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What is Mold?
Molds are fungi. Molds grow throughout the natural and built
environment. Tiny particles of mold are present in indoor and outdoor
air. In nature, molds help break down dead materials and can be found
growing on soil, foods, plant matter, and other items. Molds produce
microscopic cells called "spores" which are very tiny and
spread easily through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new
mold growths (colonies) when they find the right conditions.
 What
does mold need to grow?
Mold only needs a few simple things to grow and multiply:
- Moisture
- Nutrients
- Suitable place to grow
Of these, controlling excess moisture is the
key to preventing and stopping indoor mold growth.
Should I be concerned about mold in my
home?
Mold should not be permitted to grow and multiply indoors. When this
happens, health problems can occur and building materials, goods and
furnishings may be damaged.
Health Effects
Can mold make me and my family sick?
Mold can affect the health of people who are exposed to it. People are
mainly exposed to mold by breathing spores or other tiny fragments.
People can also be exposed through skin contact with mold contaminants
(for example, by touching moldy surfaces) and by swallowing it.
The type and severity of health effects that
mold may produce are usually difficult to predict. The risks can vary
greatly from one location to another, over time, and from person to
person.
 What
symptoms might I see?
The most common health problems caused by indoor mold are
allergy symptoms. Although other and more serious problems can occur,
people exposed to mold commonly report problems such as:
- Nasal and sinus congestion
- Cough
- Wheeze/breathing difficulties
- Sore throat
- Skin and eye irritation
- Upper respiratory infections (including
sinus)
Are the risks greater for some people?
There is wide variability in how different people are affected
by indoor mold. However, the long term presence of indoor mold growth
may eventually become unhealthy for anyone. The following types of
people may be affected more severely and sooner than others:
- Infants and children
- Elderly people
- Individuals with respiratory conditions or
sensitivities such as allergies and asthma
- Persons having weakened immune systems (for
example, people with HIV infection, chemotherapy patients, organ
transplant recipients)
Those with special health concerns should
consult a medical professional if they feel their health is affected by
indoor mold. Are some molds more hazardous than others?
Some types of mold can produce chemical
compounds (called mycotoxins) although they do not always do so. Molds
that are able to produce toxins are common. In some circumstances, the
toxins produced by indoor mold may cause health problems. However, all
indoor mold growth is potentially harmful and should be removed
promptly, no matter what types of mold is present or whether it can
produce toxins.
Home Investigation
 How
do I tell if I have a mold problem?
Investigate, don't test. The most practical way to find a mold problem
is by using your eyes to look for mold growth and by using your nose to
locate the source of a suspicious odor. If you see mold or if there is
an earthy or musty smell, you should assume a mold problem exists. Other
clues are signs of excess moisture or the worsening of allergy-like
symptoms.
- Look for visible mold growth (may appear
cottony, velvety, granular, or leathery and have varied colors of
white, gray, brown, black, yellow, green). Mold often appears as
discoloration, staining, or fuzzy growth on the surface of building
materials or furnishings. When mold is visible, testing is not
recommended.
- Search areas with noticeable mold odors.
- Look for signs of excess moisture or water
damage. Look for water leaks, standing water, water stains,
condensation problems. For example, do you see any watermarks or
discoloration on walls, ceilings, carpet, woodwork or other building
materials?
- Search behind and underneath materials
(carpet and pad, wallpaper, vinyl flooring, sink cabinets),
furniture, or stored items (especially things placed near outside
walls or on cold floors). Sometimes destructive techniques may be
needed to inspect and clean enclosed spaces where mold and moisture
are hidden; for example, opening up a wall cavity.
Should I test for mold?
We do not recommend testing for mold yourself. Instead, you
should simply assume there is a problem whenever you see mold or smell
mold odors. Testing should never take the place of visual inspection and
it should never use up resources that are needed to correct moisture
problems and remove all visible growth.
Sometimes, mold growth is hidden and difficult
to locate. In such cases, a combination of air (outdoor and indoor air
samples) and bulk (material) samples may help determine the extent of
contamination and where cleaning is needed. However, mold testing is
rarely useful for trying to answer questions about health concerns.
Mold Clean-up and Removal
To clean up and remove indoor mold growth,
follow steps 1-6 as they apply to your home.
- Identify and Fix the Moisture
Problem - the most important step in solving a mold problem
is to identify and correct the moisture sources that allowed the
growth in the first place. Common indoor moisture sources include:
- Flooding
- Condensation (caused by indoor humidity
that is too high or surfaces that are too cold)
- Movement through basement walls and slab
- Roof leaks
- Plumbing leaks
- Overflow from tubs, sinks, or toilets
- Firewood stored indoors
- Humidifier use
- Inadequate venting of kitchen and bath
humidity
- Improper venting of combustion
appliances
- Failure to vent clothes dryer exhaust
outdoors (including electric dryers)
- Line drying laundry indoors
- House plants - watering them can
generate large amounts of moisture
To keep indoor surfaces as dry as possible,
try to maintain the home's relative humidity between 20-40 percent
in the winter and less than 60 percent the rest of the year. You can
purchase devices to measure relative humidity at some home supply
stores. Ventilation, air circulation near cold surfaces,
dehumidification, and efforts to minimize the production of moisture
in the home are all very important in controlling high humidity that
frequently causes mold growth in our cold climate.
 Begin
Drying All Wet Materials - as soon as possible, begin
drying any materials that are wet. For severe moisture problems, use
fans and dehumidifiers and move wet items away from walls and off
floors. Check with equipment rental companies or restoration firms
to see if you can rent fans and dehumidifiers.
- Remove and Dispose of Mold
Contaminated Materials - items which have absorbed moisture
(porous materials) and which have mold growing on them need to be
removed, bagged and thrown out. Such materials may include sheet
rock, insulation, plaster, carpet/carpet pad, ceiling tiles, wood
products (other than solid wood), and paper products. Likewise, any
such porous materials that have contacted sewage should also be
bagged and thrown away. Non-porous materials with surface mold
growth may be saved if they are cleaned well and kept dry (see step
4).
- Take Steps to Protect Yourself - the
amount of mold particles in air can increase greatly when mold
is disturbed. Consider using protective equipment when handling
or working around mold contaminated materials. The following
equipment can help minimize exposure to mold:
- Rubber gloves
- Eye goggles
- Outer clothing (long sleeves and
long pants) that can be easily removed in the work area and
laundered or discarded
- Medium-efficiency or high-efficiency
filter dust mask (these can be found at safety equipment
suppliers, hardware stores, or some other large stores that
sell home repair supplies) -- at a minimum, use an N-95 or
equivalent dust mask
- Take Steps to Protect Others - plan and
perform all work to minimize the amount of dust generated. The
following actions can help minimize the spread of mold spores:
- Enclose all moldy materials in
plastic (bags or sheets) before carrying through the home
- Hang plastic sheeting to separate
the work area from the rest of the home
- Remove outer layer of work clothing
in the work area and wash separately or bag
- Damp clean the entire work area to
pick up settled contaminants in dust
- Clean Surfaces - surface
mold growing on non-porous materials such as hard plastic, concrete,
glass, metal, and solid wood can usually be cleaned. Cleaning must
remove and capture the mold contamination, because dead spores and
mold particles still cause health problems if they are left in
place.
- Thoroughly scrub all contaminated
surfaces using a stiff brush, hot water and a non-ammonia
soap/detergent or commercial cleaner
- Collect excess cleaning liquid with a
wet/dry vacuum, mop or sponge
- Rinse area with clean water and collect
excess rinse water
- Disinfect Surfaces (if desired)
- after cleaning has removed all visible mold and other soiling from
contaminated surfaces, a disinfectant may be used to kill mold
missed by the cleaning. In the case of sewage contamination,
disinfection must be performed. Contact your home inspector for
advice.
- Mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of
water and apply to surfaces where mold growth was visible before
cleaning. The solution can be applied with a spray bottle,
garden sprayer, it can be sponged on, or applied by other
methods.
- Collect any run-off of bleach solution
with a wet/ dry vacuum, sponge or mop. However, do not rinse or
wipe the bleach solution off the areas being treated -- allow it
to dry on the surface.
Always handle bleach with caution. Never mix
bleach with ammonia -- toxic chlorine gas may result. Bleach can
irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. Provide fresh air (for
example, open a window or door). Protect skin and eyes from contact
with bleach. Test solution on a small area before treatment, since
bleach is very corrosive and may damage some materials.
- Remain on Mold Alert -
Continue looking for signs of moisture problems or return of mold
growth. Be particularly alert to moisture in areas of past growth.
If mold returns, repeat cleaning steps and consider using a stronger
solution to disinfect the area again. Regrowth may signal that the
material should be removed or that moisture is not yet controlled.
When can we rebuild?
Rebuilding and refurnishing must wait until all
affected materials have dried completely. Be patient it takes time to
dry out wet building materials.
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