Ken McBride, regional industrial hygienist for the Texas Health Department, said his agency will test for black mold and other potentially toxic fungi or bacteria that could grow within the school's water-damaged walls, air ducts and carpets. Basically, I'll be using my nose to smell, my eyes to see and stand there to see how sick I can get. I'll also look for sitting water in the walls and stains in the carpet. It's all an indicator if the school has enough water intrusion to cause problems. In the last year, a black mold that can cause respiratory problems has been found in at least seven public buildings in North Texas, state officials said, prompting the cleanup of one school in Garland and the evacuation of a courthouse and fire station in Denton County.
Some molds can cause respiratory problems in some people.
They can also trigger asthma attacks. People who are allergic can suffer from watery eyes, coughing or sneezing, experts said. You can never be too careful. An independent firm tested the school's air quality in June and again in August. In June, environmentalists did routine tests of two classrooms in the fourth-grade area.