A Microbe Called 'mold'!

A lot of people have heard of the term mold.

It is a term that has become relatively popular in our society as a menace, such as the case with the "toxic black mold" that made headlines in the early to mid 1990s when 34 cases of pulmonary hemorrhaging (lung bleeding) and hemosiderosis among infants in and around Cleveland, Ohio was reported.  

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) originally performed a study of these cases. In their reports the CDC stated that "the evidence does not provide strong support for the reported association of toxigenic S. (Stachybotrys) atra and other fungi with AIPH (“acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage")", suggesting the primary cause of the infant's complication was a result of flooding that took place in August of 1994. (Reference "CDC. Update: Pulmonary Hemorrhage/Hemosiderosis Among Infants - Cleveland, Ohio, 1993 - 1996" and "CDC. Report of the CDC Working Group on Pulmonary Hmorrhage/Hemosiderosis, June 17, 1999".) But the studies by the CDC were met with some scrutiny and criticisms. Weaknesses in the study were outlined, while controversy over "toxic black mold", Stachybotrys, and mold in general became so complex and confusing that the general public was left wondering, "Should mold be considered a health concern?" or "Is this all just an agenda by some to make some quick money?". Afterall, "If mold is such a big deal, why are we just hearing about it?" and "Why has it only now become such a big deal?".  

Mold exists everywhere and has been a topic of both good use and bad times as long has man has written about his world. Food and drink fermented by mold and bacteria, such as fermented honey, cheese, and wine, has been prepared and documented all over the world. Housing and health concerns were also recorded early.

The Bible is full of such illustrations regarding fermented foods, offers detailed documentation of housing and health concerns, and discusses how the problems of their time were to be handled. For example, in Leviticus 14 we read, "If the priest, on examining it, finds that the infection on the walls of the house consists of greenish or reddish depressions which seem to go deeper than the surface of the wall, he shall close the door of the house behind him and quarantine the house for seven days. On the seventh day the priest shall return to examine the house again. If he finds that the infection has spread on the walls, he shall order the infected stones to be pulled out and cast in an unclean place outside the city. The whole inside of the house shall then be scraped, and the mortar that has been scraped off shall be dumped in an unclean place outside the city. Then new stones shall be brought and put in the place of the old stones, and new mortar shall be made and plastered on the house." 

Some of the reasons we hear so much more about mold today than we did years ago can be contributed to changes in the building materials used in our homes (like the move toward drywall in the seventies), building construction methods and the lack of family owned and generationally passed-down trades, publication today is so diverse and information is available to more people in more ways than ever before (both good and bad ones), guidelines and standards that regulate professional behavior have come into place over the last one hundred years, and, of course, our medical understanding of our world and health have become greater.  

So, "Should mold be considered a health concern?" The honest answer is that that depends on your unique relationship to your environment; your body's response to a given dose of mold and/or its byproducts. Exposure to moist and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Looking at the growth area, color, or past responses to mold infestation indoors are not sufficient in understanding the condition of the indoor environment and what effect that environment may have on your health.

If you have a mold problem in your home or office, the mold should be cleaned up promptly and any water problems should be corrected in a way that protects everyone's health and safety. Mold's health effects can be summarized as: allergy, irritation, infection, and toxicity.  

This is not to say that there haven't been people in our industry that have come along just to make a quick buck, but there are guidelines, standards, even regulations in some states to protect consumers from improper business practices, and there are Councils and Institutes that educate, evaluate, and certify inspectors and remediators.  "Where do you find a good mold remediator?"

When looking for a microbial remediator, a good place to start is with the American Indoor Air Quality Council (AmIAQ) at iaqcouncil.org and click on "Find a Council-certified Professional"; or go to the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) website at iaq.org and click on "Find a Professional". You will want to look for a Council-certified Microbial Remediation Supervisor (CMRS) or a Council-certified Microbial Remediator (CMR). The AmIAQ website has a great link to insured companies too, so you not only get Council-certified Individuals - you get them working within companies with the appropriate insurance. 

There are times and places where you may find yourself in a position where there isn't a CMRS or CMR available to help you remedy, or remediate, the mold problem in your home or office. SOLUTIONS Indoor Environmental Consulting offers project management services to help those in need of a CMRS on remediation projects. We do not remediate the building, but we can work with your contractor on-site and manage the remediation process with you. If you feel like there is no one close enough to your area to manage the remediators on your microbial remediation project contact us and we'll be happy to assist you.

The good news is that most mold infestations in your home or office can be prevented with routine maintenance and moisture control. Here are a few suggestions:

• Make sure that your Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system's filter stays clean and use a filter with a MERV 6 rating or greater. This helps to cut down on the particulates flowing through your HVAC system; thereby reducing the likelihood that this system will be a source of poor indoor air quality.

• Check to make sure there are no leaks in the ductwork a part of your HVAC system. Leaks can reduce air flow and pressure, having an effect on the ventilation of your home or office. Ventilation is a key way to control humidity and air pollution such as Carbon Dioxide.

• Check frequently for leaks in plumbing (under sinks, around the toilet, around the bathtub and showers, and look for staining in ceiling or wall areas, attics and crawl spaces).

• Make sure that gutters stay clean and are routed away from the structure so that there is no pooling of water around the foundation. The grading of the ground around your home or office should be frequently checked to eliminate pooling around the foundation as well.

• Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. This will allow you to clean without the exhaust of the vacuum cleaner aerosolizing particles such as mold, bacteria, and some other allergens into the air.

• If you have the unfortunate experience of having a water damage in your home or office, make sure to process the damage quickly and completely. Water damaged environments can be impacted by mold and other microbes (like bacteria), in some cases, as quickly as 24 - 72 hours. That doesn't necessarily mean you will see mold growth that soon, but the indoor air quality could be compromised by mold or bacterial activity. See our page on water damages for more information.

"How do you know if you should be concerned with the mold in your home or office?" A good building diagnosis by a Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) can provide you some laboratory work and description of the conditions in your home or office. That information can be taken to your doctor for a better understanding of your relationship to those species in the indoor environment in which you will be exposed.  

If you smell "musty, earthy" odors, have allergic-type symptoms while in your home or office that improve when you leave those areas, or suspect the presence of mold growth anywhere in your home or office, having one of our CIECs inspect your home or office can give you a better understanding of the indoor environment's condition.

SOLUTIONS Indoor Environmental Consulting offers a wide variety of testing options to fit your specific needs. From air sampling for either viable or non-viable analysis to direct surface extraction methods, we can help. We'll be more than happy to assist you. 

For more information about moisture and mold check out the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "A Brief Guide to Moisture, Mold, and Your Home".