It is important to keep your Indoor Environment clean and free of Mold. Mold can cause allergies and allergic reactions in the home. It can be very annoying to go home and start reacting to something in your home after a hard day at the office. These allergens can sometimes make you sneeze or feel tired. Everyone has different symptoms. I have some clients who have constant Chronic Fatigue if they are exposed to mold on a daily basis. Asthma attacks can also be initiated by allergens such as mold in your home. Some attacks can put you in the hospital if not controlled properly.
Mold is a perfect example of an allergen that can be in your home. Most of my clients are in the South Florida Area and have to deal with high humidity on a constant basis. High humidity encourages mold to grow. A lot of the foreclose homes that we are inspecting now have contaminated Air Conditioning Systems. This is because the Banks or Realtors are not leaving the A/C on or are setting the temperature too high to properly remove the humidity.
If the outdoor environment has high humidity, the humidity will migrate toward the Indoor Environment gradually. The interior of the homes are a closed up box with no A/C, thus the high humidity plus mold spores (they are everywhere) means mold will start to grow on the interior of the house. It first starts in the A/C Systems and then spreads slowly through the house on the organic materials. So if you are considering buying a foreclose, get it tested for mold by a certified mold inspector to prevent this problem from happening to you. Warning: Do not hire someone just to test, this is a waste of money. You need to hire a professional that can investigate the reasons for the mold, then tell you what needs to be done and write a protocol on what needs to be fixed.
Mold is a living organism and loves humid and damp environments. It is important to make sure that your homes' A/C System has enough ventilation, especially in those areas that get moisture. Remember, no moisture, no mold. Get a hygrometer that measures the humidity in your home. Check it once a week especially during the summer months of high humidity. If you notice a change, call an A/C repairman immediately. If your home has high humidity after this, then there is a serious construction defect in your home.
Have your home evaluated by a professional with lots of experience in this type of problem or you will have a serious mold problem long term. I constantly see this happen because of incompetence in the construction field. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of very competent contractors who do excellent work. There is an old saying in this field: Don't allow workmen in your home on Friday afternoon or Monday morning. Enough said about this.
Mold Allergy, especially in people with weakened immune systems, can be a serious problem. It can cause the usual symptoms associated with allergies. I have a lot of clients who react such as sneezing, headaches, and nasal congestion. It can also trigger asthma attacks and neurological symptoms. Visually inspecting your home on a weekly basis is important to prevent these problems. You say what!
Yes, on a weekly basis because that's all the time mold needs to get a foothold into your home due to a water leak or dew pointing. When you find it, stop the moisture source first. If it is a small area, clean it up. Go to www.safe-homes.com for a free EPA Guide to Mold Remediation on how to clean it up yourself. If it is larger than 10 square feet, consider hiring a professional mold remediation company.
Finally, be wary of all the claims of mold cleaning products, check the labels and read the MSDS (Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet) Reports on the products. I have several clients that are allergic to some of these products but not to all. It is an individual thing and must be done before using these products to clean. Remember, always proceed with caution in this area. If you are Chemically Sensitive or have Asthma, consult with your Doctor before attempting any form of mold cleanup.
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