Apartment Mold a Growing Problem

[Guest guest]

14 May 2008

By Houghton

To get an education at BYU requires going beyond basic textbook learning and

molding oneself into a better person. Unfortunately, students often find their

apartments molded over before they are.

During the winter months windows tend to stay closed, fans are turned off and

heaters are turned up. Despite the dry air, as people take hot showers and heat

up water in their kitchens, the indoors can become quite humid.

For many BYU students, mold is a problem they have never experienced because

they grew up in warmer climates or their parents made sure to keep the problem

at bay. Now, living on their own, many find themselves exposed to this problem

and do not know how to react.

" We wanted to rearrange the furniture in our rooms, " said Chanelle Brewer, a

sophomore from sdale, Ariz., majoring in exercise science. " As we were

moving my roommate's bed we discovered the black growth up the wall. It was

blackish gray, kind of creeping up the wall from the baseboards and really

fuzzy-hard to scrape off the wall. "

After discovering this problem, Brewer and her roommates checked underneath all

the other beds in the apartment and found mold growing under five of the six

beds. She said that her apartment had received a flyer from management notifying

their tenants that mold may be a problem and to check the apartment.

" At first we all kind of ignored it, because we didn't think that mold would

actually grow in the apartment, " Brewer said. " From what I've heard, buildings

can be condemned for mold growth. I didn't realize I was living in a building

that could've possibly been condemned. "

Buildings can become condemned, but according to government health codes, it

would require a serious condition in which the occupants' health is at risk.

Most of the mold growing in off-campus housing does not fall under this category

yet should still be treated right away.

" It is the tenant's responsibility to contact the landlord, " said M.

Borkman, an off-campus housing official. " Then they're supposed to correct it in

a timely manner. "

Mold is a fungus that grows in warm, moist areas as explained in " A Brief Guide

to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home " produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency. It grows on organic material including walls and carpet. As mold grows,

it destroys what it is growing on. It is best to have the mold cleaned quickly

as it can cause severe damage.

" If you already have a mold problem-act quickly. Mold damages what it grows

on, " the EPA says. " The longer it grows the more damage it can cause. "

Not only can mold destroy the surface it grows on, but it also can cause health

problems for people exposed to it.

According to the EPA, " molds produce allergens, irritants, and in some cases,

potentially toxic substances. " The EPA warns that being exposed to mold can hurt

the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs.

Brewer did not tell her apartment management about her mold because the flyer

she received alerted tenants about the mold possibility but did not ask that

they inform the management.

" After ... we realized that it was growing, I was a little enraged that [my

apartment complex] had the nerve to hand out flyers saying that it was our

responsibility, " she said.

Kings, a sophomore from Lakeview, Ore., majoring in international

relations, did not talk to her management due to previous disagreements. Despite

relations between tenant and manager, the management must be informed about the

mold because of the damage it can cause.

" I just assumed that regardless of the problem we would have to fix it because

our management wouldn't do anything for us, " Kings said.

Borkman said that consulting the manager is the first thing that should happen

upon discovering mold. Management is under firm guidelines set by the housing

office. These problems must be corrected in order for off-campus housing to

renew its contract.

" Once mildew or mold is found, contact the management, " Borkman said.

When management is informed, it will determine the severity of the mold and

respond accordingly. The handbook requires that if the mold is cleaned up but

returns, a professional who is certified is required to remove the mold must be

notified. Borkman said it is hard to distinguish between mold and mildew, which

is why a professional would be needed.

Because it can seriously affect the physical health of both tenants and

buildings, managers of contracted BYU off-campus housing are expected to be

aware of what the handbook requires. Despite this, some managers remain passive

with mold.

Lalor, a sophomore from Salt Lake City majoring in economics, said his

manager was unconcerned with his mold problem.

" He said 'deal with it,' " Lalor said.

Lalor and his roommates did all they could to remove the mold permanently

through proper cleaning and ventilation. They fixed the moisture problem, thus

decreasing their chances of getting mold again. This left the situation mild, so

a professional remains unnecessary. Despite his fortune, some housing contains

moderate to severe problems and should be checked out.

Brewer said she had not told her management about her mold the first time it

was discovered in her apartment. After cleaning and airing out the apartment,

she left the door to her closet open to allow more circulation. Upon closing the

door a few weeks later, she found more mold growing behind it. This situation

should be looked at by a professional because the tenants are following the EPA

guidelines, yet mold continues to be a problem.

The off-campus housing office tries to inform students on what to do about mold

each semester through their housing guide. Despite this, each winter students

remain unsure what to do-relying on their common sense to get rid of the mold.

Once students and managers learn how to respond to mold they can work together

to help fight and prevent its growth.

" I had no idea what to do about the mold until after we had already dealt with

it, " Kings said. " I wish we would have known the steps that needed to be taken

beforehand. "

http://nn.byu.edu/story.cfm/68570