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Sudbury historical commission reviews elevated mold-spore swab results at Hosmer House; seeks root cause before large cleanup
Summary
Surface swabs at the 1793 Hosmer House showed elevated mold-spore counts in multiple rooms; the town facilities director urged identifying a root cause and consulting a mechanical engineer before committing roughly $46,000–$50,000 for industrial cleaning. The commission will check legal liability options and revisit the issue in January.
The Sudbury Historical Commission on Tuesday reviewed new surface-swab testing at the Hosmer House that found elevated mold-spore levels in several rooms, prompting the commission and town facilities staff to weigh cleaning, repair and legal options.
Sandra Duran, Sudbury’s combined facilities director, told the commission the tests—taken Oct. 24 and reported in a November 7 laboratory report—showed a range of surface spore counts from below about 100 spores to more than 1,000 in parts of the historic house. The laboratory identified Penicillium, Cladosporium and Aspergillus-type spores. Duran said the environmental scientist who reviewed the testing did not call the building an immediate public-health hazard but cautioned that the building’s conditions (old fabrics, low airflow and historic construction near a wet site) create an ongoing risk if other factors change.
"We don't have any active water leaks," Duran said, "but we still have elevated spore levels. The estimate to clean it was between $46,000 and $50,000, which I don't have. I have no funding source to cover that right now." She added that the commission needs to determine the root cause of the elevated counts and that she had arranged for a mechanical engineer to visit the house to evaluate options for increasing airflow and filtration.
Commissioners discussed interim steps. Michael (commission member) and others suggested more frequent HEPA-capable cleaning and continuing dehumidification and HEPA filtration inside the building. Duran said routine cleaning can help if done with HEPA vacuums to avoid redistributing spores, but warned that a one-time industrial cleaning without addressing the root cause could be only a short-term fix.
Margie raised legal concerns about reopening the house while elevated levels were known and advocated consulting the town manager and legal counsel about releases or other liability protections before allowing public access. Duran said she would ask the town legal department about waivers and return with recommendations.
The commission did not vote to reopen the house or to authorize the industrial cleanup. Members asked Duran to follow up with the mechanical engineer and town counsel and to return to the commission with additional findings at the January meeting. Several commissioners also asked staff to post available test reports and periodic updates on the Hosmer House web page so volunteers and the public can make informed choices about visiting the building.
Why it matters: Hosmer House (c. 1793) is a locally significant historic property; prolonged closure has disrupted volunteer programs and public events, and the commission must balance preservation, public access and health precautions while funding options for remediation are pursued.
Next steps: Duran will consult a mechanical engineer and town legal staff and report back; commissioners were asked to consider attending the December 18 CPC meeting if they can to support related preservation funding requests.
