Mold Facts & News Articles

BE BOLD IN FIGHTING HOUSEHOLD MOLD

When Billy Seymour moved into a rental home in Lexington this summer, he started having sinus and congestion problems and felt lethargic and unmotivated.

He started to suspect mold, because he knew other people who had had problems with it and had similar symptoms.

When his landlord had the house treated, Seymour noticed a change.

"It did improve almost immediately," he says.

Mold "is certainly something that you want to remedy if you have a problem in your home," says Laura Niles, spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency's southeastern region. "It can cause health issues."

Mold can affect people differently. Some might not even know it's there if the mold is out of sight. Others could have mild to severe respiratory issues, such as aggravated allergies and asthma that already exist and the development of those problems for others - especially children with immune systems that are not fully developed.

In recent years, Niles says, more attention has been called to the mold problem because of health issues that have been linked to it.

HELP CLOSE TO HOME

Richard C. Davis - who owns Trademark Properties in Charleston and was the focus of the last season of "Flip This House" on the A&E cable channel - agreed.

His company is on track to buy and renovate 2,500 houses this year with the goal of selling them quickly for a profit. Almost 500 of those - especially along the coast - are likely to have mold problems, he said.

Normally, he steers clear of homes with mold issues because of the cleanup. "A lot of times, we'd end up yanking out a lot of stuff that didn't need to be yanked out."

A new product being manufactured by Chem-Tex Laboratories in North Carolina and Georgia and sold by Mold Solutions in Lexington is opening up new options for Davis and other homeowners.

"Bac-Shield" claims to kill mold and prevent mold growth - and Mold Solutions backs it with a 10-year warranty on homes that have been treated.

It has been marketed to the textile industry for use in carpets and rugs for five years, but started being marketed to the residential building industry in February.

"It's an emerging use for the product," Mold Solutions owner Lance Tucker says.

Other than Mold Solutions, there is one small company in Georgia selling the product, which is made from the chitosan in snow crab shells.

But John Cottrell, project leader with Chem-Tex, is hoping to take the product nationwide to be used in homes and other buildings like hotels, schools, commercial sites and even football stadiums that have Astroturf.

"We think it's something that the (building) industry needs," Cottrell said.

'EXTRA PROTECTION'

Adam Myrick, spokesman for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental

Control, said agency officials do not speak about certain products or types of products.

He said the agency does not consider mold a public health threat because "it doesn't affect everyone" and there are no state or national indoor air quality standards by which to judge its threat. But Myrick said mold has become a "hot-button issue" in recent years and it can aggravate certain respiratory conditions.

Sonya Younger, an environmental educator with DHEC's Bureau of Air Quality, said South Carolina has the right formula for mold growth with its warm, humid weather and she expects mold to become more prevalent with global warming.

"As our temperatures get warmer," she says, "we'll see a whole lot more concerns and mold cases in our area."

Typically, mold grows in dark, damp spaces that are closed-off – like under bathroom and kitchen sinks and in seldom-used closets, attics and crawl spaces.

It's important to clean up the mold, Younger said, and fix the moisture problem causing it. Routinely checking closed-up spaces also helps prevent the problem.

But Columbia builder Donna Gardner is taking it a step further. She is using Bac-Shield on a spec house she is building in Lexington County and plans to offer the product to her clients on all new construction to prevent mold.

"This is just a step that I feel is an extra protection in Columbia," said Gardner, who has been building custom homes in the Midlands for 18 years.

"Homeowners still need to maintain their property.

"They still need to be sure that they don't have leaks and buy a lot that drains well."

MOLD CONTROL

Mold can be a health hazard for some. But the key to controlling it is fixing moisture problems in the home. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends cleaning mold promptly and fixing the water problem. It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 48 hours to prevent mold growth. Some common questions and answers:

WHY IS MOLD GROWING IN MY HOME?

* Molds are part of the natural environment. Molds break down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees. Indoors, mold growth should be avoided.

* Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores, which are invisible to the naked eye and float in the air. Mold can grow indoors when mold spores land on wet surfaces.

* There are many types of mold and none will grow without water or moisture.

CAN MOLD CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS?

* Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens, irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances.

* Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores can cause allergic reactions -including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash - in sensitive individuals. Allergic reactions are common and can be immediate or delayed.

* Molds also can cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. Exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.

* Research on mold and health effects is ongoing. For more detailed information, consult a health professional or your state or local health department.

HOW DO I GET RID OF MOLD?

* It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust.

* Mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors.

* If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, the mold problem probably will come back.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Reach Rupon at (803) 771-8308.

 

Published on: 10/29/2006
Section: YOUR HOME
Edition: FINAL
Page: G1
By KRISTY EPPLEY RUPON
krupon@thestate.com
Illustration: PHOTO: COLOR

 

Last Updated: 2007-05-08 10:04:14


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