Patients can be proactive in mitigating mold, mildew in their homes
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Key takeaways:
- Leaks around the shower and water lines in the bathroom can lead to mold and mildew.
- Small patches can be scrubbed away with soap and water.
- Programs are available for people who need more assistance.
PARK CITY, Utah — Patients with asthma and allergies exacerbated by mold and mildew can be proactive in mitigating their effects at home, according to a presentation here.
“It can bother the eyes, the skin, the nose, the throat, the lungs, even for people who don’t have allergies,” consultant Andrea M. Jensen, CHES, AE-C, said during her presentation at the Association of PAs in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Allergy, Asthma & Immunology CME Conference. “Definitely, we don’t want this in our bodies.”
Jensen was the founder of the Utah County Health Department Asthma Program, where she coordinated the asthma home visit program and provided asthma and environmental intervention education.
While working for the health department, Jensen said, the most common question she got from residents was whether they should test for mold. She told them that they did not need any testing.
“EPA said don’t waste your time. There are no federal standards for mold,” said Jensen, who also is a past chair of the Utah Asthma Task Force and a former executive board member of the Association of Asthma Educators.
“Most homes may have mold, so don’t waste your money on that. It’s also incredibly expensive,” she continued.
Plus, Jensen said, insurance will not cover testing, so those costs would come out of the resident’s own pocket.
Locating mold
There is a lot that patients can do themselves, Jensen said, starting with finding the mold.
“Where is mold found?” she asked. “If you have a house, you can have mold. If you have any running water, you can have mold.”
Grout in showers can crack and disappear, providing sources for water intrusion, she said.
“When you have problems with a water leak, when it’s long and slow and steady, mold loves that. They thrive on that,” she said, adding that leaky caulking around the tub and windows as well as shower curtains allow mold to flourish too.
“Another place to look for is under the sink, which is where we store shampoo and cleaning supplies and towels. Oftentimes you can miss it because there is so much under the sink. So, periodically check that, especially if you smell something that doesn’t smell quite right,” she said.
Residents should mind the valves around toilet supply lines too, she suggested.
“Anything that can turn can leak,” Jensen said.
Flooded basements also are a significant source of mold and mildew, even when the floor appears dry, she continued. Jensen recommends using a moisture meter, available at most hardware stores, to test cement floors before laying down carpeting.
“This could look dry. This could smell dry. If someone comes in and carpets over the top of this, in the rest of the house you can smell that mildew and mold because it wasn’t properly dried out,” she said.
Other signs of water damage that may lead to mold include chipped paint, cracks in the walls and peeling wallpaper, as well as orange or yellow stains in ceiling tile, Jensen said.
Mold,mildew remediation
Anything that is porous and infested with mold or mildew should be thrown away, and the source of the leak should be fixed, Jensen said.
“No matter how much money you’ve spent on your couches and your beds and your throw pillows, and all your lovely things, they can’t be saved,” she said. “They need to go.”
Also, people should not try to deal with mold and mildew on hard surfaces by simply painting over it, Jensen said.
“Please don’t paint over it,” she said. “It won’t encapsulate it. If the leak is still there, it’s going to keep leaking. The paint is going to bubble up. You’re going to have a lot more problems.”
People also should not try to bleach the mold and mildew away, she said.
“The EPA no longer recommends cleaning with bleach,” Jensen said.
Many people may think that if a little bleach works, then a lot of bleach will work even better, she continued, even though bleach can irritate the lungs.
“I would walk into homes during asthma visits, and all I could smell was bleach. You should not smell bleach walking into a home,” she said.
Instead, Jensen said, the EPA advises hot water, soap and elbow grease. Jensen also suggested mixtures of water with vinegar, baking soda or lemon.
But when mold has infested areas larger than 10 square feet, or 3 feet by 3 feet, she said, it is time to call a professional to replace that section of floor, wall or ceiling.
Mold,mildew prevention
Everyday chores can go a long way in preventing mold and mildew from flourishing, Jensen said. When condensation appears around windows, residents can towel it away, Jensen suggested. People also can increase ventilation throughout their home.
“Run the exhaust fan while you’re bathing and keep it on for another 15 minutes. That way it will draw some of the moisture out of the bathroom,” she said.
Also, people can spray a mixture of water and vinegar on their shower walls once they are done showering to prevent mold and mildew buildup, or they can use a squeegee to wipe away excess moisture. Just be sure to move all the shampoo bottles and other items out of the shower first, so all the surfaces can be cleaned, she said.
Elsewhere in the home, Jensen recommended setting the thermostat as well as any window-unit air conditioners to fan to increase air exchange and reduce moisture. Placing water alarms near washing machines, water heaters and other areas where leaks or flooding may occur would be useful too.
“It will wake you up so you can get on that leak right away and prevent it from getting a lot worse,” Jensen said.
Homeowners also should keep their rain gutters clear, she continued, with water directed away from the home. Sprinklers should be pointed away from the home too.
“We don’t want water pooling around the foundation of any building,” she said.
Brush, leaves and other debris left around the foundation can lead to mold and mildew spores as well, Jensen said.
Indoors, cold water pipes should be insulated to prevent condensation. When puddles do form, industrial fans can dry the floor.
Also, humidity should be maintained between 30% and 50%, Jensen said. Along with dehumidifiers, she added, products such as DampRid (WM Barr) can mitigate excessive humidity.
Legal recourse
Residents of homes managed by landlords should document issues including photographs and report them immediately, Jensen said. Communications with landlords should be documented as well.
“If they are unaddressed, there are some local and state housing authorities. Sometimes you can contact your local health department, and they can help out,” Jensen said.
Although municipalities may have different codes, she said, most cities or counties will have housing ordinances. Legal aid may be available from a variety of sources as well. But Jensen advised caution, as some landlords may retaliate against these residents after getting complaints.
“There could be some blowback from the landlord, and they can be evicted,” Jensen said. “It could be very difficult for these people to find new housing and come up with the first [and] last month’s rent. There’s kind of a fine dance to how to do this.”
Jensen also cautioned again that most insurance companies will not cover mold remediation and, in fact, some companies may even cancel the policy after a black mold complaint.
“I hate to tell you that. It drives me crazy,” Jensen said. “It might be worth just paying for the repair yourself, depending on what your deductible is. Sometimes, insurance companies can retaliate and raise your rates.”
Resources
The EPA offers resources online that asthma and allergy specialists can download and share with their patients, Jensen said. Educational materials in English and Spanish cover moisture control, mold prevention, what to do when mold does happen, and how to dress when it is time to remove mold, all written at basic literacy levels.
“It is something that can be really helpful for any of your patients that are really struggling and want to figure out how to fix things themselves,” Jensen said.