Black Mold Leaves Family Homeless Black mold was growing in her home, destroying their belongings and rotting the walls. Most homeowners get rid of it with the help of their insurance company, but Andrea said her insurance provider became part of the problem.
Andrea Oswald was forced to tear down her home after it became infested with black mold.
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Black Mold Leaves Family Homeless By Peggy Agar
Web produced by Sarah Morgan
March 30, 2006 A small deck was all that remained of Andrea Oswald’s home. She was forced to tear it down because of a danger lurking inside and now she and her two children are homeless. Black mold was growing in her home, destroying their belongings and rotting the walls. Most homeowners get rid of it with the help of their insurance company, but Andrea said her insurance provider became part of the problem. In February, Andrea noticed black mold growing in the manufactured house she lived in for 7 years. When she called her insurance company, they denied her claim. They said Andrea created the problem herself because of the tiny holes left after she removed window boxes the previous owners had attached to the siding. But Andrea said that’s not where the mold was growing. Andrea’s son had recently been released from the hospital after suffering from asthma and pneumonia. "Anybody with asthma, pneumonia, difficulty breathing, elderly patients can’t be around [black mold]," she said. Andrea and her family couldn’t live in the house and she couldn’t sell it, so her only choice was to tear it down. Now Andrea and her children will stay with friends until they find a new place to live. The insurance company sent a written response, but Action News was unable to reach them by phone. |
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