Page 12 - April 2019 Wheel

WHAT IS MOLD AND HOW TO CONTROL IT

By Tom Curry , CMCA, AMS,PCAM, General Manager

Take a look around your at the Association’s indoor
home. See if you smell some- pool. The indoor pool water
thing odd or find spots on the temperature is kept at 84 de-
walls, cabinets, and tile grout grees and the air temperature
(to name a few areas). If you is kept at a warm 86 degrees
do, unfortunately you may but the humidity is kept be-
have mold. low 60% through a dehumidi-
fication system. Keeping hu-
Molds are Fungi midity levels below 60% hin-

Fungi are not plants, like ani- ders any mold growth.
mals, humans and most bac- Mold Growth Removal
terial. All fungi are hetero-
trophs. This means that they Small areas of mold growth
get their energy through con- Treat mold quickly to protect your health and save money. can be removed from hard sur-
suming organic substances. faces with commercial prod-
Fungi do not obtain their energy even when there is no visible growth. ucts, soap water, or a bleach solution
through photosynthesis like plants. If mold is allowed to grow in homes of one cup of household laundry
or offices, it can contribute to poor bleach in a gallon of water. Never
All we see is the blooming or fruiting indoor air quality. mix bleach with ammonia or other
portion of mold. The live portion is a household cleaners. It will produce
web of tiny filaments called hyphae. The fruiting bodies of the mold or dangerous toxic fumes. You can also
They are usually hidden within the fungi release small “spores” into the use undiluted white vinegar to kill the
organic substance the air. So, when it grows indoors, the mold.
fungi is consuming. For
the most part, these To hinder mold growth… keep humidity Bleach does not work
webs live unseen until levels in your home below 60%. well in treating mold on
they develop fruiting porous surfaces (i.e. dry-
bodies. wall, lumber and grout).
number of spores is usually higher To treat these surfaces, you can use a
Mold in your home can disrupt your than it is outdoors. These spores are cleaner such as Concrobium Mold
life and be a possible drain on your small enough that people can inhale Control available online and at major
finances if you have to remediate a them deep into the lungs. Some who hardware stores. According to the
large area. So, what can you do? In inhale the spores may develop respir- manufacturer, it works on all types of
short - stop it before it grows. atory problems later on. fungi/mold. It is a patented tri-salt

Molds Need Moisture Control Humidity to Control Mold polymer that eliminates and prevents
mold.
Mold growth requires moisture. The simplest method to hinder mold
Washing, cooking, air humidifiers, growth is keep humidity levels in It is recommended that areas of mold
condensation, leaks from plumbing or your home below 60%. Keep the air growth within a home larger than 10
moisture from the outdoors are conditioner on or purchase a separate square feet be remediated by contact-
sources that can provide the high hu- dehumidifier. Air conditioners re- ing a professional mold removal ser-
midity conditions mold loves. move moisture from the air and lower vice.

In a home, mold is most visible on humidity levels. They should be kept For more information on mold visit
damp surfaces. It often appears as a on at proper settings at all times. the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
stain and varies in color. A musty An example of how lower humidity or the Environmental Protection
smell indicates mold may be present works to control mold can be found Agency (EPA) websites.

Page 12 Wheel April 2019