EIFS, Mold, and Michael Jordan
Advisory Report - April 2004
EIFS, Mold, and Michael Jordan
Even Michael Jordan has had his share of trouble with both EIFS and Mold, as reported in a recent story from the Chicago Tribune.
Jordans sue over mold at Highland Park home
By Mickey Ciokajlo
Tribune staff reporter
March 18, 2004
Homeowners with moisture and mold problems: You are not alone. Michael Jordan--millionaire athlete, marketer, mansion owner--understands your frustration.
Jordan and his wife, Juanita, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court against the maker of a "synthetic stucco" system, alleging that it allowed in and trapped moisture that led to extensive rot, mold and other problems at their Highland Park home.
The Jordans said they have spent more than $2.6 million in engineering and construction to repair the damage. The couple and their three children had to move out temporarily while the work was being done.
Exterior Insulation Finish Systems, known as synthetic stucco, have in recent years been the subject of lawsuits around the country.
The Jordans are suing a different maker, Sto Corp. of Atlanta, alleging consumer fraud. A spokesman for the company could not be reached late Wednesday.
The Jordans entered into a contract in spring of 1992 to have the construction done. In 1999, the Jordans say, they discovered moisture coming from behind the synthetic stucco. A Sto Corp. official said only minor maintenance was necessary, they alleged.
The Jordans say that they later hired their own expert, who found that the system was not resisting water penetration as required by specifications. Behind the home's exterior, the expert discovered that the wood and other components were "physically damaged, saturated with water, rotting and covered with mold growth," according to the allegations.
The Jordans also allege that interior portions of the home were damaged by the moisture and tests found high levels of air-borne mold contamination.
Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune