[GSBN] A question about mold and insurance

[Kris Dick Biosystems]

Dear Joyce,

Greetings, I trust this finds you well. I would agree with the  
comments from others about asking the insurance company for their  
proof. We have done a studies of temperature and moisture within bale  
systems in Manitoba. I would suggest that moisture content within the  
wall system can be used as an indicator of the potential for mould  
growth. It has been my experience that mould is not an issue as long  
as the building envelope has been done well, which would be the same  
for any building system.

Not sure if this helps.

All the best,

Kris

On 3-Oct-09, at 5:13 AM, Joyce Coppinger wrote:

>> Wendy left a message for me on Friday and I sent her an email last  
>> night asking her if she knew anything more specific about why the  
>> insurance company and mortgage lender were raising mold as an  
>> issue. I’ll share her response.
>>
>>
>> Joyce
>> ---------------
>> Joyce Coppinger
>> Managing Editor/Publisher
>> The Last Straw, the international journal
>> of strawbale and natural building
>> PO Box 22706, Lincoln NE 68542-2706
>> 402.483.5135, fax 402.483.5161
>> <thelaststraw at thelaststraw.org>
>> web site: www.thelaststraw.org
>> and our new blog at http://tls.buildearth.org
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>> It's difficult to respond to this, since documenting the absence  
>> of mold is a somewhat like proving it doesn't snow in the Sahara:  
>> everyone knows it doesn't, but who's collecting data?
>>
>> There are, in fact, rumors and suspicions about moldy straw, but I  
>> know of nothing that indicates problems are greater than for wood- 
>> frame construction.
>>
>> It would be entirely appropriate to ask the underwriter the hard  
>> data, if any, behind their assertion that strawbale buildings are  
>> prone to mold.  You can also go to a different underwriter.
>>
>> John "Overwriter" Swearingen
>>
>>
>> seems to me this could be approached from two directions: to  
>> document the absence of mold (a little like proving a negative)
>>
>> don't know of any studies.  It would be very helpful (and  
>> interesting) to know if the underwriter themselves know of any  
>> studies and/or what is the basis of their judgment,
>>
>> On Fri, Oct 2, 2009 at 3:53 PM,  <strawnet at aol.com> wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> This came to us at DCAT and I wanted to share it here to see if  
>>> anyone has information that might help resolve this issue.  
>>> Obviously the insurance underwriter has the opinion that sb  
>>> houses are prone to mold, so one question is, based on what  
>>> evidence or documentation or studies? Of course they are in the  
>>> driver's seat on this - they can make unsubstantiated claims and  
>>> the burden is then on us to disprove them if we can. It would be  
>>> good to hear from John Straube on this, as well as anyone else  
>>> with information that could help.
>>>
>>> I have told her about the GSBN archives but will try to pass  
>>> along your responses to her as well. And I have also copied my  
>>> reply to her, asking if it was OK with her that I post this here,  
>>> to Joyce at The Last Straw. Thanks for sharing what you all know...
>>> David
>>>
>>> ------------------
>>> Question: Have you or do you know of anyone who has researched  
>>> mold in strawbale houses. I have just been denied insurance  
>>> because the underwriter states that sb houses are prone to mold.  
>>> All my research over the past 10 years and during the building  
>>> process is quite the oppisite, but i need facts to persuade the  
>>> ignorant. Also my motgage co would love to cancel my loan if the  
>>> insurance does not come thru. We have been with this company for  
>>> 4 years and 3 of it during the building process. Are you able to  
>>> help?
>>> Thank you Wendy
>>> ------------------
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> GSBN mailing list
>>> GSBN at greenbuilder.com
>>> http://greenbuilder.com/mailman/listinfo/GSBN
>>>
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GSBN mailing list
> GSBN at greenbuilder.com
> http://greenbuilder.com/mailman/listinfo/GSBN

Kris J. Dick, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Associate  Professor
Director - The Alternative Village
Dept. of Biosystems Engineering
Rm E1-344 EITC
University of Manitoba
R3T 5V6

T:204-474-6457
F:204-474-7512
kjdick at ms.umanitoba.ca



Kris J. Dick, Ph.D.,P.Eng
Principal
Building Alternatives Inc.
P.O. Box 22
Anola,Manitoba, Canada R0E 0A0

F: 204-866-3287
kjdick at highspeedcrow.ca


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sustainablesources.com/pipermail/gsbn/attachments/20091003/186fc576/attachment.htm>