Healthy Homes Now

Clean Up Mold to Improve Health

I came across the following article in the July IAQ Newsletter published by the International Indoor Air Quality Commission:

Even with all the national media attention that has alerted the public to the destructive and possibly toxic dangers of mold that could affect family health, it is often not considered as a possible cause of common ailments.  A recent magazine article reported that there was a child who was sick for weeks.  The child was being treated for an upper respiratory infection but was not betting any better.  Through a reference, anindoor air quality specialist conducted an air quality testin the home along with visual inspection and found black mold.  The mold was remediated and the child immediately began to improve.

Mold exposure as been related to the following conditions:

- Itching or irritation of the nose, eyes, throat or skin
- Mysterious skin rashes
- Sinus infections or congestion
- Respiratory problems, sneezing/coughing
- Upper or lower respiratory infections
- Fatigue

- Frequent headaches
-Trouble concentrating, memory lapses, confusion
- Mood swings, anxiety, depression
- Chronic aches and pains
- Digestive problems 

Killing Mold vs Removing Mold

All to often we hear commercial and residential owner's desire to kill mold.  The range of "bug juices" for spraying on mold contaminated surfaces is as diverse as the beer selections in my grocer's case. All claiming a percentage kill of selected organisms - some with claims for residual control - some with EPA registrations. I'm not saying these antimicrobial solutions don't have their place. But properly addressing mold is more than squirting stuff on the surface. Beware of service providers who feature these magic solutions as their main strategy for mold remediation. So what is the best approach? According to the EPA guidelines for mold, the first step is to fix the moisture problem which is causing the mold to grow. The second step is to remove the mold. On porous surfaces such as dry wall or woods, this usually means removing the substrate, or at least the contaminated surface on the substrate. With larger areas of contamination, this is where a professional should be brought in - to make sure spores are properly contained (from non-contaminated areas). Keep in mind, a dead mold store, although not growing, can become airborne and do the nasty in your lungs once it's inhaled.