JbhB682 Wrote:To me it sounds as if the author proposes that keeping plumbing good is JUST ONE WAY to avoid moisture and thus avoid mold poisoning (there are other things in the house that generate moisture)
Yep, other things could cause moisture! (Such as the mold itself, per choice A)
And if there are multiple ways to cause/avoid moisture, the argument that just preventing ONE of them (“prevent leakage”) is enough to “avoid mold poisoning” is weak.
It is necessary to rule out or dismiss (an)other way to cause/avoid moisture.
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This is another example of how the Negation Test really helps. Negation of (A): Mold itself DOES cause moisture.
If that’s so, specialists look for moisture because it’s the sign of mold, not the cause of it. Thus, preventing leaks wouldn’t (necessarily) fix/prevent mold in the first place. The conclusion suffers, telling us that (A) is necessary.
JbhB682 Wrote:In my pre-thinking -- I was looking for something like
--- More proof that plumbing DOES create moisture
You didn’t say what choice you did pick. Was it (B), because it at least mentioned "plumbing"? If so, (B) doesn't exactly say what you were looking for anyway, and the negation test will really prove it wrong.
Negate (B): Some (a few) homeowners know enough about plumbing to determine whether theirs is in good condition.
Great! The conclusion (strictly: “If one wishes to avoid mold poisoning, … prevent (plumbing) leakage that could serve as a breeding ground for mold”) can still be ok. Thus, in it's non-negated form, (B) is not
necessary.