AURORA, Colo.—Aaron Chapman feels like he’s out of options. He sits in his living room on a stormy Monday, with all the doors and windows open, as he tries to air out an apartment he believes is making him sick.

Chapman says he moved to Aurora with his wife and kids to help take care of his mother. She was diagnosed with cancer and wanted to remodel her home and started renting out an apartment at The Courtyards at Buckley. After Chapman started living in the apartment for a month, he said he noticed having trouble breathing.

“I was throwing up black fluids and it just got worse,” Chapman said.

After looking around the apartment, Chapman said they found significant mold on the back wall of one of the closets in the apartment.

“Finally after enough complaining I got one maintenance man to remove a panel of drywall from the closet and immediately he was like get your family out of here now,” Chapman said.

Chapman and his family were moved into a new unit, but ended up running into similar problems.

“Past three weeks we’ve had three floods from the neighbor’s toilet upstairs,” Chapman said. Chapman took video on his cell phone of the black mold, and running water as he ran into these issues. He went to the hospital and was diagnosed with chronic asthma, and is hooked up to an oxygen tank. Not knowing where else to turn, he reached out to the Problem Solvers.

“I called you guys for help because now my little girl is having nose bleeds and my kids are coughing and we’re all having headaches and health issues and we’ve got to get out of here.”

The Problem Solvers made several attempts to get a statement from management at the leasing office for The Courtyards at Buckley, but were told to reach out to corporate headquarters. As of Monday night, they have not responded for a request for comment.

The city of Aurora’s Neighborhood Services Department oversees living standards in apartments across the city, and can do inspections for things like mold and water damage.

If you’re having issues at this particular apartment complex, contact our FOX31 Problem Solver Alex Rose at AlexRose@KDVR.com.

You can report issues through Access Aurora. 

AlertMe

source https://kdvr.com/2019/06/03/family-says-they-moved-from-one-moldy-unit-into-another-with-more-mold/

RIVER VALLEY (KFSM) — As the historic flood waters start to recede, the cleanup process begins for many homeowners across the River Valley.

The Harms family says it could be months before they are able to move back in. Service Master along with several other people came out early Monday (June 3) morning to help begin this long and heartbreaking cleanup process.

«The Community Bible Church right up the street helped with sandbags a lot and it was enough to keep the snakes out and things like that,» homeowner Jim Harms said.

Harms says it wasn’t enough to keep the rising water from seeping into their home.

«There’s really not much you can do other than move your furniture and your most expensive stuff out before the water gets in there,» Harms said.

Harms says he was expecting for the worst but thankfully he got a pleasant surprise when he returned home Sunday (June 2).

«Actually I was a little bit excited because the water didn’t come up any higher than about a foot so it could have been a lot worse,» Harms said.

Water continues to shoot out of the carpet as you walk on it, so now the main issue is mold.

«So right now as the water has receded we have to start doing demo and doing flood cuts on the walls and have to take out the flooring materials just cause they are wet and we are trying to do all of this to prevent mold growth,» Senior Account Manager for Service Master Mike Haney said.

Haney explains how hard everyone has been working to get people back into their homes and back to normal, but also says it’s tough to see the widespread devastation day in and day out.

«It’s hard to see because a lot of this people don’t have flood insurance and it’s not something that is typically offered on the insurance policy so these people are having to come out of their own pocket for this it,» Haney said. «It’s still tough but these houses can almost be unlivable without these house being properly dried out.»

Unfortunately, the Harms family did not have flood insurance because they say their neighborhood is technically not in a floodplain. They did say that after going through this experience they will try to get flood insurance when they move back into their home.

source https://5newsonline.com/2019/06/03/some-river-valley-residents-return-home-to-clean-up-flood-damage/

STOCKTON SPRINGS and SEARSPORT — The future ownership of the former Stockton Springs Elementary School building is being put in the hands of voters in both Stockton Springs and Searsport this summer. 

The elementary school shuttered in April 2017 and mold was discovered in August 2018. 

The Regional School Unit 20 school board voted to offer the school to both Stockton Springs and Searsport for $0 at its April 9 meeting. 

The upcoming vote on June 11 is only for residents of both towns to decide if their respective town will accept the building and land. 

The vote does not include a decision on future use of the building or land. 

Should both towns vote to accept the building and land, an agreement between both towns would be required. 

The building, according to a presentation from Stockton Springs Town Manager Courtney O’Donnell, includes 23,162 square feet on 9.5 acres with 550 feet of road frontage. 

The former school contains a gymnasium, kitchen, classrooms, playground, field and a small shed. 

The building’s current tax assessment is $15,27,860 though the assessment will drop more than $1 million due to mold damage and is currently tax exempt. 

The land’s current tax assessment is $328,000. 

If at least one town votes to accept the property, that town would gain control of the property and determine its future. 

Inspections would be required for asbestos and the accepting town, or towns, would need to investigate several long term options, according to O’Donnell’s presentation. 

The presentation noted potential options, should Stockton Springs be the lone town accepting the property, include fixing the building, demolishing the building and retaining the land, demolishing a portion of the building or working with investors and developers. 

If both towns decline the property, the property’s future would remain in the hands of the school district and neither town would have input in the property’s future. 

Fixing the building would include mold remediation, which is expected to cost at least $146,000, based on bids received by the school district on April 8. 

The mold remediation would gut the building, remediate all mold but does not include replacing walls, thus additional costs would be incurred to bring the building back to life. 

Potential building uses could include a community building or rental space for several business, which the presentation notes is similar to what occurred in Orland.  

The total cost estimate to fix the building is $225,000. 

If the building was demolished and the land retained, potential usages could include a fire station, community building, trails or additional spacing for community activities. 

The cost to demolish the entire building, according to a quote obtained by Stockton Springs, is approximately $50,000 with the total cost estimated to be $50,000 to $80,000, based on asbestos levels and removal of one underground storage tank. 

If demolishing a portion of the building and retaining the land, the gymnasium and possibly the kitchen would be retained while the classrooms would be demolished due to extensive mold. 

Some mold remediation would be required for the gymnasium and kitchen, according to a report to the school district from Air Quality Management Services, Inc.

Roof repair would be required due to a leak found in the gym and kitchen with damage to the walls and ceiling tiles. 

Options for the retained portion include a section of a fire station with add-ons in the future and a community space. 

O’Donnell noted the current fire station has problems, the biggest issue being a lack of space and ability to fit newer style trucks, meaning the current fire station will inevitably need to be replaced at some point in the future. 

Retaining a portion of the building would require ongoing costs including maintenance, insurance and management. 

Costs for retaining only a portion of the building are unknown, according to O’Donnell, since expert opinions and further investigation is required. 

O’Donnell also noted there is some preliminary interest from a developer regarding the future of the building. 

The cost of this option is also unknown, though insurance would be required in the meantime. Benefits include the potential to retain a portion of the land and would put the property, or at least a portion, back on the tax rolls. 

O’Donnell noted other factors for Stockton Springs voters to consider with a yes vote include: 

• Debt Consideration: Stockton Springs currently has approximately $75,000 in outstanding debt expected to be paid off in fiscal year 2020. 

• Funding: Initial funds for experts and investigation could come from the Stockton Springs general fund, which O’Donnell notes would not negatively impact the fund. For a larger debt, a municipal bond or traditional loan could be obtained, which would require the approval of voters. 

• Playground equipment could be relocated or sold. 

Information on what Searsport envisions for possible opportunities, should they be the lone town to accept the school, was not available. 

Reach George Harvey at: sports@penbaypilot.com. 

source https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/stockton-springs-searsport-decide-ownership-elementary-school-building/118939

The global market for plastic injection molded parts is currently valued at $325 billion, and this number is expected to grow by 5.7% through at least 2025. Spurred by the rapidly developing economies of Asia, and taking advantage of process efficiencies as well as new resin chemistry, the use of plastic components in ever more sophisticated applications poses enormous opportunities—and challenges—for product designers and industrial engineers.

One of the notable advantages to plastic injection molding, of course, is the ability to produce very high volumes with a low unit price relative to development costs (tooling). However, these same high volumes demand the use of good design practices. Even small, incremental improvements to tool design, which might be insignificant in small batch production, can have a major financial effect when considering millions of finished parts. That’s why it makes good sense to apply sound design logic at the outset of any tooling project.

While designing two multi-cavity molds for a product that will be used in a high-temperature environment, I found four key considerations that universally apply to any project for any application. The following is my experience designing the mold for this part.

Design for the Material

Every thermoforming resin has unique chemical and mechanical properties that need to be mated to the tool steel that’s going to be used to mold it. For example, when using PEEK, a high-temperature engineering plastic used in automotive, aerospace, and medical applications, the tool needs to withstand higher molding temperatures while maintaining dimensional stability.

1. Part made from high-temperature PEEK plastic.

For this tool, my choice was to use S136 stainless steel. Stainless steel works well for large production runs at the higher temperatures PEEK requires. Stainless steel resists the abrasion of glass fiber, and takes a high polish for a superior surface quality finish.

As mentioned, PEEK must be injected at high pressures and temperatures, and therefore the tool must be carefully heat-treated. The treatment of course is done before final polishing and after CNC machining.

2. Rough milled inserts before polishing and heat treatment.

Since S136 stainless is not an inexpensive tool steel, it’s recommended to machine only a partial mold tool insert to reduce the total tooling costs. Once prepared, the insert can be put into a larger modular die of a more standard tool material like P20 or NAK80, and then this is turn gets mounted into the machine.

To maintain the necessary high molding temperatures, which for PEEK typically exceed the standard heating circuits of most injection molding machines, a separate electrical heating coil must be used. Electrical heaters can distribute heat very efficiently and uniformly for good molding results, but that in turn places a premium on proper design of the cooling channels to remove this heat quickly for good cycling times.

Design for Draft Angles

Resins have unique shrink rates and percentages which can cause the molded part to stick inside the cavity. The manufacturer’s spec sheet can help determine minimum draft angles, but this is also affected by the part’s surface texture. To a certain point, more texture requires more draft.

3. Moving the parting line requires a draft angle.

It’s very common for product designers to specify parting lines at the right-angle intersection of two perpendicular faces. If one of those faces is a cosmetic surface, it may be damaged if there is any flash in the mold.

To avoid the possibility of this damage it’s a good idea to move the parting line away to the adjacent, non-cosmetic face. That parting line should be moved along a draft angle of a few degrees, not 90 deg. If flash should occur it can then be trimmed off without damaging the look of the finished part.

Design for Wall Thickness

Managing wall thickness is important for controlling stress marks and to ensure the design is meeting minimal wall thickness while maintaining as much consistency as possible in the thicknesses of adjacent features.

4. High injection pressure is applied near the gate.

The gate represents an area of high initial injection pressure. A narrow wall thickness also implies a restriction which increases injection pressure. These two forces, if not balanced out, can create shear, flashing, and even damage to the mold. Therefore, it’s good design practice to increase wall thickness near the gate, decrease injection pressure, or both.

Second, there is an increased likelihood of flash because the pressure is exerted precisely on the split line. If a flash occurs, it will take significant time and effort to remove, leaving a corresponding mark on the finished product. Lastly, adjacent areas of unequal mass will cause sink marks. These are not only unsightly but can also compromise the part’s structural integrity.

Design for Ejection

The application of ejection force should be balanced out over the surface area of the part—taking into account thickness and mass—to keep the part from warping or breaking. Additionally, in the area surrounding the gate, stripper plates or additional ejector pins will be needed. These pins are necessary to clear the gate of plastic in the event of a short shot.

5. Geometries are challenging to balance.

Since the area near the gate will be under stress, it’s good practice to make the wall thicker if possible or create pads or other flat areas to provide a push-off for the force of the pin to act against. 

While there are many things to consider when trying to improve your plastic injection molded design, if you can take these four tips into consideration, you’re on your way to making a high-quality product. As designers and product engineers continue along the new product development journey, it’s crucial to have a keen understanding of the nuances of plastic injection molds and how to mitigate them.

Gordon Styles is president and CEO of Star Rapid.

source https://www.machinedesign.com/mechanical/five-tips-improving-plastic-injection-molding-design

source https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/friday-night-blaze-the-latest-problem-at-south-bend-s/article_b31bed22-bb81-5344-b2da-60303027c625.html

Disaster relief workers want area volunteers know exactly how to clean out a flooded home when the waters recede.

Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief trainer Jimmy Blackford at a flood recovery training session Sunday said anyone who wants to do flood relief for Fort Smith-area victims should follow procedures that will eliminate health risks inside the house, preserve as much of the structure as possible and protect themselves. He listed specific procedures that will accomplish these goals at the session.

Roughly 400 people attended the training session, according to Convention Disaster Relief Arkansas Director Randy Garrett.

«You see physical damage, but they’re going to be emotionally strained. You want to be able to provide some kind of recovery for them,» Blackford said. «They’re overwhelmed, and your caring, healing work and help is going to restore some hope back to them.»

The Arkansas River, which overnight Friday swelled to a record level of 40.79 feet, has affected more than 500 homes in Sebastian County, 25 homes in Crawford County and the entire town of Moffett on the other side of the Arkansas River in Oklahoma, according to city and county officials. State, local and federal emergency management personnel in the week leading up to the crest said damage assessments and repair work can begin as the river descends from its record levels. The water on Sunday had receded below 40 feet at the Van Buren gauge, according to National Weather Service data.

Blackford said floodwaters typically leave mold in houses that can be deadly if ingested. Because of this, volunteers must wear what Convention Disaster Relief workers call «personal protection equipment,» he said.

Such equipment includes a hardhat, bucket hat, safety glasses, goggles, a dust mask with a rating of N-95 or greater, boots with tread and steel toes, heavy duty gloves and a Tyvek suit, Blackford said. He said volunteers should urge homeowners to wear a dust mask if they plan to enter their home.

«The dust mask is probably the most important part to know about,» he said.

Blackford said flood recovery volunteers should first walk through the structure, shovel out mud and let the homeowner point out salvageable items to preserve in the clean-out process. He said mattresses, upholstered furniture, damaged floor coverings and built-in cabinets below the water line must be removed from every house. They can then clean the house and remove mold, he said.

Volunteers should be sensitive to the homeowners throughout the entire process, Blackford said.

«It’s their stuff. It’s not our job what should be thrown away and what should not be thrown away. It’s our job to try to help them through this process,» he said.

«No other area of the state is coming together and doing what’s happening here in the Fort Smith and Van Buren area,» Garrett said. «You all are going to get it done.»

source https://www.greenwooddemocrat.com/news/20190603/trainers-outline-equipment-steps-necessary-for-home-flood-relief

A lifetime Charlottesville resident, James Walker is the original owner of the 1956 concrete bungalow in the city. He now is 80 and a widower and shares his home with his adult stepson. Walker worked at UVA in food services as a cook all his life. On his limited retirement and Social Security income, Walker did not have the resources when severe rains in spring of 2018 leaked into his failing roof and caused extensive damage, mold, and mildew. AHIP’s partnerships with the City of Charlottesville, Wells Fargo, and an anonymous local foundation are making it possible to restore and preserve this home for the family’s future. AHIP’s rehab includes: insulation and weatherization measures, new windows, a new roof, upgraded electrical, and a new high-efficiency HVAC unit.

source https://www.nbc29.com/story/40579222/ahip-kicksoff-first-ever-community-match-challenge-campaign

A MOLD man has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life.

Defendant Darren Evans, 48, appeared from custody at North East Wales Magistrates’ Court at Mold on Saturday (June 1).

Evans, who lives in a flat at Alyn Meadows in Mold, is charged with damaging a window by fire on Thursday last week.

It is alleged that he did so with intent to endanger the life Michael Jones, a neighbour, and was reckless as to whether criminal damage to the window would be caused.

He faced a charge of damaging the window, and possessing an imitation hand gun with intent to cause a fear that immediate unlawful violence would be used.

Evans is alleged to have damaged CCTV cameras on May 19.

Prosecutor Mairead Neeson said that police had remanded him in custody initially because at the time no other address was available to him and the complainant lived in the same block of flats.

But the prosecution would not object to bail in principle if he had an address out of the area.

It was alleged that he had caused damage to the property twice and on the second occasion, it was alleged he had committed arson.

The arson charge could only be dealt with at the crown court and she said that all matters should be dealt with together.

Gary Harvey, defending, said that he had confirmed that the defendant could live with his parents at Swinchiard Walk in Flint, as part of a bail package.

Magistrates agreed and they sent his case to a plea and directions hearing at Mold Crown Court on June 28.

He must live at his parents’ home, he is banned from entering Mold, and he is not to approach prosecution witnesses.

The defendant did not enter pleas at this stage.

source https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/17679312.mold-man-charged-with-arson-attack-on-neighbours-flat/

CLOSE

Summer’s here! Barbecues. Burgers and beer. It’s a good time to review your insurance coverage. If an out-of-control cookout cooks your castle, are you prepared?

Household losses

Folks commonly see insurance as a once-and-done purchase. Renters buy policies to meet landlord requirements, auto-renew and forget it. Income stretched homeowners often buy bare-bones policies to satisfy the bank while minimizing premiums. But “required” is often inadequate.

Old coverage may not suffice now. Have you updated your policy to cover the increased worth of your possessions? 

Renters’ insurance covers either depreciated cash value or replacement cost, which is pricier coverage. Depreciated value means that if you bought your sofa 10 years ago, you would get reimbursed for its current value. Replacement cost means that you would get money for a new sofa.

State Farm says average renters have $35,000 worth of stuff that their policies won’t cover. Does that describe your policy? Bankrate, a financial website, helps estimate how much renters insurance you really need.

To document your stuff’s value try Encircle, a free app. It works room-by-room storing photos and details like value, quantity, purchase date and relevant warranties.

Renters’ policy costs vary significantly by state. ValuePenguin, a personal finance website, lists average monthly costs per state.

Mexico tariffs rattle stocks: Dow, stocks end lower on threat of tariffs on Mexican imports and recession fears

How tariffs affect you: How tariffs on Mexican imports could affect what you pay for vegetables and cars

Natural disasters happen

If you’re outside California, don’t think you’re earthquake safe. Quakes span much of the west. Similarly, flood insurance is an obvious buy for folks along the Gulf Coast, eastern seaboard and major rivers. But according to FEMA, low-risk areas generate over 20% of National Flood Insurance Program claims – and about one-third of flood-related federal disaster assistance. In 2017, the average paid flood insurance claim was about $92,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute and FEMA.. Could you handle that? Flood risks can change, too, from changed community development. Go to FEMA’s website to find your flood map to see what coverage you need. In Washington state, where I live, landslides are astoundingly common. Disasters are everywhere.

Even in disaster-free areas, you may be unprepared for the worst. Most policies cover damage from hail, fire, wind and tornadoes. But basic policies exclude most mold. Some insurers offer extra mold riders. But it costs a bit more. So does extending coverage for sewer backups. Many skip these riders. If you’re ankle-deep in sewage, the last thing you want to hear is it isn’t covered.

You’re sued and …

Most critically, make sure you’re protected from personal liability. Homeowners insurance includes lawsuit coverage. But it’s usually bare-bones. If someone suffers a catastrophic injury on your property, you can be liable for their lost income, medical bills, personal damages and trumped up trauma. Costs can mushroom, exhausting your coverage – leaving you stuck for big bucks.

Umbrella policies can protect you, adding a million dollars, even more, in extra liability coverage – protecting you from having to sell your home or other assets.

Homeowners’ policies usually provide liability protection up to $100,000. If an injured guest sues you for $350,000 in medical bills, lost wages and more – you may be fried. The Insurance Information Institute has a great site to learn what policies cover and what they don’t.

A middle-class family’s umbrella policies should roughly equal their net worth. NerdWallet has a great net worth calculator to approximate that.

Ultimately how much insurance you buy comes down to how much risk you readily endure. I was always comfortable self-insuring many things. But I’m lucky. Are you feeling lucky?

Ken Fisher is founder and executive chairman of Fisher Investments, author of 11 books, four of which were New York Times bestsellers, and is No. 200 on the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans. Follow him on Twitter: @KennethLFisher

The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

Read or Share this story: http://bit.ly/2QBpfIM

source https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/06/02/insurance-is-your-homeowners-renters-policy-adequate/1300357001/

Two weeks after Vancouver Public Schools announced the discovery of lead paint and mold at Hough Elementary School, crews are spending the weekend giving the campus a deep-cleaning.Test results, however, are yet to be released. Vancouver Public Schools is working with civil engineering firm PBS Engineering and Environmental to test and clean the campus at a total cost of $31,000.District spokeswoman Pat Nuzzo said the firm uses lead action levels set in 2012 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The district is currently working with Clark County Public Health to determine if those are the most current standards.Either way, the district is taking steps to mitigate children’s exposure to the toxic heavy metal.Vancouver Public Schools sent a letter to parents on May 17 announcing the discovery of chipping lead-based paint in windowsills, as well as mold on the campus at 1900 Daniels St.Hough Elementary School was built in 1941 and remodeled in the mid-1990s.Lead-based paint and its dust are commonly found in buildings and homes constructed before 1978, the year the federal government banned lead-based paint.Dr. Alan Melnick, Public Health director and Clark County health officer, said elementary-age students are at relatively low risk of exposure to lead because they’re less likely to put toys, paint chips or their hands in their mouths after touching lead contaminated objects.Chronic lead exposure can damage a child’s developing brain, leading to learning and behavioral disabilities.

source https://www.columbian.com/news/2019/jun/01/hough-elementary-gets-deep-cleaning-for-lead-mold/