Mold is a natural part of the environment. It acts to break down organic matter such as leaves and trees.
Can you imagine if fallen trees did not decay and were left in giant piles everywhere?
How serious is the this problem? The media has been reporting that it is a huge problem.
The fact is it is all around us and has been since before we were here on earth.
I’m not down playing the problem. I am saying that all of it is not toxic and a person’s health condition plays a major part in the severity of the problem.
Young and elderly people are lacking the resistance of a normal healthy adult.
Mold growth in the home should be avoided as it reproduces using tiny spores.
These spores are naked to the eye and float in the air looking for a new home.
They begin growing when they land on damp surfaces.
They produce allergens which can cause allergic reactions.
These potentially toxic substances are called mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins are classified as a toxic substance produced by a fungus and especially mold.
If you inhale or touch it, the spores may cause allergic reactions to sensitive individuals.
Allergic reactions include hay fever type symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rashes. Reactions to it are common and they can be immediate or delayed.
It can cause asthma attacks in people who have asthma. It can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs in anyone.
Most of the time the problem is not reported as inhaling the spores, but something else.
Research on it and the side effects is ongoing. For additional information consult a health professional.
The best way to keep it at bay is to control the moisture it is looking for.
The picture below is of a water heater pipe that is leaking and has grown around it.
With the air conditioned homes we live in, the humidity level should be below 60%. The ideal range is 30% to 50%.
If it is a problem in your home, you should clean it up AND fix the moisture problem. It is important to dry the water damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent it's growth.
Remember the pictures of New Orleans after Katrina?
It was growing everywhere. The combination of heat and dampness was an incubator for the growth.
CLEANUP GUIDELINES.
If you have a mold problem:
THE VERY FIRST THING TO DO IS TO LOCATE THE MOISTURE SOURCE AND FIX IT. If you do not get rid of the moisture, the problem will come right back.
THEN SCRUB IT OFF HARD SURFACES WITH DETERGENT AND WATER AND DRY THE AREA COMPLETELY. I have seen contractors pour bleach on it, paint the area and leave without fixing the problem. It will grow back very quickly and usually the paint will peel off.
Make sure you wear protective clothes, rubber gloves, a breathing mask and goggles without vent holes (KEEP THOSE SPORES AWAY FROM YOUR EYES).
The mask should fit tightly against your face and make sure when you get the mask, get one that states it filters mold. A dust mask is not adequate for this job.
When you are finished, the area should no longer smell musty and should be DRY.
Usually, the room in your home with the biggest problem is the BATHROOM as there is water everywhere.
Moisture can come from the steam from the shower that fogs up the mirror and collects on the walls (condensation).
It can be from the water you drip on the floor, which then runs under the shower, sink, and/or cabinets providing a place for it to grow.
It can come from the towel you hang on the towel bar to dry.
They all contribute to the moisture problem.
The bathroom should have an exhaust fan to help alleviate this problem with 8 changes of air per hour.
The exhaust fan should come on and stay on after you are gone for at least 20 minutes or more. Put it on an automatic timer.
The problem is that most people, including the builder of most houses, think the fan is to get rid of fumes and not moisture.
They install a builder grade fan (the cheapest they can find) and put it on a separate switch because the cheaper exhaust fan is noisy.
Get a large enough fan to change the air in the bathroom at least 8 times an hour and get a quiet fan so you will not be tempted to turn it off. More on exhaust fans
Remember mold is alive, but it is neither animal nor vegetable.
It is a fungus that is a part of a group of living organisms that are very common and serve an important role in the environment.
Penicillin, for example, is an antibiotic that has saved many lives and it is a type of mold.
Also, remember yeast. Without yeast, bread will not rise. Then again remember too much and the bread is not edible.
It seeks moisture, warmth and food. All three conditions must exist for it to grow. Keep the moisture down and the chance of it growing decreases.
If you have concerns, get a test kit and have the levels determined to see what kind you have.
Remember the report you get back is designed to provide you with the worst possible scenario.
If the lab sugar coats the results and someone gets sick, they will probably sue. So they give you the worst case situation to protect themselves.
If in doubt, call in a certified inspector and check out his/her credentials.
DO NOT hire someone that went to a weekend certification class and thinks "There is gold" in mold.
It will get expensive real quick and they may or may not take care of the problem.
REMEMBER, IF YOU DO NOT CURE THE WATER SOURCE - IT WILL COME BACK!
