The health problems that occur as a result of mold
can be felt immediately (acute) or can be longer term (chronic).
The immediate problems that are often associated with exposure to
high levels of mold include the following:
- Mild or severe headaches
- Itching eyes and breathing difficulties
- Difficulty in concentration.
If someone removes himself or herself from the mold
source in what usually is known as a "sick building" these
symptoms usually disappear shortly thereafter.
There are also chronic conditions, which are associated
with high levels of mold exposure. These are often quite difficult
to diagnose and patients have often been accused of hypochondria.
These chronic conditions include:
- Asthma
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Pneumonia
What is disturbing is that these conditions may not
go away immediately or ever even after the person is removed from
the mold source and indeed their condition may even worsen. The
mycotoxins emitted by mold spores have been postulated to be particularly
toxic and research is currently underway to pinpoint the disease
and mycotoxin link.
How do you know you might have mold?
A quick visual tour of your house might give you
some clues
- Are there any musty smells especially in the basement?
- Is their any visible mold growing in bathrooms,
window sills, books, shoes or walls?
- Are there water stains on the ceiling or walls?
- Is there peeling paint? This often occurs after
intense condensation.
- Are the wood floors warping?
Mold Allergies: Decrease your Exposure to
Mold
While conventional wisdom recommends opening the windows
to increase ventilation this well may not be enough to eliminate
or prevent mold from growing. Firstly, the outside air may well
be more humid and increase the indoor humidity. Secondly, the outdoor
air at certain times of the year is laden with pollen or tree molds.
-
We recommend keeping the indoor humidity at about 50%, which
is below the threshold
where most molds are known to flourish. Monitor moisture
levels with a hygrometer.
- Your first line of defense is to correct all leaks sources
- roof, gutter, plumbing and drainage problems.
- It is critically important for you to clean out your humidifier,
air
conditioner and dehumidifier
according to manufacturer instructions. Some humidifiers are more
vulnerable to producing the conditions for mold spore production
so choose carefully.
-
Use a low
temperature dehumidifier in your basement to keep mold at
bay. Basements are notorious as mold breeding grounds.
- Avoid using carpeting in your basement. Sooner or later you
will either have a flood from the outside or a water heater will
break. Either way you will end up having to throw that carpet
out.
- We believe that bare earth basement floors are mold problems
waiting to happen. At the very least cover the area with a heavy
plastic vapor barrier. Better yet use a dehumidifier and put concrete
on the floor.
- An exhaust fan in a crawl space or basement during warm weather
is helpful. Dehumidification is even better
-
Keep a clean house and use hepa
vacuums and steam
cleaners to achieve that goal.
- We have found that we are healthier without houseplants, which
tend to have molds in the potting soil.
- Replace insulation materials, which have become wet and choose
allergen friendly materials.
- Cooking pots should be covered so as to contain steam, which
can increase humidity the basic conditions for mold.
- Use exhaust fans both in bathrooms and kitchen and keep those
fans running for 10 to 15 minutes after cooking or bathing.
- Wet laundry evaporates and puts moisture into the air, so do
not hang it to dry inside.
- Always vent your clothes dryer to the outside.
- Using an air conditioner in summer definitely reduces the humidity
in your home but a dehumidifier is much more energy efficient.
- It is important to heat all the rooms in your house during
winter to prevent mold growth especially the basement where condensation
is likely to form on cold walls and floors.
- Clean your refrigerator drip pan and rubber sealing gaskets
so that mold does not grow where condensate forms. Vapor steam
cleaners are especially helpful as a tool here.
- If you are painting your basement, or where walls are cold,
a mold inhibiting paint is helpful.
- If you are building a new house and have damp or green lumber
some way for the lumber to dry out is essential. The most forward
thinking builders are now using a dehumidifier during the construction
process. A responsible builder will also recommend you use a dehumidifier
after construction as the concrete will "sweat" in a
new building.
- Triple or double thermo paned windows help with preventing
condensation which gives rise to mold growth conditions. A storm
window works best when installed on the inside.
- Mold in bathrooms can be kept at bay with the diligent use
of steam cleaners, which kills mold growth.
- Buy mold resistant shower curtains or clean the runners in
the shower doors, which is a hiding place for mold.
- Use tile in your bathrooms and never carpets. If you have bath
mats wash them in very hot water on a regular basis.
While prevention is better than cure, room hepa
air purifiers, air
sterilizers and high-efficiency
furnace filters will catch the remaining mold spores.
- Central
vacuuming is the most healthful way to vacuum since all the
dirt is exhausted out doors, which helps with reducing the spread
of indoor pollutants. A high efficiency disposable vacuum bag
is the most effective and healthful way to collect particulates.
For additional product information on mold remediation
products go to our Mold
Solution Center and for more informational articles go to our
Mold
Center.
First Published: Early-October, 2004
Updated: February 2007
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