What does this indicator measure?
This indicator provides information about the prevalence of health problems related to environmental hazards found in housing. Two primary sources of housing-related illnesses are exposure to lead-based paint and exposure to toxic molds.
As a proxy for lead poisoning due to lead-based paint, this indicator uses the percentage of children under age 7 with elevated levels of lead in their blood. The standard measure used by health professionals to define an elevated level of lead in the blood is more than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (ug/dL). The data is collected and reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Information on toxic mold exposure is much more difficult to obtain, as many people suffering from mold-related illnesses are unaware of the root cause of their illnesses. The best available proxy is insurance claims from homeowners requesting that mold in their homes be cleaned and removed. It is important to understand that insurance claims represent only a small fraction of all homes with mold problems, as mold problems may linger for many years before they are discovered. Nonetheless, this information gives some indication of the severity of the problem. The data is compiled by the Texas Department of Insurance.
Why is this indicator important?
This indicator is important because it identifies and quantifies the risk homes can pose to residents’ health. When homes are making their inhabitants sick, the consequences can be both harmful and difficult to resolve. Many families may lack the resources to remove the contaminants, or apartment owners may be unwilling to respond to tenants’ complaints about environmental health hazards in rented homes. A family may decide that is easier to move than to deal with the problem, and while moving may solve the problem for one family, the contaminants remain in the home and will harm its next occupants if the problem is not remedied. The cost of mold removal has been so significant in recent years that many insurers have begun requesting permission of state regulators to exclude mold damage from basic homeowner’s policies
How are we doing?
Lead Poisoning
Dallas County has a higher than average risk for lead poisoning because of the age of its housing stock. Lead paint was removed from the market voluntarily by most companies in the 1950s and banned by the federal government entirely in 1978. However, 58% of Dallas County homes were built prior to 1979, and 20% were built prior to 1950.
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Despite Dallas County’s older housing stock, blood lead levels in children have been steadily decreasing.
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In 1994, 7.00% of children had elevated blood lead levels.
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In 2004, only 1.32% of children had elevated blood lead levels.
Mold Exposure
Housing-related health problems stemming from mold exposure are on the rise, due in part to newer construction and insulation methods that make homes airtight for purposes of energy efficiency. However, these new methods also mean that once moisture has found its way behind a wall, it is unlikely that it will ever dry out, thus giving mold a place to grow. Mold problems are certainly not limited to new homes; older homes that have been poorly maintained or have leaks are susceptible as well. An additional factor in the recent rise in mold-exposure health problems may simply be increased awareness. Mold and the problems it can cause are highlighted in the news, prompting more people with unexplained illnesses to investigate their homes for mold, instead of simply treating the symptoms.
For the combined years of 2000 and 2001, data from the Texas Department of Insurance show the following:
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Mold-related homeowner’s insurance claims in the Dallas and Denton insurance markets were lower and less expensive than many of the more humid cities in southeast Texas and higher and more expensive than the arid cities of southwest Texas.
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The Dallas area insurance market reported 3.16 mold-related homeowner’s claims per 1,000 households insured.
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The average cost per claim in the Dallas area to repair and remove mold-damaged areas of a home was $35,995.
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The cost to insurers in the Dallas insurance market of mold-related homeowner’s claims was approximately 39% lower than the statewide average cost of mold-related claims.
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The Denton area insurance market reported 1.42 mold-related homeowner’s claims per 1,000 households insured.
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The average cost per claim in the Denton area to repair and remove mold-damaged areas of a home was $34,630.
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The cost to insurers in the Denton insurance market of mold-related homeowner’s claims was approximately 73% lower than the statewide average cost of mold-related claims.
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The Texas statewide insurance industry experienced 4.74 mold-related homeowner’s claims, at a cost of $38,997 per claim.