Damp indoor spaces and health /

It is not every day that one wants to pick up a book about mildew and mold. However, people who wish to determine the effects of water damage on buildings are compelled to do such reading. This comprehensive resource details current research on the impacts of damp structures on human health. The information is drawn from research done by the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Research Council. A recent spate of mold remediation concerns produced inaccurate, ineffectual methods of determining building damage and health problems due to moisture. Appropriately, this book begins with an explanation of acceptable methods for analyzing damp indoor environments and then explains various aspects of moisture and water damage to buildings. Its realistic description of the bacteria and fungi associated with damp building materials should allay concerns about misinformation promulgated by companies claiming to rid structures of harmful dampness-related microbial growth. In this well-referenced book, readers will encounter public health issues ranging from simple annoyances to potentially fatal diseases. With its high level of technical information, it will be of particular interest to law libraries. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Library collections supporting scholars interested in damp building issues, public health, and microbiology, at the upper-level undergraduate level and above. B. R. Shmaefsky Kingwood College