Heat, Mold Raises New Health Concerns

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Heat, Mold Raises New Health Concerns

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12140613/

TheNewOrleansChannel.com

8:26 p.m. CDT April 3, 2006

NEW ORLEANS - Record temperatures could lead to more mold growing in

the Hurricane-Katrina affected areas. from the

Center for Healthy Housing explained how the rising temperatures

help the mold grow.

 " Once you get some heat on them and some moisture, that's going to

help them bloom. You're going to get new eruptions of mold colonies

in these homes, " explained .

Currently, a  " healthy home " has a spore count of about a 1,000

parts per cubic meter of air.

 " We're seeing over a million spore counts, in those homes when

work's being done, so, those are extraordinary numbers, " said

.

Effects could range from a runny nose and a cough to significant

consequences. Also, mold spores can " hitch a ride " when a person

leaves their gutted homes or neighborhoods.

 " You need to have head covering so the mold doesn't get in your

hair. You can carry mold all over the place into a clean environment

in your hair, " said Randy son, a remediation expert.

To make matters worse, steady winds and a lack of rain whip even

more mold spores into the air, keeping them there.

 " These homes around here that have not been torn out and gutted, we

need to work with the neighbors and make sure they're doing that

because people are coming back and finishing their homes, but then

they have neighbors who haven't done anything, " stated .

Even after a house is gutted, bleach does not permanently kill the

mold spores. The home should be treated with boric salts, which can

be found at a chemical supply store and some hardware stores.