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Frequently Asked
Questions About Mold
By: Dr. Nathan Yost, MD.
Building
Sciences Corporation
What causes mold to develop?
Mold
requires nutrients, water, oxygen and favorable temperatures
to grow. Nutrients for mold are present in dead organic
material such as wood, paper or fabrics; mold can also derive
nutrients from some synthetic products such as paints and
adhesives. Mold requires moisture, although some mold species
can obtain that moisture from moist air when the relative
humidity is above 70 per cent. Many molds thrive at normal
indoor temperatures; few if any molds are able to grow below
40 F or above 100 F. Outside this range molds may remain
dormant or inactive; they may begin to grow again when the
temperature is more favorable. Temperatures well above 100 F
will kill mold and mold spores, but the exact temperature
required to kill specific species is not well
established.
How does mold get into a
building?
Molds are decomposers of organic material
such as wood, plants and animals. Mold and mold spores are
found in high concentrations wherever there is dead matter
such as a pile of leaves, manure or compost. Mold spores enter
buildings through the air or on people, animals and objects
that are brought into the building. Spores are small bundles
of genetic material and chemicals (similar to seeds) that
molds make under certain conditions.
Are there
harmful and non-harmful molds?
There are only a few
molds that can cause infection in healthy humans. Some molds
cause infections only in people with compromised immune
systems. The biggest health problem from exposure to mold is
allergy and asthma in susceptible people. There are more than
100,000 types of mold. Good information has been developed for
only a small number of these molds – at least in terms of
their effects on human health. Most people tolerate exposure
to moderate levels of many different molds without any
apparent adverse health effects.
Some molds produce
powerful chemicals called "mycotoxins" that can produce
illness in animals and people. Scientific knowledge about the
health effects of these toxins on humans is quite
limited.
Does mold affect everyone the same
way?
No. Some individuals have a genetic makeup
that puts them at risk for developing allergies to mold.
People who have an allergy to mold, especially if they also
have asthma, can become ill from exposure to a small amount of
mold. Individuals also seem to be quite different in their
response to exposure to the toxic chemicals that some molds
release. These differences between individuals contribute to
the difficult question of determining safe exposure limits for
mold.
How much mold exposure is
harmful?
No one knows the answer to this question
for several reasons. Individuals are very different with
respect to the amount of mold exposure they can tolerate.
Children under the age of one year may be more susceptible to
the effects of some molds than older individuals. Measuring or
estimating "exposure" levels is very difficult. "Exposure"
means the amount of mold (microscopic spores and mold
fragments) that gets into a person usually by breathing, but
also by eating or absorption through the skin. For example, a
building may have a lot of mold in the walls but very little
of that mold is getting into the air stream. In that case the
people working or living in that building would have little
mold exposure.
Can mold exposure cause brain damage
or death?
Although some "experts" claim that
individuals have brain damage or have died because of exposure
to mold and especially mold toxins, there is no good science
at this time to support these claims. Consequently it is
prudent to minimize one's exposure to really moldy
environments. By "really moldy" we mean where there are large
visible areas of mold (more than a few square feet) or the
building has a "musty" odor because of hidden mold growth.
There are many epidemiological studies showing that people who
live in houses with dampness have many more health problems,
especially respiratory, than do people who live in dry houses.
This association does not "prove" that it is the mold that is
responsible for the increase in illness. However, it does
support the assertion that it is not wise to live in damp,
moldy buildings.
Does tighter building construction
promote mold development?
Tighter building
construction does not by itself promote mold growth, but tight
construction combined with some poor choices in design,
building materials or operations can increase the probability
of mold growth. What do we mean? The tighter the building
construction the less air exchange there is between the inside
air and the outside air. Whatever gets into the inside air
stays there longer than it would in a house with loose
construction. Moisture that gets into the air from activities
such as cooking, bathing and even breathing will remain in a
tight house longer than it would in a loose house. That's why
exhaust fans should be installed in bathrooms and kitchens and
vented to the outside. Clothes dryers should also be vented to
the outside.
Tight construction permits control of the
air exchange between the inside and the outside and can
prevent the deposition of moisture in walls and roofs.
Controlling moisture, including indoor relative humidity is
the key to preventing mold growth. Tight building construction
when combined with source control of moisture (exhaust fans)
and controlled ventilation (intentional introduction of
outside air) reduces the probability of mold growth in a
building. Controlled ventilation can be provided by a duct
that brings outside air to the return side of the air handler
of a forced air system. A timing device or fan cycler can be
programmed to have the air handler turn on for a specified
number of minutes each hour even when there is no call for
heating or cooling. In cold climates controlled ventilation is
frequently provided by a heat recovery ventilator
(HRV).
Do new building materials (e.g. drywall or
paper faced gypsum board) promote mold growth?
Mold
needs water, a nutrient source, oxygen and favorable
temperature to grow. Many species of mold love paper faced
gypsum board. Why? Making paper involves the mechanical and
chemical processing of wood. Paper is largely pre-digested so
it is easy for mold to get nutrients from the paper. But
unless there is enough moisture present mold can't grow on the
paper. If paper faced gypsum board is kept dry, it can be used
and still not have mold. This material is kept dry by
controlling the interior relative humidity, keeping rain from
entering roofs and walls, and NOT using paper faced gypsum in
areas that are likely to get wet. This means no paper faced
gypsum board in shower and tub areas. Cement board, mortar or
non-paper faced gypsum can safely be used in these damp areas
because these products do not contain nutrients to support
mold growth.
Are there reliable tests to indicate
the presence of mold?
Almost all of us already have
two effective mold detectors: our eyes and our noses. If black
or green discoloration is noticed that is fuzzy in appearance
and is in a location that is damp or had been damp, it is
almost certainly mold. If a building smells musty, there
probably is mold somewhere; the mold may be on boxes stored in
a basement or in walls or in the crawl space. If you want to
find mold, look for the presence of water or a location where
water was likely to have been. If there is still any question
about whether the black stuff is mold, have a reliable
laboratory examine the material. All you need to know is
whether mold is seen when the material is examined under the
microscope.
An increasing number of companies are
offering "air testing for mold." On the surface this seems
like a reasonable thing to do. The problem, however, is that
the results of most air sampling for mold are meaningless for
two reasons. Air sampling for mold was not developed to
determine if an environment was safe or had a dangerous level
of mold in the air. Air sampling was developed to help
identify the location of a hidden reservoir of mold. If the
source of mold is already identified, air sampling does not
provide additional meaningful information. Furthermore, safe
or toxic levels of air borne mold have not been established.
An individual air sample for mold provides a "snapshot" of
what was in the air during the few minutes of sampling. The
results may not be indicative of the amount of mold that is in
the air during most of the day.
Air sampling for mold
should be done either to obtain an answer to a question that
cannot be answered without the air sampling or to obtain data
as part of a research project. The Center for Disease Control
(CDC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists do
not recommend routine air testing for mold.
If mold
is present, what's the best way to get rid of
it?
The answer depends on how much mold is present
and where it is located. If the mold is on furnishings or
boxes simply discard the materials. Moldy materials are not
considered hazardous waste; they can be sent to a regular
landfill. However, it is smart to seal the mold material in
heavy plastic to protect the people who handle it in transit
and prevent spreading large amounts of the mold into the
building as you carry the material out of it.
If the
mold is on a hard surface but occupies less than 10 square
feet wash the area with soapy water (scrubbing with a brush
may be necessary), rinse and allow the area to dry before
repainting. If you have asthma, severe allergies and a weaken
immune system get someone else to do the clean
up.
Larger areas (greater than 10 square feet in area)
should be cleaned by someone with experience in doing this
type of work. Remember, determine what caused the moisture
problem and correct that problem. Otherwise, mold is likely to
recur.
Is it possible to completely eliminate mold
from the inside of a home or office building?
The
answer depends upon what is meant by "completely eliminate
mold." To keep a building completely free of mold spores
requires very efficient air filtration and is only
accomplished in special situations such as hospital operating
rooms and manufacturing "clean rooms." Remember, mold spores
are in the outside air virtually all the time and some of them
will get inside buildings.
However, it is possible to
keep mold from growing inside a building. Moisture control is
the key to controlling mold in interior spaces. Air filtration
can contribute to lowering mold spores in the air but is
secondary to moisture control.
Should I use bleach
to get rid of mold?
No. Although bleach will kill
and decolorize mold, it does not remove mold. Dead mold can
still cause allergic reactions. It is not necessary to kill
mold to remove mold. Soap and water and scrubbing can remove
mold from hard surfaces. The Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the New York
City Health Department agree that bleach or other biocides
should not routinely be used to clean up mold.
How
do I know when the mold clean up is finished?
The
mold cleanup is finished when there is no visible mold
remaining and there is no dust or dirt remaining that could
contain large amounts of mold and mold spores. Routine
clearance testing for mold is not necessary. Leaving a few
mold spores behind is not a problem if the underlying moisture
problem has been corrected. Remember that mold spores are
virtually everywhere. Even if all mold and mold spores are
removed as part of the cleanup, spores from outside will
re-enter that space. The spores won't be able to grow unless
water is also present.
Where can I get more
information about mold?
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information on
Mold/Moisture/Mildew. Available in HTML and PDF.
Center for Disease Control
Information on
Mold. Various topics on mold including information
about strains.
About the Author
Dr. Nathan Yost, MD
is a Principal with the Building Science Corporation, a
building and construction consulting firm. Over the last
twenty years, Dr. Yost has been a home builder, and a medical
doctor specializing in respiratory illness. NAR has hired Dr.
Yost on a contractual basis to provide its members with
information and analysis on the scientific aspects of mold and
moisture issues. The information contained in this FAQ is
strictly the opinion of Dr. Yost, does not reflect NAR policy,
and should not be construed as medical
advice.
Reprinted from
National Association of Realtors online update - November 20,
2002
~~~
For information on buying or selling east bay
homes, please contact me at 510-429-4800 or send me a
note on the Contact Joanne form.
Thank you,
Joanne
P.S. Be sure to add us to your favorite
places.
~
Joanne L.
Gardiner, Broker, e-PRO Realtor
Advantage
Realty
Advantage Mortgage Associates
3205 Whipple Road -
Union City, California 94587
(510)
429-4800
San Francisco Bay Area ~ San
Francisco East Bay Real Estate
 Our primary realty
service areas in the San Francisco Bay
Area: Hayward, Castro Valley,
Fremont, Newark, Niles, San Leandro, San
Lorenzo, San Ramon, Sunol, Oakland, Foster City,
Burlingame, and San Mateo.
The types
of real estate in which we specialize are:
single family homes, detached homes, attached homes,
duets, condominiums, townhomes, garden homes,
PUDs, manufactured homes, mobile homes, income
property, investment property, tri-plexes,
four-plexes, apartment property, and special use
properties such as churches for sale.
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Ethical Mold Inspector in
the San Francisco Bay Area
By: Clayton
Barry
There is much misinformation about mold in today's
media. Many people are turning mold into gold by telling lies,
or half-truths and playing off of our fears. In the modern
scientific times in which we live, black-mold is as
feared as yesterday's bogeyman. We must dispell the
myths.
What is the truth about Mold?
Who can you trust? How do you find someone who is ethical to
inspect a possible mold problem?
The fear of mold and the
high costs charged by restoration companies have caused
insurance carriers to cancel policies, raise rates, add
no-mold clauses, or lower clean-up limits. Some insurance
companies won't take on any new home policies in certain
mold crazy states. The situation is out of hand. Our
Federal government has not yet established any mold clean-up
standards. The medical world is still out to lunch on the
effects of mold. Is mold harmful or not?
There are no Federal
guidelines concerning mold contamination levels. There are no
proven medical reports that show mold is deadly to anyone
except persons with advanced HIV, or a few other medical
conditions. There are a few restoration trade associations who
are busy trying to set standards for clean-up. Within the
remediation industry prices for service are coming down.
Marketing and advertising pieces are reflecting a more
sensible no-panic message. The U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) offers some advice. They walk the middle of the
road with their overall approach. Its better than nothing, at
least the EPA advises to use eye protection, respirator masks
and rubber gloves when cleaning mold. They indicate that
anything under ten-square feet of mold can be self cleaned,
over that they tell you to consult with an expert restoration
company.
an example of black
mold
There are more than 60,000
molds that have been studied and more than 25,000 have been
named. Only a few produce spores small enough to work their
way into our blood stream. These are the ones that pose a
potential threat to humans. These are the ones that are called
toxic molds. The truth is that these molds are only
toxic under certain circumstances. They are not toxic all the
time. What seems to be agreed upon by all experts is that mold
is an allergen, similar to pollens, or dust mites. Most
experts agree that if you see mold growing in your home, solve
the moisture problem and clean-up the mold. Mold does not need
to be a mysterious frightful or thing.
Before you invite an
inspector or a mold remediator to visit your home there are a
number of questions to ask.
- The first question,
"How dangerous is mold?" If the person starts talking
about serious health risks, life endangering conditions and
doesn't present a more calm and balanced approach, pass this
person up.
- Another question to ask,
"What causes mold in my home?" If the answer is much
more complicated than explaining the cause is ALWAYS
excessive moisture, you have a person who is over
complicating matters.
- Ask this, " Does the
moisture problem need to be solved before mold clean-up is
started?"( There are times when moisture problems and
mold clean-up are addressed at the same time. Usually
moisture should be addressed first.) If the person answering
your question seems really eager to launch into the mold
clean-up work, you may be talking to a "mold is gold hound."
You may want to ask the
inspector or mold remediater to describe their typical report
and typical mold project. Asking for business and client
references is always a smart idea. If he doesn't provide
references by all means pass this person up.
An ethical moisture and mold
inspector will tell you that the majority of molds are not
harmful. They should explain that the few harmful types of
mold need to be present in large amounts to be of concern to
persons with specific health conditions. The molds also need
to be producing mycrotoxins to be considered dangerous.
The honest expert will explain that the source of moisture
must be stopped, otherwise the mold will be back within days
or weeks. THE MOISTURE PROBLEM MUST BE SOLVED. Anyone who
downplays the simple cause of mold and plays on your fears is
not truely interested in helping you.
Any and all service plans
for moisture drying and mold clean-up should be presented in
writing with the prices clearly noted as per-item charges.
(The costs of mold clean-up are coming down in the restoration
industry because the public is becoming aware of the truth
about molds. Mold scams are going away as people learn most
molds aren't harmful. The insurance companies are closing
their deep pockets making it less attractive to work in this
arena.)
In the
San Francisco Bay Area an ethical moisture and mold
inspector is the author of this article, Clayton
Barry. He can be contacted at: servpro9332@gmail.com
Note:
Joanne recommends
Clayton Barry and his Servepro company as she has done
business with Mr. Barry for many years and finds him
to be the best at what he
does!
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