A Growing Problem

It comes in an array of colorswhite, black, brown, greenand often with its own distinct smell. It may be hiding behind the wallpaper or making itself known in the basement. It might be making you sick while you sleep or giving you a headache when you are awake. In one reported case, it even caused a cat to lose its hair.
Its mold, and while it has been around forever, it has become more of a problem in recent years due to the building of more tightly sealed houses. Early detection and cleanup are crucial and, accompanied by a good dose of prevention, can keep mold at bay even in the dampest months.

Mold needs four things to grow: mold spores, organic material, a suitable temperature and moisture. Mold spores are everywhere. Even in an uninfected house, there are about 600 spores per meter of air. You cannot get rid of mold spores completely. Organic material is of course found throughout any house or building in the form of wood, drywall, paper and paint. The suitable temperature for mold happens to be the same temperature that is suitable for humans. Moisture is the one aspect of the environment that can be controlled to make it inhospitable to mold growth.

Where theres water
One of the first things to look for if you think you have mold is water. Leaky pipes, windows or doors, damp areas and condensation can indicate a potential mold problem. Eighty percent of all warranty problems in new homes are water-related, says Terry Bradley of Mold Prevention Specialists. If you have a water problem, chances are youre going to have a mold problem. Its common sense. The longer the water problem exists, the greater the chance of mold.

Is it making you sick?
Walter Carter, president of EAQP Inc. & Inspection Center Inc., frequently gets called in to inspect situations where just one member of the family is sick. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, molds can produce allergens, irritants and toxic substances. Symptoms can include sneezing, runny nose and eyes, skin eruptions and scratchy throat. Mold also can trigger asthma attacks. Not everyone will have all the symptoms, and since not everyone is affected by mold, unaffected members of the household might not agree that there is a problem. However, according to Carter, Ninety-nine percent of the time, its real. If I havent found [the problem], I havent looked hard enough.

Recognize the signs
In addition to sickness, a few other signs of mold include an odor, which smells like Grandmas old damp basement, according to Lynn Ractliffe, vice executive manager for Bioremediate.com, LLC. Mold also might appear like a fungus growing or a velvety covering. Since there are more than 200,000 types of mold, this fungus could be almost any color. Basically, if you see it, you should get rid of it, Ractliffe says. It will eventually damage your investment. Molds sole purpose is to degrade organic materials, disposing of things like dead trees on a forest floor. However, that can be bad news inside the home. Mold can eat a house just as quickly as it can a tree.

Take action
If you already know that you have mold, the next step is getting rid of it. Small affected areas of less than 10 square feet can be cleaned without professional help. The easiest method is to use soap and water and make sure the area is thoroughly dried afterwards. The EPA recommends considering throwing away porous materials that have moldy covering because the mold may have grown into the nooks and crannies making it impossible to thoroughly clean. It is a good idea to wear an N-95-rated respirator to avoid breathing in mold or mold spores and goggles to protect your eyes. Gloves also are a mustnot that anyone would want to touch mold with bare hands.

If the mold covers a large area, recurs or is just downright scary to look at, it is time to call in a professional for remediation. A good remediation company will come up with a plan to do the cleanup, letting you know how much it will cost and whether walls will need to be taken down. With microbial and chemical methods, professionals can clean behind insulation, under carpets and behind drywall, as well as on surfaces. Its really just a giant cleanup job with very special chemicals, Ractliffe says. Cleaning is a three-step process and can involve using a HEPA vacuum followed by biocide and phenol to kill the mold that remains and finishing with an antimicrobial treatment. Remediation companies offer guarantees ranging from one to 25 years.

Keep it from coming back
Of course, after a remediation, or if you are lucky enough to not have mold (yet), prevention is key. All leaks should be fixed immediately. Keep humidity low throughout the yearless than 50 percent is recommended. Thoroughly clean your entire home twice a year. Any time walls or carpets are washed, make sure they are also completely dried. Dont keep old books and magazines in cupboards; they can absorb moisture. Keep your home well insulated. Regularly clean out gutters, and remove organic materials from around your foundation.

The most important thing about keeping mold to a minimum is removing these triggers. Mold spores are ubiquitous, Ractliffe says. Once mold starts to grow and spores spread its like a brushfire. Mold can grow in just 24 to 48 hours.

In any of its forms, mold is definitely an unwelcome houseguest, and with proper prevention, it can be kept away. But in the event that it has already been invited in, professionals are available to clean it up and return your home to its natural, healthy state and make sure the welcome houseguests are happy and healthy, too.
Jonathan Williams contributed to this article.