United States Air and Radiation (6609J) Research and Development Environmental Protection (MD-56) Agency February 1991 Indoor Air Facts No. 4 (revised) Sick Building Syndrome Introduction The term “sick building syndrome” (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term “building related illness” (BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are... View Article
Johnny Carson’s sidekick has found little to laugh at lately. His dog died, his family has been sick and he’s blaming the insurance company. Ed McMahon, 79, claims the insurance company botched a simple repair on a broken pipe. As a result, he says, a black toxic mold spread through his 8,000-square-foot, six-bedroom Beverly Hills mansion. In a lawsuit filed this week, the entertainer is seeking $20 million from American Equity Insurance Co., two insurance adjusters and several environmental cleanup contractors. “It started with a broken water pipe, which is not a big deal,” said McMahon’s lawyer, Allan Browne. “It... View Article
Nationwide, only 20% of American homes at risk for floods are covered by flood insurance. Most private insurers do not insure against the peril of flood due to the prevalence of adverse selection, which is the purchase of insurance by persons most affected by the specific peril of flood. In traditional insurance, insurers use the economic law of large numbers to charge a relatively small fee to large numbers of people in order to pay the claims of the small numbers of claimants who have suffered a loss. Unfortunately, in flood insurance, the numbers of claimants is larger than the... View Article
Water damage describes a large number of possible losses caused by water intruding where it will enable attack of a material or system by destructive processes such as rotting of wood, growth, rusting of steel, de-laminating of materials such as plywood, and many, many others. The damage may be imperceptibly slow and minor such as water spots that could eventually mar a surface, or it may be instantaneous and catastrophic such as flooding. However fast it occurs, water damage is a major contributor to loss of property. An insurance policy may or may not cover the costs associated with water... View Article
Buying a house with water damage is possibly a risky investment, but knowing what precautions to take helps limit your potential loss. Water damage to a house may be caused by many different problems, including flooding, a burst pipe or a leaky roof. Other defects and hazards may be present in the home due to the water damage, such as unsound walls and mold, and the cause of the water damage needs to be examined to ensure the problem will not continue once the existing damage is addressed. 1 Schedule a home inspection. The extent and cause of the water... View Article
