Health department advises to watch out for mold

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Health department advises to watch out for mold

Neosho Daily News - Neosho,MO

By Todd G. Higdon / Daily News Staff Writer

http://www.neoshodailynews.com/articles/2007/06/11/news/04mold.txt

As the rains continue to fall in the area, residents should be aware

of mold issues, which may arise with excessive moisture in the home.

Molds are fungi, which can be found both indoors and outdoors. No

one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps 300,000 or more. Molds grow best in

warm, damp and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by making

spores. Mold spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such

as dry conditions, that don't support normal mold growth.

" While mold has become a major source of worry related to health in

the indoor environment, molds are actually an important part of the

natural community and have been around for a long time, " said Newton

County Health Department Environmental Health Supervisor

Brock, EPHS III.

In the indoor environment, molds are an unwelcome visitor. They can

cause structural damage by decomposing wood, drywall, carpeting and

other organic building materials, and can also cause health

problems. Molds generally cause health issues by producing

allergens, toxic substances, or by causing infections.

" Allergic responses to mold include hay fever-type symptoms, such as

sneezing, runny nose, respiratory irritation, eye irritation, and

skin rash, " Brock said. " Mold can also cause asthma attacks. "

Molds can cause infections by actively growing in the body. Molds of

the genus Aspergillus, for example, can cause a condition known as

aspergillosis, by growing in the lungs. This infection is almost

always found in individuals with a compromised immune system.

How to control mold

" The key to mold control is moisture control, " Brock said.

Follow the following steps when mold is spotted or suspected

€ Stop the moisture (fix the leak, hole, humidity)

€ Dry all porous items (carpeting, sheetrock, etc.) within 24 hours

or discard if the water was from a sewage backup or flood.

€ Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry

" When cleaning moldy areas, it is important to take precautions to

limit your exposure to mold and mold spores, " said Brock.

Tips

€ Avoid breathing in mold or mold exposure. In order to limit your

exposure to airborne mold, you may want to wear an N-95 respirator,

available at many hardware stores.

€ Wear gloves. Long gloves, which extend to the middle of the

forearm, are recommended. When working with water and a mild

detergent, ordinary household rubber gloves may be used. Avoid

touching mold or moldy items with your bare hands.

€ Wear goggles. Goggles that do not have ventilation holes are

recommended. Avoid getting mold or mold spores in your eyes.

If mold is suspected, is testing for the mold needed? In most cases,

if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary and the

money spent on testing could be better spent on clean-up.

" Clean-up methods will be the same no matter what mold species are

identified, " Brock said.

For more information, contact the Newton County Health Department's

environmental health section at 451-6549.