Oh, Poor Moldy Me! Or The Canary in the Coal Mine Speaks
No need to hire a mold inspector. Just send me, Amy Gray, into any area you suspect of having mold, and I'll come back with an instant report. As in the form of a splitting headache.
I don't get headaches that often. So if one quick trip into a damp, moldy, basement turns me into a migraine case, imagine what it is doing to your health on a day to day basis.
Let's backtrack just a wee bit. What is mold? Why is it in my house? And how the heck do I get rid of it?
Mold is everywhere. Just like dust mites. Outdoors, molds play an important role in breaking down dead organic material such as leaves. Indoors, mold can cause allergic reactions, asthma, eye irritation and as mentioned above, headaches. Continuous exposure to mold can create serious health problems.
Since mold spores are airborne and can be carried by house dust, the question then becomes: how do I make my house unfriendly to mold?
Answer: Control Indoor Moisture.
If you have mold growing on firewood, furniture, walls, refrigerators, in the heating or ventilation system or anywhere else, it is very important to act fast. The longer mold grows on something, the more damage it can cause to that item. And if it's in your heating or air system, it's flying all over your house on a regular basis.
I remember a client telling me he was setting aside some upholstered furniture to be used later inside his house. I asked to see where the furniture was stored. As we opened the leaky garden shed, the blast of mold breath was overwhelming. Inside, a version of mold Woodstock was taking place on formerly nice couches and chairs. Now they were bedecked with interesting patterns of white, black and orange mold designs.
Places that have water in them on a regular basis - such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements - are a good first place to look for signs of mold. Walls that show water stains can be an accurate indicator that there is a leak somewhere and mold is most probably present.
For a very helpful site on mold, visit http://www.epa.gov/mold/index.html.
Our local American Lung Association has a program called the Master Health Environmentalist where you can sign up for a free home inspection to see if your home has airborne irritants, including mold, that may impact your health.
As the weather turns wet, keep your eyes open for mold. Or just call me in. But please have some aspirin handy.
Interested in more ways to clear clutter and gain control of your environment? Get great tips and motivating messages by subscribing to the Empty Your Nest newsletter at http://www.emptyyournest.com You can also download our free EBook: The Getting Started Workbook: Overcoming Fear, Procrastination and Overwhelm When Starting an Organizing Project. Just follow the link on the home page at http://www.emptyyournest.com
No comments:
Post a Comment