Got mold? Household pest can be bad for your health

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Sunday, June 30, 2002, 12:00 a.m. Pacific

Got mold? Household pest can be bad for your health

Everyone is susceptible to irritation from mold. Some are allergic and will

go into wheezing fits at the slightest exposure. Others get deathly ill or

suffer serious and wide-ranging health effects from prolonged exposure.

We know and can identify the irritants, but nothing can be positively and

scientifically linked with any specific disease. And that link is not likely

forthcoming soon.

As a result, there is no " permissible level " of exposure to mold like we

have with radiation, carbon monoxide, asbestos or other potentially harmful

materials.

If you have mold in any form, you need to eliminate it, and eliminate the

root cause.

The presence of mold means you have too much moisture in your environment,

and that can be dangerous to the building and possibly dangerous to you.

We have mold in all our homes, but usually it is in small enough quantities

to not be of concern. Typical locations: refrigerator drip pan, windowsills,

toilet tank, air conditioner, humidifiers, heating ducts, basements, attics,

our shoes and the Limburger in the cheese drawer.

Sometimes overlooked, mold spores can lurk in draperies, sheets, pillows,

furniture and other furnishings. To a highly mold-sensitized person, this

normal and seemingly inconsequential amount of mold may be enough to produce

undesirable symptoms.

More important than the actual type of mold is the sum total of the

exposure. The more mold and the more exposure, the worse the symptoms.

Anywhere moisture, cooler (usually) temperatures, and a mold food source is

present for extended periods, mold will form. Eliminate any of the three

(moisture is the easiest to control) and mold cannot grow.

Billions of microscopic and potentially irritating spores float through the

air we breathe, and billions more are produced by the mold every day in our

homes. This is nature and we can't, nor do we want to, kill it all.

But the problem is worsening, due in great part to tighter building

construction over the past 20 years.

That newer building may be more vulnerable to mold formation because of too

much moisture and not enough ventilation.

Asthma rates have tripled in the United States in the past 20 years, the

Environmental Protection Agency has called indoor air pollution one of the

five biggest problems it faces, and in 1999 the Mayo Clinic associated mold

with chronic sinus infections suffered by millions of Americans. (But this

has not been proven conclusively.)

Good housekeeping is imperative in controlling mold. Complex construction

defects and maintenance issues outlined in last week's column cannot easily

be addressed by the average occupant.

But some of the worst and most easily preventable cases of mold are in homes

where the problem has been known for years but left to fester.

When you see evidence of mold, physically eliminate it, determine what

started it, and then remove the cause.

That chronically leaky shower tile will eventually cause mold if left to

leak. Same with the roof or soggy crawlspace. That colony on the bathroom

ceiling isn't going to get any smaller if you say " yuck " and avoid cleaning

it - especially if the bathroom fan isn't working.

People with zoned heating systems frequently will not heat some rooms for

months at a time and keep the doors closed and sealed. Let me politely

discourage you from that habit.

Disconnect that humidifier, and check the venting on all gas or oil

appliances.

Industrial hygienists and indoor air-quality specialists deal with finding

mold and eliminating it. Air sampling done before and after a treatment,

taking dust and carpet samples, and measurement of physically observed mold

give the specialist an idea of the extent of the mold infestation in a

building and where to look.

Walls may be cut open in suspect areas to check for infestation.

Hidden mold inside walls and above ceilings may have an insidious and low

rate of infiltration into the building in most cases, but still must be

found and eliminated.

Typically, sealing the area off, using a HEPA vacuum, and cleaning with soap

and water is enough to eliminate most mold colonies effectively.

HEPA filters are available at hardware stores, industrial suppliers and

general-merchandise retailers.

One risk in a " shotgun " approach to mold removal is that this can cause the

spores to spread quickly and cause the air to be heavily contaminated.

Heavy bleaching may kill the visible mold but may make it more difficult for

a thorough cleaning.

Removing the spores on the surfaces and in the air is actually more

effective and easier when you can see the source, clean the surrounding

area, filter the air and then wipe up the source.

Darrell Hay answers readers' questions. Call 206-464-8514 to record your

question, or e-mail dhay@.... Sorry, no personal replies. More

columns and a message board at www.seattletimes.com/columnists.