Healthy Homes

USA Weekend       April 2000                            

 1. Where Mold Grows.

Mold Grows everywhere, from the surface of Antarctic Rocks to the inside of Soviet Spacecraft.  Molds are a part of nature.  We are exposed to them every day.  For most people molds only become a problem when they start growing indoors and the air inside becomes concentrated with allergenic spores and mycotoxins, the chemical toxins that some molds produce.

 2.  What Happens When Mold Comes Indoors.

 Airborne mold spores coming from outside are not generally a problem, at least not until they find a damp indoor haven (a roof or plumbing leak, or high indoor humidity) in which to start setting up colonies and reproducing.  The resulting high concentration of spores and mycotoxins is recirculated throughtout the HVAC system and can be a serious health problem, particularly to sensitive or allergic individuals.

Most important is that molds need water to grow.  Once a cellulose product like wood, ceiling tile, wall paper or wall board becomes wet, it becomes a mold food source.  Without water, mold can not survive.

3.  What Molds Can Do To Your Body.

Molds can cause many health problems, including allergic and toxic reactions.  Allergic reaction are much more common, occuring predominatly among people with a family history of allergies.  Allergic reactions include: asthma attacks, chronic sinusitis and various other respiratory problems. Recent studies also suggest mold may cause pulmonary hemorrhaging in infants and memory impairment in older children and adults.

Allergists tests for specific molds are not as useful as those for pollens, stinging insects and pets because many molds cross-react with one another, so it is difficult for the doctors to tell which mold is causing the problem.  Finding which mold your allergic to is not as important, experts say,  as getting rid of the mold, which will go along way in helping solve the problem.

4.  How To Find Out If Mold Is Living In Your Home.

There are numerous ways to look for mold, and no single way works all the time.  If you can see mold, or there is an earthy or musty odor, you can assume you have a mold problem.  The first step is to identify the moisture source and correct it.

Mold can grow in a vast quantities behind walls, and it may not show up in air sampling, because spores may not be airborne at the time of sampling. Or some samplers cannot detect dead spores, which can also be a health threat. But, if there is mold growth building, a knowledgeable investigator using a good lab can ususally detect it.

5.  Dead Mold is Still Dangerous

Dead molds are just as undesirable as live molds; they can still make you sick. Removing molds (dead and alive) is more important than killing them.

6.  Some Molds are More Hazardous Than Others

Molds that produce mycotoxins, such as Stachybotrys and Trichoderma, present a greater hazard than common allergenic molds like Cladosporium and Alternaria . Health effects will vary with the specific toxin, the concentration in the air and the age and general health of the patient.

7.  You Can Keep Mold Out

Mold growth and the illnesses associated with it can be prevented by keeping buildings and the air in them dry - ideally, indoor relative humidity should be kept below 60 percent. A dehumidifier will keep the humidity in the air low, but if it's not cleaned frequently, it can become a source of mold contamination itself.  Have the dehumidifier piped directly into the floor drain and use a oscillating fan set on a timer, to help circulate the air.

8.  Molds are Useful Organisms

Together with bacteria, they are responsible for breaking down organic matter. They are among the principal micro-organisms involved in biodeterioration, which gives us compost and many other useful things.

9.   Mold Make Up 25 Percent of the Biomass of the Earth

10.  Molds Have Been Causing Human Grief Since Time Began