Common Molds may be responsible for a surprising number of ailments
By Tom Philbin
Shortly after Debbie and Ray Bowman moved into their new home in Seminole, Fla., Debbie started to experience itchy, watery eyes and a: chronically stuffy nose. Thinking she might be allergic to the plants around her house, she contacted an allergist, who prescribed a series of medications, including decongestants, antihistamines and antibiotics. But Debbie's symptoms got much worse: heavy congestion, headaches and pain in her ears. "At a luncheon I almost fell over from dizziness," she says. Meanwhile, her husband had no health problems.
During a vacation in New England, Debbie's symptoms cleared up, and she remained healthy on her return to Florida while staying overnight at her mother-in-law's. But when the Bowmans went back to their own house, Debbie was miserable again. Finally an allergist suggested she contact an air-cleaning firm. When the representative came, he opened the central air-conditioning system and discovered the source of all the problems: a colony of thick gray mold.
Millions Allergic.
Scientists are documenting what many had long suspected: household mold can make you sick. Harvard professor John D. Spengler and colleagues, notably microbiologist Harriet Burge, have conducted air quality research over many years. Spengler says that in homes across North America, the presence of molds and mildew has been associated with increases in upper and lower-respiratory symptoms." According to the government affiliated Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse, as many as 30 percent of U.S. homes have a mold problem. And experts estimate that between 13 million and 26 million Americans may be allergic to molds, both indoor and outdoor.
Mold is a fungus, and under the microscope a typical specimen may look like a plant, featuring a tangle of threads called a mucelium. When a mold sends its spores into the air, or its mycelium breaks up and becomes airborne, people can inhale the particles.
Most people aren't allergic to mold. But the immune system of those who are often releases histamines, resulting in a range of adverse reactions, including breathing difficulty, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing and irritation of the eyes or skin. More severe allergic reactions can include headaches, nausea, fatigue, asthma and an inability to concentrate.
There are hundreds of thousands of species, and common household molds are Penicillium, Aspergillus and Cladosporium. These white, green or blue-green, and dark brown fungi can grow in just a few days. Cladosporium, for instance, forms on bathroom windows where water condenses. These molds often cause relatively mild allergic responses, though they can lead to more serious problems.
Some other molds may be much more hazardous. In the mid-1990s doctors at Cleveland's Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital noticed that a larger than usual number of infants were being admitted with bleeding lungs--pulmonary hemorrhage--and some were dying from the ailment. Investigators found that water damage from flooding and various leaks was much more common in the homes of infants with pulmonary hemorrhage; some homes had slimy black molds growing, including Stachybotrys atra, which may contain poisons that cause internal bleeding. Fortunately, such molds are considered to be rare indoors.
Of course, not all allergic reactions are caused by mold; dust and pollen could also be the cause. There are now simple tests that check for allergies to dozens of molds. In one of these tests, the "prick test," a doctor applies a mold allergen to the skin, and then pricks the skin without drawing blood. If the area develops a welt, you have a mold antibody.
Ferreting Out Fungus.
If you have a mold allergy, the best cure is to remove mold from your home. "Medicine can alleviate some symptoms," says Dr. Linda Ford, president of the American Lung Association, "but the best thing is to clean or remove the mold if possible."
Finding mold can be tricky: it might look like a smudge, discoloration or stain. When in doubt, dab it with bleach. If the spot changes color or disappears, it's probably mold. (If it does neither, it's dirt.) Sometimes you can only smell the mold. Many smell musty or faintly like alcohol.
Mold's most important requirement is moisture, which is why it is frequently found in basements. Pay particular attention to damp places behind boxes that haven't been moved in a while.
Fungus is also commonly found in bathrooms and in kitchens, where condensation is caused by cooking: that gunk in the pan under the refrigerator could well be mold. In living rooms, look behind an upholstered chair or sofa pressing against a cold exterior wall. In the South, mold is often found behind vinyl wall covering. Moisture gets trapped behind this impermeable material, and mold starts to grow. Carpeting is another trouble spot. "On ground-level concrete floors, the carpet insulates the floor, allowing it to get very cold,” explains Paul Ellringer, a mold expert with Tamarack Environmental, Inc., in St. Paul. "Warm, moist air penetrates the carpet, contacts the cold floor and condenses. This moisture, plus the dirt from the traffic, is just what mold needs."
Sometimes mold is nearly impossible to find. McGregor Pearce, a St. Paul environmental health consultant, was called to an apartment where the occupant maintained that mold was making him sick. Pearce investigated for hours and found nothing. Finally he went to an electric receptacle plate for a wall outlet and sniffed. He threw his head back in disgust. "It smelled like moldy bread," he says. It turned out that water had penetrated the sheathing on the outside of the wall cavity; the mold was growing all over it. Surprisingly, newer homes have higher risks of mold problems than older ones. According to air-quality specialists, household mold has become more prevalent since the energy crunch of the 1970s because newer houses have a tighter "envelope." Better windows, insulation and weatherstripping make homes more energy efficient, but they also trap more moisture.
Wiping Out Mold
"If you find mold," says Pat Huelman, associate professor of wood and paper science at the University of Minnesota, "in 95 percent of cases you can easily get rid of it yourself." Wearing rubber gloves, wet down the area with a non-ammoniated cleaner to take off the dirt, then scrub and rinse with clear water. Disinfect using a solution containing one part household bleach to four parts water. Open windows to disperse the vapors, and wear a high-quality mask or even a respirator with an adequate filter.
For mold that's more widespread, for example around ten square feet (though what you see may just be a small sample of extensive mold hidden from your view), cleanup is more complicated. You'll first need to seal off doorways and air vents in the work area from the rest of the house with plastic sheering and tape, and place a large exhaust fan in an open window or door. When cleaning the infected area, use rubber gloves, a disposable protective suit and a mask with a disposable HEPA filter, available at hardware stores. If dirty rags, sponges or debris can't be transported directly outside, seal them in plastic bags. Sandy McNeel of the California Department of Health Services cautions that asthmatics and people with allergies to molds shouldn't clean any mold on patches over three square feet on bathroom tile or grout.
If your upholstered furniture or wall-to-wall carpet has mold, you may have to discard it. Standard cleaning techniques won't remove all the mold. Throw rugs, however, can be dry-cleaned or disinfected in the washing machine. Air-conditioning filters should be cleaned. If you suspect mold is in your central air-conditioning system, have it inspected.
When the contamination is too extensive or inaccessible, you'll need to hire a special cleaning service called a remediation firm. In Debbie Bowman's case, the professional cleaning cost $1500 but it was well worth it. By the next day, all of Debbie's symptoms had disappeared.