Stopping mold, mildew can make healthier, happier home

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Stopping mold, mildew can make healthier, happier home

http://www.mcduffiemirror.com/stories/061605/new_061605_1443_6.shtml

By Caroline

Cultivating Chat

Recent rains and high humidity may produce right conditions for mold

and mildew growth in our homes.

Mold in your home can be a serious health hazard. While molds come

in a variety of forms, all of them can be potentially harmful to

your health. Some molds produce materials that can cause allergic

reactions, asthma attacks or other health effects.

Mildew is a thin, often whitish to blueish-green growth produced by

molds on many surfaces. Molds are simple plants belonging to the

group known as fungi.

Though molds are always present in the air those that cause mildew

only need moisture and a certain temperature in order to grow.

Mold and mildew may flourish in areas that are damp, warm, poorly

lighted or where air is not circulated including basements, crawl

spaces of houses without basements and closets. They also grow on

draperies, rugs and shower curtains - anything from which they can

get enough food. This includes cellulose products such as cotton,

linen, wood and paper and protein substances such as silk, leather

and wool.

In addition to an unpleasant musty odor, molds and mildew cause

considerable damage if permitted to grow. They discolor fabrics and

sometimes eat into them until the fabrics rot and fall apart.

Leather, paper and wood also become discolored and are eventually

damaged by mold and mildew.

Prevention is the best mildew policy. If things are kept clean, well-

ventilated and dry, your chances of having mildew are greatly

lessened.

Keep closets, dresser drawers, basements - any place where mildew is

likely to grow - as clean as possible. Soil on articles can supply

enough food for mildew to start growing when moisture and

temperature are right. Greasy films, such as those that form on

kitchen walls, also contain many nutrients for mildew-causing molds.

The first step in mildew prevention is to control the dampness

inside the home. Cooking, laundering and bathing, without adequate

ventilation, adds three gallons of water to the air everyday.

Dampness in any structure is caused by condensation of moisture from

humid air onto cooler surfaces. Excessive moisture collection may

mean that a corrective measure is needed in the attic, crawl space

or basement walls. Cool air holds less moisture than warm air.

Properly installed air-conditioning systems remove moisture from the

air of the living space by taking up warm air, cooling it (removing

the moisture) and circulating cool, dry air back into the room. Use

dehumidifiers in areas that are not air conditioned, especially the

basement. Dry air in closets and other small areas with a

continuously-burning electric light (60 to 100-watt bulb). The heat

from the bulb will prevent mildew if the space is not too large.

For more information on mold and mildew prevention and removal, give

me a call at the Extension Service 706-595-1815.

Web posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005