A family of four was asked to move out of their Cochrane home for three weeks due to concerns of mould in their basement, and though the mould (confirmed by a private test commissioned by the family and an air quality test by the builders) was removed, the family worries a moisture problem might still exist. However, Excel Homes, the builders, have not disclosed the results of the test to the family and now concerns over whether it will happen again still lingers. Kandace Yakemchuk lives with her husband and two children (both adults) in what was once a showhome by Excel Homes in the Heartland community. The family believes the house was built in 2016 and the family moved into the house in May 2017. This past February, Yakemchuk noticed frost developing on the interior panels of the walls of her home’s undeveloped basement. “We contacted Excel, they came out and said (it’s) not a big deal, it’s just ‘frost wall’,” Yakemchuk said. The company explained that a frost wall is a foundation wall, which is set on footings beneath the frost line that prevents heaving that occurs when the ground freezes and thaws, which would damage the home. “In some cases, condensation can form on the foundation wall when air from the living space meets the cold of the wall as it is colder than the temperature of the home. During very cold temperatures, this condensation can turn to ice and build up,” Excel Homes explained to the Cochrane Eagle in an email. “Then when the outside temperature warms up, it will melt, and customers may see puddles of water develop. This can usually be addressed by resealing the poly to prevent warm air from entering the cool space, and we will always check the insulation to see if it is wet and needs to be dried out.” Yakemchuk said she discovered puddles of water, soaked insulation and a stench that couldn't be ignored. “The water was dripping everywhere in our basement, it was sopping. The insulation was sopping wet,” Yakemchuk said. She called Excel Home again to report the apparent leak and requested that the insulation be replaced entirely. Excel wouldn’t discuss the details of a private client, but Yakemchuk said the builder’s solution was to pull the insulation out, dry it and then put it back in the wall. But she was worried there might be mould. “I called an environmental company that deals in mould and he told me to go downstairs and look at my framing.” She and her husband began to pull off the poly and insulation sealing the foundation and frame to inspect for mould. The next day is when Yakemchuk said the mould was apparent, but when she called Excel they told her it wasn’t likely. “I explained to them, ‘well, when mould grows on my fruit I don’t need to be an expert to know it’s mould; it’s black, it’s fuzzy, it’s green, it’s mould,” Yakemchuk said. Excel Homes commissioned Alberta MoldPro to conduct a swab, but the results were not shared with the family. Yakemchuk’s daughter suffers from asthma and during the time the mould was discovered by the family, she had suffered two asthma attacks requiring an ambulance to provide assistance. The family ordered their own test through another company, JAD Environmental, costing about $682.50 and the results showed several types of mould including a toxic and allergenic type. “If it wasn’t for JAD Environment telling me to check for mould, we wouldn’t have even known,” Yakemchuk said. On July 9, Excel agreed to send a company to perform an air quality test in the basement. The next day, Excel told the family they needed to temporarily move out of the house as a precaution. Excel paid for the family to stay in a hotel for three weeks, gave them a daily allowance of $150 and reimbursed the family for their mould testing. Excel also paid to replace her daughter’s HEPA air filter, which helps with her asthma. During the time the family was moved out, the company removed all insulation, framing, and poly from the basement, decontaminated the area with a spray, cleaned the furnace and replaced the filter. However, the results of the air quality test were still not shared with the family, and Yakemchuk said she worries they’ll never get down to the bottom of the basement moisture problem that caused the mould in the first place. Yakemchuk said it’s most important for her to bring awareness to what can happen if homeowners aren’t checking for mould, especially if their basements have had frost develop on the walls. “I don’t think people understand the extent of what black mould can do in your home, just because you don’t see it,” she said. “Our basement ... it didn’t look that bad, but the levels obviously had to have been elevated for them to move us out.” Yakemchuk also worries that if the company isn’t willing to share important information about her home, it could cause problems in the future. “When we go to sell we have to tell them (buyers) we had mould in the basement. We have to have proof that it was remediated properly otherwise no one is going to want to move in here further down the road.” Excel Homes declined an interview but did say they are continuing to work with Yakemchuk. “We are happy with the positive outcome that has resulted from the work that we had completed at the home and we have tried to support them as much as possible throughout the process.” read an email from Excel Homes customer care department. The family moved back in as of Aug. 1 but Yakemchuk still has concerns over humidity in the house, along with concerns over whether the water in the basement came from more than just frost on the wall. Yakemchuk sad she discovered hairline cracks on the outside foundation of the basement though she said Excel said filling the holes with a polymer is an option but it might be costly. She said she also has concerns over the humidity in the house – recorded at 58 per cent on the main level even though she said her humidifier has been shut off. It isn’t the only home in Cochrane affected by a moist basement. One person, who wished to remain anonymous, is filing legal action against their home builder (not Excel). “I’m just trying to bring as much awareness,” Yakemchuk said.
