Washington Insider - Mold and Commercial Real Estate

Mold. Quickly rising as a hot topic among homeowners, this epidemic is now surfacing more frequently in the commercial real estate arena. States are drafting legislation and regulations, lawsuits are being filed against owners and developers and insurance companies are altering policies or removing coverage from future policies. So what does this mean to you?

As far back as ancient times, we’ve recognized mold as a problem that affects our health. And we know the basics of mold–it can grow on wood, sheet rock, insulation and other surfaces and is triggered by leaks, flooding, flawed landscaping, poorly managed HVAC and damaged building materials.

Customarily, we assume that mold is a regional problem that affects properties only in warm climates. Based on pending litigation and recent case studies, we are beginning to recognize that mold can grow anytime, anywhere.