THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF MOLD

Mold is a “nonscientific term commonly used to describe just about any fungal growth.”1 If you had a mold problem in your home or office, you’d know it. Right? Not necessarily. The sobering fact is that mold can grow and multiply in concealed areas of a building — in air ducts, attics and wall cavities — without producing obvious signs, but taking a toll upon your health nonetheless. I know this all too well from recent personal experience.

Two years ago I bought an older home that appeared to be in good condition. There was no overt evidence of water damage. Then one day in October of 2004 (while I was scrambling to evacuate due to a hurricane warning), I pulled up a vinyl tile on the bathroom floor that appeared to be coming loose. I was shocked to find that the floor underneath was totally saturated with water. As soon as I saw that sight, I realized that I was staring at the cause of a relapse I’d recently experienced of an old chronic breathing problem. As it turns out, I was right about that, but unfortunately I made a poor choice about how to handle the water damage. After finding and correcting the source of the leak (a pipe that wasn’t tightened sufficiently), I made the mistake that is so often made: I scrubbed the floor with bleach and re-tiled it. Not surprisingly, my breathing problems continued. What I should have done was call in a mold remediation service right away. I’d have to go through a whole lot more, however, before I realized that.

Further inspection of the home revealed water damage to the kitchen counter. It seems that when the kitchen was remodeled (before I moved in), the sink was seated improperly. Consequently, over time, water slowly seeped beneath the countertop and down behind the cabinets. Upon discovering this, I made another poor decision: I called in a handyman to rebuild the affected portion of the counter and replace the sink. Once again, what I should have done was call in mold remediators to insure that all affected wood was removed and that the dwelling would not be contaminated with mold spores during reconstruction. Despite all the water damage in the kitchen and bathroom, there was no moldy smell to alert me to a problem, and no outward signs of one.

To make a long story short, the next six months were hell for me because even after I realized that I needed to call in professional mold remediators, I made a poor decision initially about whom I called, and he job was poorly and inadequately done. I paid a big price both financially and health-wise for my ignorance.

Even when all of the mold remediation was finally completed – and done properly – I continued to have breathing problems. I was on the verge of giving up my home when I made the appalling discovery that I had been inadvertently re-circulating mold spores because I had not properly maintained the HEPA air filtration unit that I was running constantly. I had bought the unit because the filters (both HEPA and pre-filter) only needed to be changed every five years. I was coming up on the five-year mark and had plans to replace the filters. When I looked up the directions about how to do that, I realized that, while the pre-filter was not yet due for a change, it was supposed to have been vacuumed monthly. I had never done that! SO, a great deal of my difficulty I had brought on myself in an effort to resolve it. Since this experience, I have been fanatical about doing proper maintenance on air filtration devices. As with water filters, if they’re not properly maintained, they can make the pollution problem worse rather than alleviate it. During my six-month mold ordeal, here are some of the things I learned:

Fungi require moisture to grow, and most reproduce by releasing spores. Removal and replacement of water-damaged building materials, cleaning exposed surfaces and controlling indoor humidity are all essential if mold growth is to be arrested. However, if moldy materials are not properly removed (by professionals under “containment” conditions) and all affected surfaces thoroughly cleaned, other areas of the building may become contaminated with mold spores, spreading the problem. And, “Even if spores are no longer viable (alive), they can still contain allergens and mycotoxins [fungal toxins] that may affect health.”2

There is a growing recognition today of the serious health threat that mold poses, as well as how problematic — and costly — its identification and remediation can be. For this reason, some have dubbed mold “the new asbestos.” It has been estimated that between 1930 and 1070, literally millions of deaths were caused by asbestos, at a cost of over a trillion dollars.3 Serious health problems, including cancer, were found to be the result of indestructible asbestos fibers entering the lungs from building insulation, building fireproofing and other sources. Removal of both mold and asbestos is tricky business. If done improperly, the problem can be compounded. While asbestos law suits were yesterday’s news, litigation regarding mold damage is in today’s headlines: A Texas family was recently awarded $32.1 million after their insurance company failed to properly address their water damage and mold claim.

While allergic reaction to mold (experienced by one in three people4) is the most common health problem associated with exposure, the following symptoms (either alone or in combination) may also result:5

Fortunately, I was able to get to the bottom of my mold problem, though it was a hard (and expensive) lesson, one that I’ll never forget. I’ve lived in a very humid state (Florida) most of my life and yet was never cognizant of the need to monitor and control humidity levels. This is essential. A hygrometer (that gives read-outs on humidity) and a dehumidifier are now standard equipment in my home. The contact data for trusted mold remediators like American Indian Pride Construction and Mold Remediation are now kept close at hand in case of an emergency. Visit their web site (www.moldchief.com) for additional information that is vital for health and home.

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1 Jeffrey C. May and Connie L. May, The Mold Survival Guide for Your Home and for Your Health, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004, p. 4.
2 Ibid, p. 50.
3 http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/asbestos.htm
4 http://www.mercola.com/fcgi/pf/2005/feb/19/common_toxins.htm    
5 http://www.indoorpollution.com/mold_health_problem.htm

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Information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice.  If you have a medical or dental condition,  please consult an appropriate health care provider.