents to help answer questions from prospective homeowners and tenants about mold that agents should not attempt to answer on their own.

A Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
Item #141-24

This information guide, created by the Environmental Protection Agency, educates consumers with a mold problem about why mold develops in the home, general recommendations for removing it, and ways to prevent it from returning.


Mold Basics

Mold and Dampness, (American Lung Association, 2015).

Basic Facts, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May, 22, 2014).

Mold, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.).

Frequently Asked Questions About Mold, (National Association of REALTORS® Legal Department, Letter of the Law, n.d.).


Eliminating & Preventing Mold

Removing Mold From Your Home, (FEMA, Feb. 23, 2015).

Preventing Mold in Your Home, (UGA Extension, May 1, 2014).

Avoiding Mold Hazards in Your Water-damaged Home, (LSU Ag Center, Jan. 6, 2014).


Mold & H​ealth

Is Mold in Your Home Putting Your Health at Risk?, (realtor.com®, 2015).

Mold: What You Need to Know to Cut Your Risk, (Cleveland Clinic, Apr. 6, 2015).

Don’t Catch What Ails Your House, (The New York Times, Sept. 1, 2014).

Mold, (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Oct. 31, 2013).

Health Effects of Mold, (The Weather Channel, n.d.).

Mold, (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 21, 2013).

Mold and Dampness, (American Lung Association, 2012).

Allergies Health Center, (WebMD, May 9, 2012).


Useful Websites

Mold Resources, (Environmental Protection Agency)

Mold Remediation Guidelines, (NC State University, Environmental Health & Public Safety Center, n.d.).


eBooks & Other Resources

eBooks.realtor.org

The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:

Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders, (Adobe PDF eBook)

What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Mold, (Adobe eReader)

Books, Videos, Research Reports & More

The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800-874-6500 for assistance.

Mold and Real Estate, (Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western, 2004). TD 883 St8

Damp indoor spaces and health, (Washington, D.C.; National Academies Press, 2004). TD 883 N21

Mold survival guide for your home and for your health, (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004). TD 883 M45

Mold: what every professional real estate manager needs to know, (Chicago, IL: Institute of Real Estate Management, 2004). TD 883 In7m

Toxic mold: a growing problem for the real estate industry, (Columbus, OH: Ohio State University, Oct. 2002). SF-2005-013


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The inclusion of links on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this page complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.


Notice: The information on this page may not be current. The archive is a collection of content previously published on one or more NAR web properties. Archive pages are not updated and may no longer be accurate. Users must independently verify the accuracy and currency of the information found here. The National Association of REALTORS® disclaims all liability for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information or data found on this page.

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