Out with the mold, in with the new

[Guest guest]

Out with the mold,

in with the new

Experts offer advice on mold prevention and remediation

C & G Newspapers - Detroit,MI*

By Beth Almond

C & G Staff Writer

http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2007/9-05-07/XF-

HOMESMOLD.asp

Even though you might not be able to see or smell it at first, mold

floats through the air in the interior of all homes.

But mold, a type of fungus that grows on plants and fibers, and

travels through the air as tiny spores, doesn't become a huge

problem for homeowners — for the most part — until it lands on a wet

or damp spot, breeds and grows.

Besides its unsightly appearance in bathrooms, kitchens and

basements, mold gradually destroys whatever it grows on, and can

even be hazardous to one's health.

Doctor Harbut, M.D., who works at Providence Hospital in

Southfield, says everyone reacts differently to mold, and their

reactions depend upon the types and quantities of mold present. Most

medical professionals agree that molds can cause significant

allergic reactions, including itchy and teary eyes, a runny nose,

coughing and rashes. Harbut said additional research is currently

being conducted to see what other health problems mold causes.

He said molds can also cause asthma, and can even make asthma worse.

" If you inhale certain kinds of molds, they can go deep into the

lungs and cause what's called a hypersensitivity response. Some

molds, at high enough levels where you actually inhale the mold, can

cause a fungus ball to grow in your lungs. It's uncommon, but it

does happen, " he said.

The best way to treat allergic reactions to molds, according to

Harbut, is to remove the person from the exposure until the mold

colonies are eliminated from the house.

" If people stay in a moldy environment where they are developing

these hypersensitivity responses, they can require hospitalization.

I've actually taken care of patients who've died because they didn't

want to leave the environment, " he said.

To avoid the negative results associated with mold, a homeowner

needs to control the moisture in his or her home.

According to Cote of Air Analysis — an indoor environmental

inspection company in Roseville — if you've ever had water damage or

water intrusion of any kind, mold could be present in your house.

" If it's not visible, you look for water leaks, any kind of water

stains, or any wet areas. The next thing would be to smell for an

odor. You might not see anything because it might be behind a wall,

but you will be able to smell it. Another way to look for mold in a

home is if you start reacting with upper respiratory problems —

sinus, congestion, heaviness in the chest, eye-watering, itching or

rashes, " said Cote.

Connie Morbach of Sanit-Air in Troy — a full service indoor air

quality company specializing in commercial and residential air duct

cleaning and air testing — agrees that if homeowners can smell mold,

they need to start looking for it. She suggests looking in basements

for stains on the ceilings, checking the carpet in finished

basements for wetness near the foundation walls, and searching

around bathtubs and windows.

" People should also look in their attics. I've had many people tell

me they were up there a year ago and there was no damage, but they

recently went up there and found there was mold everywhere, " she

said.

Another main source of water damage to basement ceilings and floors

is the icemaker line to the kitchen.

" Because it's not on all of the time, you can get these slow leaks,

so check for stains in the ceiling underneath, " said Morbach.

To prevent leaks, Morbach suggests using copper lines — as opposed

to plastic valves — on toilets and the icemaker line.

Another place mold frequently grows is on wet, porous building

materials — such as drywall — that aren't dried within 24 hours

after a leak or spill.

" Wet drywall is mold candy. That's one of the reasons it's such a

problem now and it wasn't as big of an issue maybe 100 years ago.

With plaster and wood, if they got wet, they are much more forgiving

than drywall is, " said Morbach.

Cote said if there is water intrusion of any kind, the best thing a

homeowner can do is clean it up and get it dry as quickly as

possible — within 24 hours. The next step is to make sure the leak

is fixed.

" Without fixing the leak first, it's not going to do any good

because the mold will come back, " said Cote.

For additional moisture and mold prevention and control tips, call

the EPA Indoor Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318

or visit www.epa.gov/mold.

You can reach Staff Writer Beth Almond at malmond@...

or at (586) 498-1060.