Connecticut's Battle against mold

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http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/stories/20021217/living/589659.html

Tuesday, December 17, 2002

Battle against mold

By JENNIFER HICKS

Norwich Bulletin

It lurks in shower stalls, basements, other damp areas, and can cause

serious health problems.

It's mold, an organic fungus that's been around for billions of years. It's

also the cause of many health problems in humans, as well as structural

damage in homes and buildings.

" If you see mold, it's something that needs to be removed, " said

Bolduc, executive vice president of the Eastern Connecticut Association of

Realtors in Norwich.

Bolduc said mold is definitely becoming an issue in the real estate industry

because of its health effects. And, while Connecticut has established

regulations in real estate sales for radon gas and septic systems, it has

none for mold in homes.

There are toxic molds and run of the mill, everyday kinds of mold. Mold

should be taken care of in whatever form, Bolduc said.

Mold is a one of the possible causes of health problems in children at Salem

Elementary School on Route 85. The school closed temporarily in November

after dozens of children experienced rashes and a few had respiratory

problems, which could have been caused by moldy ceiling tiles and other

factors, including a moldy crawl space under certain classrooms in the

school. This can happen to anyone exposed to mold, in any building,

according to a report by the state Department of Public Health.

Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plants, foods, dry leaves, wood and

other organic materials. The reproductive organisms of the mold are called

spores. The spores can cause allergic symptoms in humans that can be minor

or severe, when present in large amounts. People who may be more susceptible

are infants and children, elderly, immune-compromised patients and

individuals with existing respiratory conditions or sensitivities, such as

allergies and asthma.

Tom Fridinger, a building inspector for Ace Home Inspections in North

Stonington, said he points out potential moldy areas to homebuyers because

of its reputation to be a respiratory disease carrier.

" We usually find mold in basements, where the floor has been wet and never

dries out, " he said, adding mold formation needs warmth, moisture and a

place to cling to.

Mold typically clings to wood-stacks, sheet-rock and porous surfaces,

Fridinger said. It's likely to be found anywhere there are water leaks, such

as bathrooms and under kitchen sinks. One way people can prevent mold is to

paint their bathroom ceiling with a semi-glossy or mildew resistant paint.

" Bathroom ceilings, and corners of the shower area, mold likes to cling.

Ceilings painted with flat, white paint often have mold because the paint is

porous, " he said.

The Department of Public Health does not recommend testing as the first step

to determine if there's a mold problem because it's so costly. Basically, if

you can see or smell mildew, you have a moisture and mold problem. The first

step is to clean, disinfect and dry out the moldy area, and then to identify

the moisture source and correct it.

Ways to clean mold include improving ventilation, such as using a basement

dehumidifier, for example. For mold on hard, non-porous materials, such as

plastic, glass and metal, scrub it with a bleach and water solution using 1

part bleach and 10 parts water.

Jehicks@...

On the web

For more information on mold, go to :

The state Department of Health at http://www.state.ct.us/dph/

The federal Environmental Protection Agency at http://www.epa.gov/iaq