How to Avoid Sick-House Syndrome

Jun 21, 2018 by

How to Avoid Sick-House Syndrome

Although we all know that fresh air is good for us, we tend to associate it with spending time outdoors. Since many of us spend most of our lives indoors, we should educate ourselves on the danger of what is called “sick-house” syndrome. This occurs when our homes, offices, etc. are sealed tightly to prevent noise, pollution, or cold air from entering. Unfortunately, this also prevents harmful fumes caused by paints, cleaning products, deodorizers and wood smoke from getting out. Even our furnishings, carpeting, and clothing can emit dangerous pollutants.

Image: Invisible toxins may be throughout your home, causing sick-house syndrome.

Studies show that the air in our homes should be changed ten times per day – anything less causes build up of dangerous pollutants. Below are some tips to help avoid Sick-House Syndrome. First, open the windows (just a crack is sufficient) when possible, and check to make sure that all vents are unblocked.

Another problem that lack of ventilation can cause is mold and mildew. This is found to be a danger not only to your health, but it can also damage the structure of your house. Especially in rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms, where humidity is likely to be high, proper ventilation is essential. The use of fans in these areas are helpful.

Also, check areas such as the attic and underneath floors for proper air circulation. If you have a humidity problem upstairs, it probably means that the attic or roof space needs more ventilation. Be aware that some types of flooring can sustain structural damage if there is not adequate ventilation beneath it.

We all want our homes to smell nice, and a clean, well-ventilated house will. But unpleasant odors happen, and we should not become overzealous in using artificial scents that add more pollutants to the air. Aerosols, in particular, are not eco-friendly and often contain nasty additives that contribute to allergies and even lung damage. Do not fall into the trap of trying to create a “fresh smelling” home by adding more chemicals to your already polluted air.

You can easily make your own room deodorizer by sprinkling a few drops of vanilla or essential oil on a cotton ball. Place this in a small open container to prevent the oil or alcohol from damaging your furniture. Other natural room fresheners to use include baking soda, white vinegar, fresh or dried herbs, or even a bowl of fresh apples. And, if you like the scent of fresh flowers, treat yourself to the real thing instead of using an artificial spray. Try to keep chemical-laced cleaners and perfumed products to a minimum, and use natural products as much as possible.

If you or your loved ones suffer from unexplained drowsiness, headaches or a general malaise, try getting fresher air through the house. Your family and your home with breath easier and you can avoid the “sick-house” syndrome.

Next : Air Purification Solutions

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Mold Cleaning Tips

Jun 21, 2018 by

Mold Cleaning Tips

The first step in solving an indoor mold problem is stopping the source of moisture. Next is to remove the mold growth. Here are the most common remedies for small occurrences of mold.

Sunlight
Ventilation
Use non-porous building materials
Household cleansers and/or bleach

Image: Protect yourself with gloves and mask when cleaning away mold.

If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water. (This is for common mold or mildew, NOT toxic mold! In order to determine what type of mold you have, it is strongly advised to first have the proper sampling and laboratory testing performed by a qualified company before cleaning mold yourself.)

Warning: Never mix chlorine bleach solution with other cleaning solutions or detergents that contain ammonia because toxic fumes can be produced, making the cure worse than the problem.

Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.

If you plan to be inside the building for a while or you plan to clean up mold, you should buy an N95 mask at your local home supply store and wear it while in the building. Make certain that you follow instructions on the package for fitting the mask tightly to your face. If you go back into the building for a short time and are not cleaning up mold, you do not need to wear an N95 mask.

If the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document also applies to other building types. You can get it free by calling the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318, or by going to the EPA web site at https://www.epa.gov/mold.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using bleach or any other cleaning product. Remember to protect your hands, eyes and lungs using rubber gloves, eye wear and a mask.

It is usually recommended that larger areas of 10 sq. ft. or more should be removed by a professional in mold cleanup. If possible, discard any building materials saturated by the water or already having visible mold growth.

Who should ask for microbial air testing?

Those who suspect a mold infestation – The Mold Patrol Testing Unit should be contacted if you suspect that you may have a problem with mold in your home or building.

All home owners and potential home buyers should be interested to know what kind of indoor air quality is in place.

Offices, schools, cottages, hospitals, clinics, gyms and other indoor area should be tested for mold problems.

Precautionary Measure – Whether or not you are aware of a mold problem in your home or building, air testing can be performed as a precautionary measure. Leave the Investigating to the professionals. Disturbance of a mold infested area can lead to a release of spores into the air that can cause serious illnesses.

“Now is the time to find out, before the occupants become sick.”

Resource: Printable Version of a Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home

Next: Mold Prevention Tips

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How to Find Indoor Mold

Jun 18, 2018 by

How to Find Indoor Mold

Indoor Molds can be found just about anywhere, but most often they are found indoors on or around plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs, toilets, showers, air-conditioning systems and water-heaters. It is also quite commonly found near points such as roof leaks, improperly sealed windows, foundation slab cracks, unsealed concrete foundations, cracks in siding and plumbing leaks. It can also be found, as in the picture at the left, behind wallboard or flooring, especially in humid climates or when insulation is lacking.

Image: A lot of mold was hidden behind these sheetrock panels, invisibly but negatively affecting the health of everyone living there.

Checking for Hidden Mold

Carpeting that has been water damage or is exposed to high levels of humidity is prone to mold growth. You can detect mold by lifting a small section of the carpeting away from the floor and looking for.

Get down to floor level – look under bathroom and kitchen cabinets in spaces that are not easily seen.

Open up wall cavities in the kitchen and bathroom to check for mold growth.

Air conditioners and furnaces need to be thoroughly inspected for stagnant water and serviced regularly. Furnace duct systems should also be thoroughly cleaned regularly.

Mold colors may be white, gray, black, brown, yellow or greenish, or a combination of these. Colonies of mold may appear cottony, velvety, granular, leathery and glassy.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR MOLD

Around and under plumbing fixtures:
sinks
tubs
toilets
showers
air-conditioners
heating systems
water-heaters

Places leaks from outside are likely:
uninsulated outside walls
improperly sealed windows
cracks in siding
roof eaves
concrete slab cracks
unsealed building foundations

Q. If you do have mold, do you need to call a professional?

A. Not necessarily, it depends on the type(s) of mold and how much has grown. If you have less than 10 square feet of molds that are strictly a Type I Allergen these may be usually be cleaned up and kept at bay using a soapy or 25% bleach and water solution. If, however, the mold is Toxic, the services of a professional remediation company should be acquired.

Next : How Mold Gets There

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How Mold Gets There

Jun 18, 2018 by

How Mold Gets There

Mold is an necessary part of our ecosystem. It aids the decomposition of many organic substances necessary to plant, animal and human life. Molds multiply by producing spores which then circulate in the air. When the spore finds a moist surface it sticks to it and begins to grow into mold. Indoors, those airborne mold spores can cause serious health problems for people.

Image: Mold can hide in your home.

Mold spores can enter a household through open doorways, windows, heating systems, ventilation and air conditioning units. They attach themselves to your clothing and can even be brought in by pets. When they find the right conditions they grow and contaminate the air in your home.

Mold requires just two things for life and growth: there must be a source of water and a surface to which it can cling. Mold can be found just about anywhere, but indoors it is most often found on or around plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs, toilets, showers, air-conditioning systems and water-heaters.

Many common building materials such as drywall, wood, carpets, and carpet padding are suitable surfaces for mold growth, and mold is often found near points where water can collect, such as roof leaks, improperly sealed windows, foundation slab cracks, unsealed concrete foundations, cracks in siding and plumbing leaks. Beyond leaks and floods, with normal life moisture collects in our homes from showering and cooking, damp basement floors, even just from breathing.

Many experts agree that mold at least in some form is pretty much everywhere, but it is never healthy to live with mold. Current thinking is that mold-related health problems are related not only to the amount and types of mold but also the length of mold exposure.

If you have a moist basement, then you know you have mold. If you smell a moldy odor, then you know you have mold! The odor of mold indicates there are thousands of live mold spores floating in the air. These spores may be breathed in and cause illness, or aggravate pre-existing respiratory conditions.

No matter what type of mold you have, it is unhealthy and you need to get rid of it. The next page will help you find it.

Mold is an necessary part of our ecosystem. It aids the decomposition of many organic substances necessary to plant, animal and human life. Molds multiply by producing spores which then circulate in the air. When the spore finds a moist surface it sticks to it and begins to grow into mold. Indoors, those airborne mold spores can cause serious health problems for people.

Mold spores can enter a household through open doorways, windows, heating systems, ventilation and air conditioning units. They attach themselves to your clothing and can even be brought in by pets. When they find the right conditions they grow and contaminate the air in your home.

Mold requires just two things for life and growth: there must be a source of water and a surface to which it can cling. Mold can be found just about anywhere, but indoors it is most often found on or around plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs, toilets, showers, air-conditioning systems and water-heaters.

Many common building materials such as drywall, wood, carpets, and carpet padding are suitable surfaces for mold growth, and mold is often found near points where water can collect, such as roof leaks, improperly sealed windows, foundation slab cracks, unsealed concrete foundations, cracks in siding and plumbing leaks. Beyond leaks and floods, with normal life moisture collects in our homes from showering and cooking, damp basement floors, even just from breathing.

Many experts agree that mold at least in some form is pretty much everywhere, but it is never healthy to live with mold. Current thinking is that mold-related health problems are related not only to the amount and types of mold but also the length of mold exposure.

If you have a moist basement, then you know you have mold. If you smell a moldy odor, then you know you have mold! The odor of mold indicates there are thousands of live mold spores floating in the air. These spores may be breathed in and cause illness, or aggravate pre-existing respiratory conditions.

No matter what type of mold you have, it is unhealthy and you need to get rid of it. The next page will help you find it.

Next : Types of Mold and the Harm They Cause

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Types of Molds and Harm They Cause

Jun 18, 2018 by

Types of Molds and Harm They Cause

There are over 100,000 mold species, some more harmful than others. Mold spores are less than 4 microns in size. They are so small that as many as 250,000 spores can fit onto the head of a pin. If mold is growing in your home, in one minute your lungs can breathe in over 700,000 of these spores!

Mold Growth

Mold infestation may be obvious, or it can be hidden in places like behind walls and underneath appliances or carpet pads. Family members often become sick from exposure to mold spores before a mold problem is even suspected.

COMMON HOUSEHOLD MOLDS

Cladosporium (Hormodendrum sp.)

This is the most commonly identified outdoor fungus. It is a common allergen. Indoor Cladosporium sp. may be different than the species identified outdoors. It is commonly found on the surface of fiberglass duct liner in the interior of supply ducts. It can cause mycosis. A common cause of extrinsic asthma (immediate-type hypersensitivity: type I), acute symptoms include edema and bronchiospasms. Chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema.

Penicillium

Identification to species is difficult. Often found in aerosol samples, and commonly found in soil, food, cellulose, and grains, as well as paint and compost piles. It may cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis and allergic alveolitis in susceptible individuals. It is reported to be allergenic to the skin. It is commonly found in carpet, wallpaper, and in interior fiberglass duct insulation. Some species can produce mycotoxins. A common cause of extrinsic asthma. Acute symptoms include edema and bronchiospasms, chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema.

Aspergillus

A genus of fungi containing approximately 150 recognized species. Members of this genus have been recovered from a variety of habitats, some species are parasitic on insects, plants and animals, including man. Various Aspergillus species are a common cause of extrinsic asthma. Acute symptoms include edema and bronchiospasms, and a variety of opportunistic infections of the ears and eyes. Chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema, and severe pulmonary infections may also occur. Many species produce mycotoxins which may be associated with disease in humans and other animals. Toxin production is dependent on the species or a strain within a species and on the food source for the fungus. Some of these toxins have been found to be carcinogenic in animal species, and several toxins are considered potential human carcinogens.

Alternaria

Alternaria is very widespread and common. It is often found in carpets, textiles, and on horizontal surfaces in building interiors, and is common on window frames. The species Alternaria alternata is capable of producing tenuazonic acid and other toxic metabolites which may be associated with disease in humans or animals. It has been associated with hypersensitivity pneumoniti, sinusitis, deratomycosis, onychomycosis, subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis, and invasive infection. Common cause of extrinsic asthma. Acute symptoms include edema and bronchiospasms, and chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema.

Mucor

Often found in soil, dead plant material, horse dung, fruits, and fruit juice; it is also found in leather, meat, dairy products, animal hair, and jute. May be allergenic. May cause mucorosis in immune compromised individuals. The sites of infection are the lung, nasal sinus, brain, eye, and skin. Infection may have multiple sites.

TOXIC MOLDS

There are two types of black mold that are normally less common but are considered very serious health hazards. Molds that are capable of generating toxins (called “toxigenic mold”) do not always produce them in every situation. Scientists believe that certain very specific conditions must be present for a toxigenic mold to actually produce toxins, such as the right combination of temperature, moisture, type of material the mold is growing on and, perhaps, competition from other microorganisms.

Stachybotrys

Stachybotrys chartarum is a fungus that has become well known as a mycotoxin producer that can cause animal and human mycotoxicosis. Evidence has accumulated showing this fungus as a serious problem in homes and buildings and one of the causes of the “sick building syndrome.”

This is one of many types of black mold that may grow on water-damaged building materials. This mold requires a lot of water or moisture to grow, and it only grows on materials with high fiber and low nitrogen content, such as wallpaper and the paper covering of wallboard (sheetrock), wood , or jute such as is frequently used for the backing of older carpets. Areas with relative humidity above 55% and are subject to temperature fluctuations are ideal for toxin production. This mold does not grow on shower tile or plastic. In the outdoor environment it is found in soil, rotting hay and leaf debris.

This mold, among others, may produce mycotoxins – chemicals that discourage growth of other microorganisms and that may also cause health problems in people. In recent years toxic molds have been front page stories in newspapers and on television shows all over the world. The fungus has led to multi-million dollar litigations and caused serious problems for schools, homeowners and building managers who have had to deal with the consequences of this problem.

Individuals with chronic exposure to the toxin produced by this fungus reported cold and flu symptoms, sore throats, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, dermatitis, intermittent local hair loss, and generalized malaise. The toxins produced by this fungus will suppress the immune system affecting the lymphoid tissue and the bone marrow. Animals injected with the toxin from this fungus exhibited the following symptoms: necrosis and hemorrhage within the brain, thymus, spleen, intestine, lung, heart, lymph node, liver, and kidney. The mycotoxin is also reported to be a liver and kidney carcinogen. Illnesses caused by absorption of the toxin in the human lung are known as pneumomycosis.

Memnoniella

Memnoniella echinata is particularly toxic and irritating. It’s considered a member of the Stachybotrys family but unlike Stachybotrys chartarum, a sticky spore that tends to stay in its place, M. echinata is easily airborne and is often found in the air when it’s growing in the building. It’s actually more of a problem than its famous brother, Stachybotrys.

Toxic mold such as Stachybotrys and Memnoniella need water-soaked wood, paper, and cotton products to grow.

These mold types may appear slimy when wet – with white edges. When dry they are powdery, and hence can easily become airborne. The presence of black mold does not necessarily mean Stachybotrys mold is present, but some experts believe that from thirty to fifty percent of all homes and buildings may have some level of Stachybotrys infestation, even without flooding and other catastrophic problems. They are Serious problems in areas where homes have been flooded, and particularly in the warm southern states after the hurricanes and other summer storms.

Dr. Eckardt Johanning, an environmental health specialist at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center, has found that black mold toxins can cause mood changes, memory loss, and immune dysfunction, besides sore throats, headaches, upper and lower respiratory ailments, dermatitis, eye irritation and general tiredness. In 1999, the Kansas City Star quoted Susan Flappan saying, “I think it’s a missing link to a lot of questions we’ve had. We’ve had patients go from doctor to doctor without any explanation of what is wrong. Once they get rid of the Stachybotrys problem, their life gets better.”

Though scientists don’t understand all the effects of black mold, Sidney Efross of the EPA in San Francisco says, “There’s probably nothing we can call a safe level” of Stachybotrys.

You cannot determine the mold genera and species just by looking at it on the wall or even with a do-it-yourself mold test kit. For small mold problems, use bleach, soap and water instead. For larger problems hire an expert to survey your home, or send your own mold sample to a competent testing laboratory. The services of an experienced mycologist or aerobiologist are necessary to know what you’ve got.

If you suspect that you may be dealing with a toxic mold you should vacate the premises and have a professionals remove the mold before anyone comes back into the house. You can get quite ill yourself if you inhale a large quantity of the fungal dust or get it on your skin.

Next: Who Is Most Vulnerable to Illness from Molds

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