Got mold? A neverending war

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Posted on Sat, Feb. 18, 2006

Got mold? A neverending war

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/living/13890077.htm

WENDY DAHLE

Special to The Herald

Bradenton Herald - FL

People from all over the country move to Florida for the warmth and

sunshine, but probably don't realize the climate causes mold to

thrive in and around the home.

" The climate is completely different in Florida than in the north, "

said Kennedy, an agent with the University of Florida

Extension Office in Palmetto. " It's a lot of humidity. "

Mildew is a persistent problem in warm, humid climates; areas of the

country with high humidity during summertime, and during winter when

conditions are just right, according to the National Homebuilders

Association.

Mold is a type of fungus and is sometimes referred to as mildew.

Exposed to the right conditions, mold can grow on or in walls, on

floors and ceilings, on carpet, drapes, upholstery, leather, wood

products, clothing, paper, cardboard, books, rags, wallboard, cloth,

ceiling tiles, air conditioning and dryer ductwork, paint and

wallpaper.

Mold enters the home through microscopic reproductive cells called

spores, which are too small to detect with the naked eye. Spores

travel in the air and can attach to people's skin, clothing, shoes,

or belongings. Spores also can enter the home through open doors and

windows, cracks in the foundation, a pet's fur, or through a home's

ventilation and air conditioning system.

Once spores enter, they can settle onto carpeting or other surfaces

inside the home. Mold needs moisture, warm conditions and food to

grow. The most likely place to find mold is in a moist bathroom or

kitchen, but it can be found anywhere if conditions are right.

Mold can be caused from plumbing leaks, gaps in roofs, siding or

masonry, poorly sealed windows, porous slabs and foundations,

inadequate drainage, and faulty roof drains and downspouts. It can

thrive in areas around the house where plants are over-watered.

" It can go from outside of a house to inside of a wall, " Kennedy

said. " It can grow fairly quickly in this climate, and it can become

a big problem. "

Poor ventilation or poor air circulation combined with high indoor

humidity - from showers, cooking or other activities - can result in

condensation that promotes mold growth on indoor surfaces.

Because of Florida's climate and humid conditions often found in

kitchens, food can be especially susceptible to mold if stored in a

cardboard box, Kennedy said. To prevent foods from becoming moldy,

once opened they need to be stored in an airtight container or in

the refrigerator.

Even carpeting can become a breeding ground for mold, according to a

1997 publication by The American Lung Association called " Achieving

Healthy Air. " Carpets trap dirt and moisture, especially carpets

laid in bathrooms, kitchens and on concrete slabs.

" Don't put carpets in rooms that have a lot of moisture, " Kennedy

said.

Although it's nearly impossible to keep mold spores out of the home

and mold can remain dormant until favorable conditions reappear,

regular cleaning and maintenance often can prevent problems before

they start, Kennedy said.

How to control mold

Experts like Kennedy, University of Florida Extension agent Virginia

Peart, Dr. ph Lstiburek and Terry Brennan of the Asthma Regional

Council of New England, the National Homebuilders Association

offered these tips to control mold growth in and around the home:

• Store opened food packages, including cereals and pasta, in

tightly sealed containers or in the refrigerator.

• Use products like Damp Rid in closets or closed spaces.

• Use wall and house paints treated with a type of mildewcide.

• Vacuum and clean regularly to remove possible sources of mold

growth. Pay special attention to bathrooms and other areas of the

home that are likely to generate a lot of moisture.

• In portions of the home more susceptible to moisture, use area

rugs or washable floor surfaces rather than wall-to-wall carpeting.

Launder or clean area rugs periodically.

• Do not store materials such as paper, books, clothes, or other

possible sources of food for mold in humid parts of the home.

• Repair water leaks in roofs, windows, or any other part of the

home as soon as possible.

• Clean refrigerator drip pans regularly according to the

manufacturer's instructions. Remove any mold on the door gaskets and

replace faulty gaskets.

• Make sure gutters and downspouts are clear of debris that may

block the flow of water from the roof. Make sure downspouts are

properly graded so rainwater flows away from the foundation.

• Make sure other areas around the foundation are graded so that

rainwater does not flow toward the house. Do not put gardens or

plants too close to the foundation so that watering them could cause

water to flow toward the house.

• Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, or open windows when

engaging in activities that produce moisture, like cooking with

water. Boiling water is a humidifier. Exhaust fans should be vented

to the outdoors and not to an attic or crawl space. Use bathroom

fans when showering. They remove water from bathrooms.

• Make sure the clothes dryer is vented to the outdoors.

• Humidifiers add uncontrolled amounts of water to indoor air. They

also have to be cleaned each week. If using a humidifier, make sure

it does not produce an excessive amount of humidity. To monitor

humidity you need a measuring device called a hygrometer. During the

summer, 60 percent relative humidity or lower probably will prevent

condensation and mold growth in most parts of the country, but that

is too moist for the middle of winter, when 40 percent relative

humidity or lower will prevent condensation on windows.

• If the home has an attic, make sure it is properly insulated and

ventilated.

• Cover the soil in a crawl space with waterproof polyethylene

plastic. If the crawl space is ventilated, close the vents in the

summer and keep them open in the winter.

• Plumbing leaks, leaking clothes washers and leaking hot water

tanks can be a source of mold and need to be fixed right away.

• Do not over-cool the home. Temperatures below 75 degrees

Fahrenheit can cause problems with summer sweating within walls,

where it can't be seen and can promote mold growth.

• Make sure the drip pan on the air conditioner has not overflowed,

and check near the air conditioning system for traces of dampness

where mold can grow.

• Use " green board " instead of conventional drywall in bathrooms,

kitchens or other high moisture areas where mold can grow. The green

board helps prevent the growth of mildew.

• Mildew does not grow directly on any specific roofing material

such as asphalt, concrete or clay tiles, fiberglass or aluminum, but

as soon as light accumulation of dust and other organic materials

settle on a roof and enough heat, moisture and a little light are

available, algae-type spores, ever present in Florida, make the roof

their home and start to grow.

• Try to use carpeting and carpet padding treated with a mildewcide.

Make sure the surface it is to be laid on is treated with a

mildewcide.

• Natural rubber and felt carpet is not recommended for hot, sunny

Florida homes because it can promote mildew, odor and carpet

discoloration problems in high humidity situations, or where water

problems occur.

• Synthetic fibers are more resistant to mildew and to moisture

conditions. Urethane foam is recommended for Florida's warm, humid

climate because it is mold- and mildew-resistant.

• And finally don't install wallpaper in the home, especially vinyl

types. Wallpaper keeps walls from drying if they get wet. Trapped

moisture allows mold to grow.

Get your house dry - fast

Godwin averages five calls a week from residents - often panic-

stricken - with mold fears. As owner of A Advanced Cleaning Service,

which serves Manatee, Sarasota and other counties to the south, the

10-year veteran of the mold wars has seen everything from dime-size

specs to creeping infestations after hurricanes.

" Some people are hysterical because of media hype, " he says.

Small growths, he says, can be wiped off walls. A little bleach

helps. Bigger problems occur when people allow their property to

remain damp for days. " They need to get their property dry within 72

hours, before mold sets in, " Godwin says.

After last season's hurricanes, though, many residents waited days

and days for insurance companies to respond before repairing their

homes. Godwin averaged 15 calls a day after Hurricane Charley

hammered southwest Florida. He witnessed the results.

" Remember Chia Pets? Picture that growing in your house. "

- Wille