Wet Spring Can Cause Health Hazard: House Mold

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Wet Spring Can Cause Health Hazard: House Mold

LAST UPDATE: 4/12/2006 3:08:06 AM

http://www.abc4.com/local_news/abc4_health/story.aspx?

content_id=6037A966-BEAA-499F-9387-C3C9AE99FEEC

You know the old saying: April showers brings may flowers…

But along with the heavy rains this season comes the potential of

home flooding.

And a little bit--or a lot--of water left behind could turn into a

major health hazard for you and your family.

When it gets into the nooks and crannies of your home…not good!

In fact, that creates a set up for mold growth. If the wetness

persists it could produce a breeding ground for dangerous mold to

set up shop and spread, putting your family's health at risk!

Tara Partiss is dealing this very problem. " I'm really concerned

that we have to live here, and we're not sure at this point what to

do about this mold since we had the roof redone, " says Tara. " As you

could see the mold is mostly around the nail holes this black it

does seem to be spreading even in the cold weather. Obviously my

concerns are my family and the health of everyone here, my husband

has allergies and occasionally the children get headaches and it

makes us wonder is it from the mold. "

It could be!

At first, Tara had white mold. She found it in her attic because of

a leaky roof. She chemically treated the area, and still, more mold

came back. This time, though, it was black mold. The scientific name

is Stachybotris.

Now, all molds produce allergens, which are substances that can

cause allergic reactions, and the symptoms can be serious.

" The most common one is asthma or breathing problems; people can be

short of breath, wheeze, sinus problems are very common people have

nasal congestion, headaches all the time they feel their head is

stuffed up all the time, " says Dr. Rosenstreich, Director of

the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Montefiore Medical Center.

Mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs

of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.

But Stachybotris is no ordinary mold; it also produces compounds

called mycotoxins. These mycotoxins can cause autoimmune and nervous

system diseases.

" When he heard that my daughter had asthma and my husband for the

first time ever was using an inhaler we didn't at first the connect

the two. We had to leave the house. " Joanne haggerty has had to deal

with black mold, and she could tell Tara what happens when it goes

unchecked. " In February I started to smell a very damp sweet unusual

smell, and a month later it started to get worse. When I first

discovered the smell it started over here and the paneling came up

to here and we removed the paneling and we saw the black mold was

all across this entire wall. The minute we removed the paneling the

smell was just would have knocked you over it was awful. "

Fortunately, insurance paid for the mold removal and home repair by

professionals specializing in this problem. But it took a month!

Now, there's one key fact about mold: none of them will grow without

water or moisture.

Removing the source of the moisture is key. And using building

materials that prevent the moisture from returning is recommended.

" At this point we're just kind of living with it, " says Tara.

But the fact is, getting rid of it can change the health of the

entire household.

" My daughter has been better and my husband hasn't been on an

inhaler anymore, " says Joanne.

Again, the number one thing is you've got to get rid of the

moisture.

You can use bleach solution to clean the area and then use a special

mold resistant paint after the area is dried and then cleaned, but

if the moisture is still there, you won't be able to get rid of the

mold.

According to the epa, who should do the cleanup depends on a number

of factors.

One consideration is the size of the mold problem. If the moldy area

is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3

ft. Patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself,

following the guidelines below. However:

If there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers

more than 10 square feet, you should consult the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) guide: Mold Remediation in Schools and

Commercial Buildings.

It actually applies to homes as well.

You can access that by calling the EPA indoor air quality

information clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318, or get it online at

http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html.

For other information on mold remediation, you can access

http://www.stopfeedingmold.com.

And of course, if you have health concerns, consult a health

professional before starting cleanup.