Mold in your home

Epidemiology Corner

July 30, 2004

What is Mold?
Mold is part of the natural environment that can be both inside your home, as well as outside your home. It is made up of tiny spores that can float through the air that are never seen by the naked eye. Mold will not grow without moisture or water, therefore mold is typically not an indoors problem. However, there are situations that can occur that promote mold growth inside your home.

Can Mold Harm Me?
Molds produce allergens, irritants and mycotoxins (potentially toxic substances). Allergic reactions to mold are commonly seen. If an allergic reaction occurs, the typical symptoms could include: red and itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose, cough, wheezing or a skin rash. Exposure to mold can affect people with and without mold allergies. Mold can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs if inhaled.

How Do I Clean it up?
The first thing to do is identify the cause of the mold growth. As mentioned earlier, mold will only grow with water or moisture. If you control or prevent moisture inside your home, you should not have a problem with mold. If you do have mold present in your home, from some sort of water damage, you must clean up the mold AND repair the water damage. Leaving the water problem will only cause the mold to continue to come back. Homeowners can handle most cases of indoor mold remediation without any outside professional help. However, if the mold growth is more than 10 square feet, consult the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings for recommended action (see below for source).

To begin clean up, first repair the moisture source and remove any excess water. Be sure to wear gloves when touching moldy items. If contamination has occurred to the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system, then do not run the HVAC system. This will cause the mold to spread throughout the entire home. Be sure to discard any absorbent or porous materials that are contaminated. Non-porous moldy surfaces can be cleaned with detergent and water. Allow surfaces to dry completely after cleaning and especially before painting. Try to avoid breathing in the mold spores during the clean up. Respirators can be purchased at many hardware stores. The EPA recommends using the N-95 Respirator. Wearing goggles that do not have ventilation holes can prevent irritation of the eyes. All of the mold must be removed; to simply kill the mold is not enough to prevent allergic reactions.

Is Environmental Sampling Necessary?
According to the EPA, if visible mold is present, sampling is unnecessary. There are no federal limits set for mold or mold spores, so sampling cannot be used to determine building compliance. Surface sampling can be used to check for mold after the clean up process.

Sources:
www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldguide.html
www.cdc.gov/health/air.htm

For more information:
HDHHS Environmental Services website on mold: http://www.ci.houston.tx.us/hlt/moldpagenew.html
Or call the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse
800-438-4318 or visit: www.epa.gov/iaq/molds