Damage to homes by hurricanes that make landfall in the south and southeastern United States, or sub-tropical and tropical regions, during the hot, humid summer months is compounded by the growth of mold fungi on wetted building materials. Most homeowners are better equipped to deal with construction problems associated with storm damage than to control the growth of mold fungi. Following hurricane Katrina, this, coupled with newspaper articles published both before and after the storm equating molds in flooded or wet homes to the “Black Plague”, and “instant” mold experts saying that molds are “toxic”, led many homeowners to destroy otherwise habitable structures and remove the building materials from the site or to pay for costly “mold remediation” procedures. This issue is discussed in detail.

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