NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

October 8, 1998

[EDITORS: OCT. 11-17 HAS BEEN DECLARED BIOLOGICALS AWARENESS WEEK AS PART OF AN EPA AND USDA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, AND OCTOBER IS DESIGNATED AS INDOOR AIR QUALITY MONTH.]

For Your Health, Reduce Risks from Mold in the Home

Mold can stain walls and clothing, mess up the tile in your bathroom and make items in your refrigerator unrecognizable. And mold also may be a health hazard, according to Ken Hellevang, engineer with the North Dakota State University Extension Service.

"Many people are allergic to mold, and when they breathe air that contains mold spores, they may experience difficulty breathing or have an asthma attack," he says.

Mold requires moisture or high humidity to grow. It does not require light so it grows well in basements and attics, inside walls, behind baseboards, behind boxes and furniture, and between layers of flooring, Hellevang says. Mold comes in all colors, including white, orange, green, grey, brown and black. Generally there will be a musty smell associated with mold growth. Because your nose quickly becomes desensitized to a smell, sniff for the musty smell after being away from the house for a while, he advises.

Hellevang suggests homeowners can reduce the risk of mold by:

• Keeping gutters clean and making sure downspouts carry the water several feet from the house.
• Making sure the ground is sloped away from the foundation by about one inch per foot for good drainage.
• Periodically checking house plumbing for leaks.
• Keeping bathrooms as clean and dry as possible. Operate a vented exhaust fan during a bath or shower and for several additional minutes.
• Keep indoor air relative humidity below about 60 percent. Windows and doors should be kept closed when it is warm and damp outside. Operate dehumidifiers during warm weather to remove moisture from damp basements. Ventilate if outside air is cooler and drier than the basement.

To clean a moldy surface, scrub with a solution prepared with one cup of liquid chlorine bleach (laundry bleach), one tablespoon of detergent that does not contain ammonia and one gallon of water. Keep surfaces wet for about 10 minutes for the chlorine to be effective, then rinse with clean water, and dry.

Because mold grows well on natural fibers, choose carpets made from man-made fibers for use in a basement, Hellevang advises. It is preferable to install basement carpeting without a pad because the pad can become damp, creating an excellent environment for mold growth.

Oct. 11-17 is Biologicals Awareness Week as part of the Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes Project, a cooperative effort of educators in each state, the U. S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. For more information on indoor air quality, go to the Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes web site at http://www.montana.edu/wwwcxair. The web site also has links to other sites such as the American Lung Association and EPA.

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Source: Ken Hellevang (701) 231-7243

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629