Good Governance

GOOD GOVERNANCE A mouldy topic:

Building defect or lifestyle issue?

If I had a dollar for every building I inspected with mould presenting, I’d be a retired millionaire…

Sad, but true.

It doesn’t matt er if it’s the cold heart of winter or the sweaty heat of summer, mould is reproducing in millions of homes all year round. According to Professor Rebecca Bentley of Melbourne University, it is estimated that approximately 25 percent of homes in Australia have damp and mould issues that pose a risk to the health and safety of occupants. Mould is incredibly dangerous and a health hazard. Its dangers should not be ignored or under-estimated. Details on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases arising out of exposure (even minimal exposure) to mould are well documented and can be investigated at any time on the internet, mould is so dangerous that it is even used to develop chemical weapons. I nearly fell over when I learned that black mould (Stachybotrys), a very common mould that grows merrily in millions of dwellings all over the world produces mycotoxins which have been used to make biological weapons. Eeek!

Lynda Kypriadakis,

Diverse FMX

So, what causes mould?

It’s odd to consider, but the fact is that housing construction in Australia is not exactly designed to withstand mould att ack. For example, the extremes of temperatures can cause condensation and support mould infestation. Consider when it’s cold outside and you have the heater on inside, condensation forms on the windows and can lead to mould. Similarly, on a hot summer’s day when we have the air-conditioner blaring inside and the windows are hot from the outside heat, this also can cause condensation and a breeding ground for mould. Moulds are part of the mildew or fungi family and require moisture, the ‘right’ temperature, a supportive type of substrate along with exposure to certain conditions over time to thrive. They require water to grow and spread, which is why it is recommended to keep homes (especially walls and carpets) as dry as possible. Water leaks, fl ooding, high humidity, and condensation all provide moisture that mould can use to grow and spread. Any condition that causes warmth and moisture can set the occupants of the home up for mould infestation. Less important factors for mould infestation include availability of mould spores, pH, light, oxygen, and surface roughness. Mould will thrive in damp, humid, and wet conditions almost anywhere in the world, so it is a very cunning creature! Add to the moist/humid environment, the smorgasbord of cellulose-rich building materials that are routinely used in the building industry, including timber framing material, plasterboard walls and ceiling sheeting, carpeting, wallpaper, and insulation (when wet). All these types of building materials may serve as a wonderful nutrient source to mould. In fact, some new buildings already have mould in the timber framing arising during construction (for instance if the timber is left exposed to wet weather for extended periods of time) so sometimes the mould is handed over to the new homeowner from day one of ownership. How depressing…

© Adobe Stock - stock.adobe.com

Is defective building work the cause of mould?

Many new homeowners believe that mould is indicative of defective building work and leaky buildings, however in our experience as building inspectors, the main causes of mould that we encounter every day are caused by: • Lifestyle behaviours, lack of ventilation and use of heating appliances, such as clothes dryers without adequate ventilation; and • condensation, moisture occurring due to heat/ cold interface that occurs in most houses.

In my experience mould rarely arises out of defective building work. If there is a water leak occurring because of a building defect, usually the water leak and any ensuing damage is very obvious before any mould starts growing. Water leaks arising out of defective building work are usually obvious and should be dealt with quickly before mould can take hold.

It is a rare occurrence to find a concealed leak that is left unresolved for an extended period of time that gives rise to mould. Usually, water leaks are obvious to inhabitants and dealt with quickly. Note: If you have a water leak inside your home it is highly recommended that you fix it urgently!

So how do we get rid of mould?

Unfortunately, due to the extremely hardy and invasive nature of mould, it is very difficult to eradicate it fully once it takes hold, especially if you try to treat the surface mould instead of the deep ingrained mould. Once mould is ingrained in building materials such as plasterboard, carpet, curtains and so on, it is almost impossible to launder or wipe the mould off permanently. To avoid costly replacement of mould-infested materials, our experience recommends the use of natural mould eradication products that include an organic ‘fog’ treatment instead of chemicals that wash surfaces. An organic fog treatment includes a specialist technician spraying an odourless and invisible fog of organisms that literally eat mould and its spores. These organisms are completely harmless to humans, pets and plants and are only interested in eating mould. They infiltrate all the nooks and crannies of your home to get to the mould in concealed and microscopic locations, so they really do get rid of all traces. Once the mould is eradicated the food source dries up and the invisible organisms die. It really is a highly effective and non-invasive solution.

In New Zealand, the rental housing Building Warrant of Fitness (BWoF) regime became mandatory for all landlords from 2018. A rental property in NZ now must conform to the stringent BWoF requirements for healthier homes, including (among other things) having effective ventilation and an absence of mould. In New Zealand, the BWoF inspector assesses each property on an annual basis to ensure it doesn’t have mould presenting that would exceed the size of an A4 piece of paper across the whole home.

Food for thought…

As with anything, prevention is better than cure, so the best recommendation I can provide is to keep your home well ventilated with natural light and ventilation via open windows and doors whenever possible. Keep the windows open when using the clothes dryer and dry off any condensation as soon as it forms. If you believe you have a water leak, get it looked at immediately and fixed urgently.

 Structuring  Income Veri cation  Accounting/Taxation  Superannuation  Audit

The Management Rights Lawyers

Buying and selling Legal due diligence Agreements and variations Options and top-ups Dispute resolution

ARAMA2021 TOPAWARDS Service Provider

OF THE YEAR

WINNER ARAMA

SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR 2019, 2020 & 2021

Brisbane

L 18, 167 Eagle Street Brisbane Qld 4000 07 3007 3777

Gold Coast

L 2, 235 Varsity Parade Varsity Lakes Qld 4230 07 5562 2959

www.mahoneys.com.au

Are you looking for a pre-purchase nancial veri cation report, pro t and loss for sale or just an accountant who really understands your management rights business?

We provide a comprehensive range of compliance and consulting services for all entity types operating within the industry. Jonathan Grant Accountants operates within a wide referral network of other professional industry specialists and we are dedicated to ensuring you receive the right advice from the right people.

PO Box 391 WEST BURLEIGH QLD 4219 Phone: (07) 5534 4333 | Fax: (07) 5534 2081 reception@jonathangrant.com.au | www.jonathangrant.com.au