Recent rains, flooding, warm weather perfect mix for mold growth in homes

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Recent rains, flooding, warm weather perfect mix for mold growth in

homes

Journal Gazette and Times-Courier - ton,IL*

By AMBER WILLIAMS, Staff Writer

awilliams@...

http://www.jg-

tc.com/articles/2008/06/11/news/doc48508598704a4191072705.txt

CHARLESTON — In addition to the inconvenience of homes and basements

getting saturated with rainwater, flooding can have another serious,

less noticeable consequence for homeowners.

As people continue to clean up from the several inches of rain

received last week, they should be aware of the possibility of mold

growing in saturated areas of their home, said Methven, chair

of the department of biological sciences at Eastern Illinois

University.

Current conditions in Central Illinois are such that mold could

easily develop inside homes effected by flooding, Methven said. Mold

grows best in areas of standing water where it is warm.

" That is a perfect breeding ground for mold, " Methven said.

During flood conditions such as what the area has experienced,

floors and walls can get saturated with water, as can basements and

crawlspaces.

This water can get into the support beams of the house as well.

This, doubled with the warm temperatures, invites mold to grow,

Methven said.

" It is a pretty common event, especially when you have the amount of

rain we have had, " he said.

The month of June alone has brought more than 6 inches of rain to

Central Illinois, continuing a trend through all of 2008.

Illinois is having its third wettest year since 1895, according to

the Illinois State Water Survey.

The January-May rain total is 22.2 inches, which is 7 inches above

average. The only year in recent history that had comparable

rainfall to start the year was 1990, which had 20.4 inches in the

first part of the year.

Precipitation is expected to remain above average, according to the

water survey.

All this rainfall means water can be seeping into houses.

The longer water is standing in the home, the greater chance that

mold will develop and the more severe it may become.

" If the water stands for a few days, you run the risk of the studs

in the wall and the drywall being saturated, " Methven said.

Mold only takes a few days to grow and the process is accelerated by

standing water, he said.

Discovering whether mold is present is not always easy.

The two most tell-tale signs of mold's existence are smell and

discoloration.

For example, if a person was able to get down into their crawlspace

and detect a " rotting " smell, that signifies mold. On wood and

drywall, mold will produce a green or dark discoloration, even

through paint or laminate, Methven said.

To remove mold on surfaces, a person can wipe down the surface with

a bleach solution, he said. However, removing it from inside drywall

or studs is more complicated.

The removal will likely have to be done by a mold specialist, as the

drywall may have to be stripped away, Methven said.

Having mold in the home can be a health hazard to all in the

household.

Mold spores are released from mold and are breathed into the lungs,

he said.

The reaction people will have to mold can be similar to the symptoms

of a respiratory infection or a cold, making it sometimes difficult

to diagnose.

Contact Amber at awilliams@... or 238-6858.