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There is always some mold everywhere - in the air and on many surfaces. Molds have been around for millions of years. Mold grows where ever there is moisture. When you combine dampness and heat together watch out!
Your Health and Mold
Exposure to moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects. Those that are sensitive to mold can experience nasal congestion, throat irritation, coughing, eye irritation, and in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as emphysema or asthma may be really in trouble.
Mold can enter your home through open doors, windows, vents, and heating/air conditioning systems. It can also attach itself to your clothing, shoes and bags. In addition your pets can carry mold spores indoors! Once inside, it will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding. Just think of what everyone in flood prone areas must go through on a frequent basis! Mold grows especially well on porous surfaces such as paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Gee…that seems to cover just about anything. No wonder it has been around for ever!
Mold Control
You can control mold growth inside by several ways. You can help to reduce it from growing by keeping humidity levels between 40% and 60%. This can be done through your air conditioner, a dehumidifier or by placing dehumidifying pots in places like closets and the garage where you may not have vents. Fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes promptly helps considerably. Ventilating bathrooms, cooking and laundry areas is a good idea as well. By thoroughly cleaning and drying belongings and home surfaces after any flooding (within 24-48hrs) will help to reduce your risks.
Mold growth can be removed from non porous hard surfaces with over the counter commercial products or a cleaning solution of 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Porous products such as wallpaper, cardboard and ceiling tiles may need to be thrown away.
Mold growth may look like spots and can be many different colors. It will often smell musty. If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth. When in doubt...throw it out.
If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold on your own you need to be cautious. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes. (I did this in my bathroom in the 1980’s. It caused a chlorine gas plume! The entire floor in my condo to be evacuated! That did not make my neighbors) Ventilate the area by opening windows and doors to provide a fresh air cross draft. Wear non-porous gloves. Those lovely and fashionable yellow Playtex gloves work great. Goggles and a respiratory mask is a good idea as well. The EPA recommends that if the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet you should consult their guide titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. You can get it free by calling the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318, or by going to the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html. It is NOT just for schools and commercial buildings and has good information.
If you find that you do need to hire someone to inspect your property for mold know your rights and DO NOT fall for scams. In an effort to protect the citizens of Florida, Governor Charlie Crist signed a law into legislation in July 2007 SB2234). It basically states that an individual will need a license and business to be certified as a mold inspector. There is a grandfather clause until 2010 for those who do not qualify for license yet…so be aware of this and be cautious.
For more info on mold restoration in Florida click here: localrestoration.com/Florida
Healthy Blessings,
Tracy Woolrich
Check out this short video on You Tube and mold/water damage.
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