Black mold continues to plague some Coast families

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Black mold continues to plague some Coast families

Monday, September 10, 2007

The Mississippi Press - gulflive.com - Pascagoula,MS*

By SARA FRYE

http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississippipress/index.ssf?/base/news/11

8941934979620.xml

MOSS POINT -- Despite clean-up efforts, some County homes

still have mold festering behind walls and under leaky windows.

" It's growing. It's in the vents and the walls. It makes you itch

all over, " said Fountain.

Though she scrubbed her floors and walls with bleach over and over,

her garage walls became coated from the inside out with black mold

after Hurricane Katrina flooded her Moss Point home.

Mold can grow anywhere that is damp and warm and can feed on wood,

wallboard, upholstery and dust.

After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Center for Disease Control

sponsored a study on mold prevention strategies and the possible

health effects of mold contamination.

The study, released in July 2006, said that the amount of flooding

caused by the storms made a massive mold contamination a certainty,

and residents were told to air out their homes and clean the

possibly infected areas with bleach.

Even if a home did not flood, a leaking pipe, window or foundation

could allow enough moisture for mold to grow. Homeowners should

inspect ceiling tiles, drywall and ventilation systems for mold

growth, the CDC study said.

When Rivers, a case manager for Rebuild County Long

Term Recovery Agency, came to Fountain's home to help rebuild, he

found the garage covered in mold. Rivers organized a group of

volunteers to remove mold from two Moss Point homes this week,

including Fountain's.

" When we pulled out their insulation it was black. It should be

pink, " Rivers said. " A lot of people don't know what the health

risks are. They think if you put bleach on it, it'll fix the

problem. "

Black mold causes allergy type symptoms, including sniffing,

congestion and dizziness, Vydalek, a physician at Singing

River Hospital said. It's usually treated with a decongestant or

antibiotics, but in extreme cases may be treated with surgery,

Vydalek said.

The Fountains spend their nights inside their unfinished home,

despite the two Federal Emergency Management Agency provided

trailers on the property. They say the air is worse in the trailer.

Both have suffered from constant chest and head colds, and have been

to the doctor multiple times.

" The doctor can only give you antibiotics. As soon as you're done

with that it comes right back, " Fountain said.

Rivers warns that though the mold spores may not be visible they can

remain hidden, and even a little black mold can be dangerous.

The most effective way to eliminate mold growth from materials that

cannot be cleaned is to discard them, the CDC study said.

The only solution to remove mold from insulation or heavily infested

areas is to have a contractor remove and replace them.

Some Gulf Coast residents would rather live with the mold than call

a contractor, Rivers said.

" People are scared to ask contractors because they've been ripped

off, or they know someone who's been ripped off, " Rivers said.

The Fountain's said their contractor took their money and supplies,

which caused work on the home to stop.

" It's gotten to the point where I'm afraid to trust anyone, "

Fountain said.

Reporter Sara Frye can be reached at sfrye@...

or (228) 934-1435.