Mold Facts
About Mold
Molds are thought to trigger asthma and allergies in sensitive individuals. A 1999 Mayo Clinic Study attributed nearly all the chronic sinus infections afflicting 37 million Americans to mold. According to a 1999 Harvard University School of Public Health Study of 10,000 homes in North America, 50% of homes contain problem mold. Recent studies also have linked molds to the tripling of the asthma rate over the past 20 years.
What is mold?
Mold (fungi) is present everywhere - indoors and outdoors. There are more than 100,000 species of mold discovered to date. Commonly called mildew, molds grow on any porous and semi-porous surface, which include concrete, wallpaper, contaminated metal, cloth, leather, wood, sheetrock, insulation, and on human foods.
Molds reproduce by making spores that usually cannot be seen without magnification. When mold spores land on a damp spot, indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on.
Molds usually grow in damp places, behind shower walls and cabinets, in unventilated attics, and in basements and under-house crawl areas. Water is the key - without it, molds cannot grow, much less spread. If water continues to sit and areas become saturated, the ideal environment is created for toxic molds to grow, such as Stachybotrys, Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus.
What causes mold?
Molds may grow at high levels indoors in a home or building, if the right environmental conditions exist. Factors that influence mold growth include: moisture sources, improperly ventilated bathrooms, high humidity levels, broken pipes and washing machine hoses, floods, leaking roofs, leaking exterior siding products, and leaking windows and doors.
Homeowners tips for eliminating mold
Moisture is the key to mold control, so when water leaks or spills occur indoors - act quickly. If wet or damp materials or areas are dried after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow.
Clean and repair roof gutters regularly
Make sure the ground slopes away from the building foundation, so that water does not enter or collect around the foundation.
Keep air conditioning and refrigeration drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly.
Keep indoor humidity low.
A Note About Bleach
A common misconception about cleaning mold is the use of bleach as a cleaning agent. This is only recommended for non-porous materials such as tile or Formica®. The active chemical in bleach cannot penetrate semi-porous or porous materials such as lumber and drywall. Bleach is also hazardous to use and extreme care must be exercised to protect the people involved in the cleaning and materials which could be damaged by bleach. Bleach in an undiluted form is about 90% water. Water does penetrate building materials, so the net effect of cleaning with bleach is to remove the mold from the surface while feeding the roots left behind by the bleach. There have been many reports of mold returning quickly to places where bleach has been used.
A much better alternative is a borate based cleanser. Borate will not only kill and remove the surface mold, but can penetrate porous and semi-porous materials to attack the roots of the mold. Another plus is that it is safer to use and does not outgas any harmful VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). It comes in a variety of inexpensive laundry products.