WAR ON MOLD (part 3)

Posted July 31st, 2008
"Toxic molds such as Penicillium, Stachybotrys, Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Black Mold can cause indoor air quality problems leading to allergies and sickness." Caroline Practin, Ph.D.

In yesterday’s FreshMail, I offered a simple quiz to help determine the potential risk of molds and fungus in your home. If you answered “Yes” to three or more of the quiz questions, you may have a mold problem. (For a copy of the quiz, send email request to barb@freshlife.com)

Since molds vary widely in their level of potential toxicity, the best way to determine the level and type of mold in your home is through an evaluation made by a licensed mold inspector. An inspection would be especially important in homes where young children or elderly folks reside. If anyone in the home suffers from upper respiratory or immune disorders, elimination of molds can be critical to maintaining health.

In addition to a home inspection, there are several measures you can take to reduce the level of mold growth in and around your home.

1. Install an exhaust fan to remove mildew-causing humidity from your bathroom. The fan needs enough air movement to remove the moisture, and should vent all the way up through the roof or out a wall to the outside. In addition, change bathroom towels and rugs frequently to avoid moisture build-up.

2. Poor drainage around your home will contribute to the overall humidity level and corresponding mold growth. Dig drainage ditches or install drainage pipes to correct the problem.

3. If you live near a significant body of water, you may need dehumidifiers to correct the corresponding humidity increase in your home.

4. If your basement gets wet, consider sealing it with something nontoxic, using a B Dry system, installing a sump-pump and/or using a dehumidifier.

5. Condensation happens when the temperature of a surface is below the overlying air (such as would happen in an unheated room of a house, for example). You may want to install a small heating unit in your basement to avoid the increase in relative humidity that happens in unheated spaces, and not close off rooms in the winter.

6. If you have a standing water source in your home, use a dehumidifier.

7. Uninsulated water pipes can create "sweating" and therefore condensation problems. Insulate them.

8. Fix your leaky roof or flashing to avoid worsening mold problems. Always fix a plumbing leak immediately.

9. Mold dislikes light, so consider leaving a light on in areas that are prone to mold.

Don’t let mold take hold!

Barb Jarmoska, Freshlife founder

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