Indoor Mold basics-part one

Are YOU allergic to mold? Some are-some aren't. But WHY has it been such big news lately?? Mold has always been with us. Mold is everywhere. Every time we open a window or door, mold spores (among other things) enter our homes, schools,and business's . So why does it seem as if mold is causing so many problems these last few years? There are several reasons. Let's look at a few now. 1. Remember when Jimmy Carter told us we Americans should cut back on our consumption of oil? Slow down to 55 mph, turn down our thermostats, car pool, etc.... Houses HAD to start getting more energy efficient. Houses became more AIRTIGHT, to save energy. Previous homes were on the drafty side. Not everyone had air conditioning, so a lot of people opened windows and used fans to keep cooler. Insulation wasn't used in older homes ( heating oil was fairly cheap). Windows were single pane, and not exactly air tight. The indoor air wasn't as polluted as the air in newer homes. In other words, the air was FRESHER in older homes. We had frequent air exchanges. 2. Enter the wonderful invention of AIR CONDITIONING. Oh yeah. No one likes this modern piece of engineering more than i do,BUT--it came with some potential problems. Mold likes dark, damp places with a food source. What better place than a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system? Air is circulated through a paper (usually) filter that traps all kinds of things like, dead skin, dust mites, insect parts, and other organic materials (like mold spores). Moisture is then removed and deposited into a "pan" and sent out through a condensation line ( which often gets clogged up). You might ask "ok, why is that a big deal?" Well, the air is "pushed"through the filter. What is on that filter? lots of organic material for mold to feed on-that's what. If the filter is paper, that means it is made up of "cellulose"- an organic material. Just like us, Mold gives off waste (toxins) in the process of eating and growing. Where do those toxins go? Right--into the air stream of the HVAC system! And when the condensation line gets clogged, that water backs up into where? Into the HVAC system! And what usually grows on the surface of stagnant water? Yes- slime that consists of bacteria and mold. Remember "Legionnaires disease" that made the news years ago? They traced the source of the problem back to bacteria that had been growing in the air conditioning system in that building. But there IS hope for our friend the air conditioner-YES!! (more on this later). 3. Homebuilders. Yes, most of these companies do a pretty good job, but sometimes the home is not properly dried out before everything is assembled. Covering up wet or damp wood to "keep on schedule" can come back to bite not only the builder, but also make life very nasty for the ones who moved into it. Here in Indy, several new homes had to be bought back by builders because of severe mold infestation. Costly process for all involved. Many homes are now built on "slab foundations". Nothing wrong with this kind of construction, but care has to be taken that the plastic sheeting ( visqueen) put down before the concrete slab is poured, has NO tears or rips in it. Moisture from the ground can creep through tears and make its way through the slab into the interior of the home. Concrete is porous and often cracks by its very nature. I have also seen homes with crawlspaces that did not even have a sump pump installed. Now, every crawlspace does not NEED a sump pump if standing water isn't present. Plastic sheeting is a good idea too , to prevent moisture from the earth entering the crawl and making its way into the interior of the home, thereby raising the indoor humidity (and the potential for mold growth). Alrighty then--more on this later