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Mold Information
What is Mold?
Molds are fungi. Molds grow throughout the natural and built
environment. Tiny particles of mold are present in indoor
and outdoor air. In nature, molds help break down dead materials
and can be found growing on soil, foods, plant matter, and
other items. Molds produce microscopic cells called "spores" which are very tiny and spread easily through the air. Live
spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies)
when they find the right conditions.
What
does mold need to grow?
Mold only needs a few simple things to grow and
multiply:
- Moisture
- Nutrients
- Suitable place to grow
Of these, controlling excess moisture is the key to preventing
and stopping indoor mold growth.
Should I be concerned about mold in my home?
Mold should not be permitted to grow and multiply indoors.
When this happens, health problems can occur and building
materials, goods and furnishings may be damaged.
Health Effects
Can mold make me and my family sick?
Mold can affect the health of people who are exposed to
it. People are mainly exposed to mold by breathing spores
or other tiny fragments. People can also be exposed through
skin contact with mold contaminants (for example, by touching
moldy surfaces) and by swallowing it.
The type and severity of health effects that mold may produce
are usually difficult to predict. The risks can vary greatly
from one location to another, over time, and from person
to person.
What
symptoms might I see?
The most common health problems caused by indoor
mold are allergy symptoms. Although other and more serious
problems can occur, people exposed to mold commonly report
problems such as:
- Nasal and sinus congestion
- Cough
- Wheeze/breathing difficulties
- Sore throat
- Skin and eye irritation
- Upper respiratory infections (including sinus)
Are the risks greater for some people?
There is wide variability in how different people
are affected by indoor mold. However, the long term presence
of indoor mold growth may eventually become unhealthy for
anyone. The following types of people may be affected more
severely and sooner than others:
- Infants and children
- Elderly people
- Individuals with respiratory conditions or sensitivities
such as allergies and asthma
- Persons having weakened immune systems (for example,
people with HIV infection, chemotherapy patients, organ
transplant recipients)
Those with special health concerns should consult a medical
professional if they feel their health is affected by indoor
mold. Are some molds more hazardous than others?
Some types of mold can produce chemical compounds (called
mycotoxins) although they do not always do so. Molds that
are able to produce toxins are common. In some circumstances,
the toxins produced by indoor mold may cause health problems.
However, all indoor mold growth is potentially harmful and
should be removed promptly, no matter what types of mold
is present or whether it can produce toxins.
Home Investigation
How
do I tell if I have a mold problem?
Investigate, don't test. The most practical way to find
a mold problem is by using your eyes to look for mold growth
and by using your nose to locate the source of a suspicious
odor. If you see mold or if there is an earthy or musty
smell, you should assume a mold problem exists. Other clues
are signs of excess moisture or the worsening of allergy-like
symptoms.
- Look for visible mold growth (may appear cottony, velvety,
granular, or leathery and have varied colors of white,
gray, brown, black, yellow, green). Mold often appears
as discoloration, staining, or fuzzy growth on the surface
of building materials or furnishings. When mold is visible,
testing is not recommended.
- Search areas with noticeable mold odors.
- Look for signs of excess moisture or water damage.
Look for water leaks, standing water, water stains, condensation
problems. For example, do you see any watermarks or discoloration
on walls, ceilings, carpet, woodwork or other building
materials?
- Search behind and underneath materials (carpet and
pad, wallpaper, vinyl flooring, sink cabinets), furniture,
or stored items (especially things placed near outside
walls or on cold floors). Sometimes destructive techniques
may be needed to inspect and clean enclosed spaces where
mold and moisture are hidden; for example, opening up
a wall cavity.
Should I test for mold?
We do not recommend testing for mold yourself.
Instead, you should simply assume there is a problem whenever
you see mold or smell mold odors. Testing should never take
the place of visual inspection and it should never use up
resources that are needed to correct moisture problems and
remove all visible growth.
Sometimes, mold growth is hidden and difficult to locate.
In such cases, a combination of air (outdoor and indoor
air samples) and bulk (material) samples may help determine
the extent of contamination and where cleaning is needed.
However, mold testing is rarely useful for trying to answer
questions about health concerns.
Mold Clean-up and Removal
To clean up and remove indoor mold growth, follow steps
1-6 as they apply to your home.
- Identify and Fix the Moisture Problem - the most important step in solving a mold problem is
to identify and correct the moisture sources that allowed
the growth in the first place. Common indoor moisture
sources include:
- Flooding
- Condensation (caused by indoor humidity that is
too high or surfaces that are too cold)
- Movement through basement walls and slab
- Roof leaks
- Plumbing leaks
- Overflow from tubs, sinks, or toilets
- Firewood stored indoors
- Humidifier use
- Inadequate venting of kitchen and bath humidity
- Improper venting of combustion appliances
- Failure to vent clothes dryer exhaust outdoors
(including electric dryers)
- Line drying laundry indoors
- House plants - watering them can generate large
amounts of moisture
To keep indoor surfaces as dry as possible, try to maintain
the home's relative humidity between 20-40 percent in
the winter and less than 60 percent the rest of the year.
You can purchase devices to measure relative humidity
at some home supply stores. Ventilation, air circulation
near cold surfaces, dehumidification, and efforts to minimize
the production of moisture in the home are all very important
in controlling high humidity that frequently causes mold
growth in our cold climate.
Begin
Drying All Wet Materials - as soon as possible,
begin drying any materials that are wet. For severe moisture
problems, use fans and dehumidifiers and move wet items
away from walls and off floors. Check with equipment rental
companies or restoration firms to see if you can rent
fans and dehumidifiers.
- Remove and Dispose of Mold Contaminated Materials - items which have absorbed moisture (porous materials)
and which have mold growing on them need to be removed,
bagged and thrown out. Such materials may include sheet
rock, insulation, plaster, carpet/carpet pad, ceiling
tiles, wood products (other than solid wood), and paper
products. Likewise, any such porous materials that have
contacted sewage should also be bagged and thrown away.
Non-porous materials with surface mold growth may be saved
if they are cleaned well and kept dry (see step 4).
- Take Steps to Protect Yourself - the amount of
mold particles in air can increase greatly when mold
is disturbed. Consider using protective equipment
when handling or working around mold contaminated
materials. The following equipment can help minimize
exposure to mold:
- Rubber gloves
- Eye goggles
- Outer clothing (long sleeves and long pants)
that can be easily removed in the work area and
laundered or discarded
- Medium-efficiency or high-efficiency filter
dust mask (these can be found at safety equipment
suppliers, hardware stores, or some other large
stores that sell home repair supplies) -- at a
minimum, use an N-95 or equivalent dust mask
- Take Steps to Protect Others - plan and perform
all work to minimize the amount of dust generated.
The following actions can help minimize the spread
of mold spores:
- Enclose all moldy materials in plastic (bags
or sheets) before carrying through the home
- Hang plastic sheeting to separate the work
area from the rest of the home
- Remove outer layer of work clothing in the
work area and wash separately or bag
- Damp clean the entire work area to pick up
settled contaminants in dust
- Clean Surfaces - surface mold growing
on non-porous materials such as hard plastic, concrete,
glass, metal, and solid wood can usually be cleaned. Cleaning
must remove and capture the mold contamination, because
dead spores and mold particles still cause health problems
if they are left in place.
- Thoroughly scrub all contaminated surfaces using
a stiff brush, hot water and a non-ammonia soap/detergent
or commercial cleaner
- Collect excess cleaning liquid with a wet/dry vacuum,
mop or sponge
- Rinse area with clean water and collect excess
rinse water
- Disinfect Surfaces (if desired) -
after cleaning has removed all visible mold and other
soiling from contaminated surfaces, a disinfectant may
be used to kill mold missed by the cleaning. In the case
of sewage contamination, disinfection must be performed.
Contact your home inspector for advice.
- Mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water and
apply to surfaces where mold growth was visible before
cleaning. The solution can be applied with a spray
bottle, garden sprayer, it can be sponged on, or applied
by other methods.
- Collect any run-off of bleach solution with a wet/
dry vacuum, sponge or mop. However, do not rinse or
wipe the bleach solution off the areas being treated
-- allow it to dry on the surface.
Always handle bleach with caution. Never mix bleach with
ammonia -- toxic chlorine gas may result. Bleach can irritate
the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. Provide fresh air (for
example, open a window or door). Protect skin and eyes
from contact with bleach. Test solution on a small area
before treatment, since bleach is very corrosive and may
damage some materials.
- Remain on Mold Alert - Continue looking
for signs of moisture problems or return of mold growth.
Be particularly alert to moisture in areas of past growth.
If mold returns, repeat cleaning steps and consider using
a stronger solution to disinfect the area again. Regrowth
may signal that the material should be removed or that
moisture is not yet controlled.
When can we rebuild?
Rebuilding and refurnishing must wait until all affected
materials have dried completely. Be patient it takes time
to dry out wet building materials.
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