Part 1 - Silent Killers in Your Home: Mold

It’s true. What you don’t see, hear, smell, or taste can definitely be hurting you—and your family. Many families are totally unaware that their homes harbor hidden dangers and risks. Your home may be one of them! Your health and your family’s health are far too valuable to let this topic go unnoticed. It’s time to snoop around, find these culprits, and give them the old heave-ho!

Because of the extensive list of home health hazards, I’m kicking off this series to tackle them, one at a time, starting with one of the most prevalent—mold. It’s yucky, I know, but something all of us need to deal with at one time or another, whether it’s on our cheese or hiding in our walls. Anywhere there is moisture, you will often find the perfect breeding ground for mold. And mold is not something you want to neglect. It can pose a serious risk to the health of your family.

Why It’s Dangerous

A little patch on your shower curtain is nothing to lose your cool over, but mold that covers a large area can release airborne mold spores that can aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions. They also pose a more serious risk to people with health conditions or underdeveloped immune systems—that means infants, children, seniors, and those with long-term illnesses.

Mold is also dangerous because it can damage your home by weakening floors, walls, and ceilings. It literally feasts on decaying organic material, such as wood, wallboard, ceiling tiles, caulk, insulation, and more.

How To Find It

Forget about the mold kits. You don’t need them. You can usually smell it or see it. Mold gives off a musty odor, and just about everyone knows what it looks like—those grayish, green patches that frequently grow in your bathrooms, on wet tiles, or those damp towels that have been neglected at the bottom of the laundry bin (c’mon, don’t tell me you’ve never let this happen).

When you go searching for mold, look in areas that collect moisture. Check inside your ductwork, beneath carpets, and around windows. Remove cover plates for electrical or cable connections and check behind the walls and wallpaper (turn off electricity first). Basically, grab a flashlight and get sleuthing.

What To Do About It

Once you’ve found the culprit, now you need to get rid of it. If it covers a small patch (less than ten square feet), you may be able to eliminate it yourself. If it’s larger than that or if it has contaminated your ductwork, then you’ll have to hire a professional mold remediator (yes, there is such a thing).

The first thing you should do is cover the area with plastic sheeting to contain it. After that, find the source of moisture and get rid of it. Look for damage such as leaky roofs, chimneys, window flashing, or pipes. When you locate the source, repair it immediately. Mold can also be caused by exterior flooding, so you may even have to go as far as evaluating the foundation and grading of your home. After you have eliminated the source of moisture. It’s time to remove the mold.

First and foremost, protect yourself with a disposable respirator approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; goggles; and heavy-duty rubber, neoprene, or PVC gloves. Toss out any carpet, ceiling tiles, wallboard, paper, or insulations that has been wet for 48 hours or more. Scrub all other materials with a strong solution of detergent and water or a bleach solution (one cup bleach, 5 cups water). Personally, I try to go easy on the bleach. You can also mix up some tea tree oil, castile soap, and water for a more natural solution. If any mold is present on wood studs or exposed joints, you need to scrub these areas with a wire scrubber, sand them, and allow them to dry out thoroughly before reinstalling wallboard and flooring. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.

Bottom line: Mold looks innocent but it is dangerous. Find it and get rid of it. Your health and the health of your family is far too valuable to put at risk.

Read Part 2: Carbon Monoxide

Read Part 3: Dust Mites

Read Part 4: Asbestos

Read Part 5: Polluted Water