Did you know that paraffin is a petroleum by-product which means that paraffin wax may be a risk to well-being of your health? How is that, you ask? Well after petroleum is processed into gasoline, kerosene, motor oil, diesel and other fuels, excess waste is then used in production of paraffin which contains harmful toxins and carcinogens. Hmmmm.

The black soot buildup on your walls, ventilating system, furniture and so forth after burning paraffin wax candles is similar in composition to diesel soot. This dirty matter makes a deposit of unwanted and dangerous pollutants into our homes that endangers health and welfare of family, pets, and ourselves when breathed into our collective lungs. Studies have shown that cancer-causing agents released by paraffin wax candles are just as toxic as second hand cigarette smoke and can cause damage to heart, lungs, circulatory system and nervous system. This is not a good thing.

Why then have scented candle sales increased to over 2 billion dollars annually over last decade according to National Candle Association? I’m not sure but I’d hazard a guess that mesmerizing glow and soothing fragrances are part of why seven out of every ten households burn candles regularly.

Living or working in rental units that contain elevated levels of airborne mold spores and/or substantial mold growth infestation can cause very severe (and sometimes permanent) health problems to tenants.

Landlords have ethical and legal obligations to tenants to provide an environmentally safe, habitable living space (residential rentals) or workplace (office and commercial rentals). Those obligations go unmet when a rental unit is mold-infested.

Landlords may have potential and substantial legal liability to tenants for such compensatory damages as: expenses for medical mold diagnostic and treatment procedures, loss of earnings, mold damage to tenants' clothing and personal property, higher rent differential if tenants need to move to a mold-safe place, moving expenses, any tenant-paid expenses (such as mold inspection, testing, and remediation of rental unit and tenant possessions), and punitive damages (jury-awarded).

A Hayward, California, jury in 2004 awarded $4 million dollars in damages because of mold infestation and other substandard living conditions on behalf of 124 past and present tenants of an apartment building whose owner failed to do proper mold remediation and maintenance of mold-infested apartments. Take these ten steps for mutual well-being of both landlord and tenants---

1. A property owner or manager should not even offer property for rent until after a thorough mold inspection and mold testing of entire rental building or of individual rental units (prior to rental) determines that property is mold-safe for tenants to live or work in.

2. Hire a Certified Mold Inspector (USA and Canada) for an annual property mold inspection and mold testing, or at least use a do-it-yourself mold inspection checklist and mold test kits for a thorough mold examination and evaluation of rental building.

3. If there has been a plumbing line break or leak, roof or siding leaks, flooding, storm damage, or other water intrusion problems, building should be thoroughly and promptly mold inspected, tested, and remediated as part of water damage repairs and restoration.