Mold Factoid
Mold is here to stay, it has been here since the dawn of time and will be here forever.
Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. While no mold is visible on the wall, removing the cabinets tells a different story.
Mold can hide in closets and storage areas, behind bath vanities, and under boxes, control the moisture and you control the mold
Mold: Fact or Fiction
There is no doubt that mold has become a severe financial burden for governments, schools, homeowners, builders, and the real estate industry in general. Costs of remediation and responding to lawsuits now are in the tens of billions of dollars annually.
Other issues, however, are still subject to conjecture and a slowly developing body of evidence. Consider the following myths:
Mold is not a problem in Arizona and other dry states: False
Unfortunately, it is. Statistics developed by American Risk Management Resources rank Arizona sixth among the 50 states in insurance payments for mold problems. Regardless of high outside air temperatures and low humidity, mold can start indoors as the result of any kind of water intrusion, then survive with the assistance of man-made humidity. Among the common sources of water are evaporative coolers, washer hookups, ice maker lines, sewer and drainpipe leaks, irrigation system intrusions, monsoon damage, and broken water pipes (common culprit; polybutylene pipe). Experts theorize that Arizona has such a severe problem because moisture is retained within the walls and windows of our buildings, which are tightly sealed and insulated against the consistently hot outside climate, producing condensation problems inside. Mold spores are always in the air, even in sealed structures, making an infestation at the juncture of water and organic building materials highly likely.
Mold doesn’t cause illness – False
Almost anyone in the medical community will agree that the ingestion of mold spores can aggravate allergies and asthma and produce bronchial distress. In addition, recent research leans toward the conclusion that mold, in and of itself, can be an original source of illness. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for example, now recognizes that the mycotoxins produced by species of mold commonly found in residential and commercial buildings can contribute to skin/membrane irritation, immune system problems, allergic rhinitis, central nervous system damage, liver damage, and possibly cancer. While the research is not yet complete, it is clear that building owners would be wise to avoid the legal implications that often precede incontrovertible proof.
Bleach kills mold – False
This is a common misperception, nurtured by decades of bad advice offered by people and organizations who should know better. Actually, the chlorine in household bleach isn’t concentrated enough to kill mold. In addition, the chlorine continues to evaporate through the plastic containers as they sit on the shelf, further weakening the concentration. Wisely, most marketers of household bleach no longer claim biocidal effects of their products on mold, and the EPA has steadily removed bleach from its lists of mold remedies. Examples abound of bleach masking the existence of mold by removing its color, while simultaneously feeding the colony by adding moisture. If chlorine is to be used to kill mold, it should be in the form of highly toxic chlorine dioxide gas, a product that most of us would be grateful to avoid altogether.
Only structural demolition can eradicate mold – False
The traditional methods of combating mold do indeed include removal and disposal of all affected materials, as well as a significant portion of surrounding, unaffected material. This process is time-consuming and expensive. Many remediation firms in the United States provide these services. There is, however, now a better and less expensive way. New EPA-registered, nontoxic products can reduce the amount of material that must be removed and can protect the surrounding surfaces to the point that they are impervious to mold spores. Rather than attempting to kill the mold, the process allows the products to clean non-porous and porous surfaces, then traps the removed spores and organisms in highly effective particulate filters.
Mold cannot be prevented 100%, it is in the aire we breath. – True
Fortunately, it now can be minimized. By treating entire infected structures, or treating new structures as they are being built, the process can guarantee against the occurrence (or re occurrence) of mold for periods of from two to five years, and the warranties are backed by the largest insurer in the US. The company can thus assume the entire liability of a building owner for that period, obviating the need to obtain increasingly expensive mold damage insurance.
( Yes! Chlorine will kill mold, household bleach will not, however the strength of the product will also cause sever skin burns and the fumes may cause damage to various membranes in the nose and lungs.)
There are safe products to use as well as methods that are safer than chlorine, to kill and control mold. The safest is controlling moisture.
Your driving down the road and you see a new housing development being built. Your notice the framing is exposed and you comment to the passenger that they are using chip board for exterior walls and roofing sub-deck. It is starting to rain.
The wood is getting wet and the workmen continue to close up walls and portions of the home.
Unless the enclosed areas are completely dried out you have the potential for mold.
Mold is everywhere, in all 50 states, in the air and in your home, it doesn’t become a problem until is grows, maintaining your home or apartment will prevent most mold problems, as stated “Control the moisture, you control the mold”.
Mold became a problem when we started to build energy efficient homes and apartments, when we reduced air circulation and controlled our indoor environment by adding moisture to maintain humidity comfort levels.
As we become more aware of Indoor Air Quality and the relating pollutants we also become more aware of the relating health issues. A little preventive maintenance, a little care, a little education and the majority of indoor air quality issues can be addressed and corrected.
About the author: Condo Specialties Inc located in Coral Springs, Florida has provided a few editorials and numerous links on their website to assist in understanding the issues revolving around mold and indoor air quality, please feel free to view other pages and links here.
