Lots of green things like to live in Eugene. The ground is damp and humidity is high almost all year round (the annual average for our town is a balmy 78 percent.) From the moss on trees near the University of Oregon Knight Library to the grass by the quad, green is omnipresent.
And for the unlucky (or unclean), green is a lot closer to home.
Eugene is the perfect climate for mold to thrive because of the abundance of cheap, old housing units and students willing to rent or lease them. Before you and your roommates get too excited about the house on Potter Street, you should probably evaluate the mold situation in your current or future living space.
Gizel Rios of Mold Inspection and Testing in Eugene is a professional that deals with mold removal and prevention.
“Typically, we see more problems [of mold] within the basement, bathroom and kitchen,” says Rios.
If you’ve ever lived in a house with mold growth, you know that mold is so much more than what grows on your uneaten Dough Co. When allowed to grow over time in a house, it can lead to cold-like symptoms that won’t ever be cured by just spending the day in bed.
Although not all molds are deadly, living in conditions where mold can grow is a sign that something is wrong. Moisture collection is the general concern when mold sprouts. Condensation and even leaky faucets can be a sign that your bathroom needs to be looked at, not only for mold but also for a problem that could be something more expensive and hazardous.
If mold becomes an issue in your residence, the first thing to do is clean the location with a disinfectant spray or wipe. Using a wet towel with water may make the area worse.
The worst-case scenario is the mold returning with the location looking spongy underneath. If you see this, immediately call the landlord and get a professional, because that means that mold has seeped into the wood and can become a structural hazard if not immediately dealt with.
If you had childhood asthma, unchallenged mold growth will only make it worse. Recent studies done by lead researcher Anne Karvonen of the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland show results that moisture damage due to mold has drawn a connection to respiratory conditions like asthma.
The concerns of on and off-campus living coordinators like Eric Barman are to make sure that students are living in a safe environment.
“It is something that we take very seriously and take purposeful action to avoid,” says Barman.
The UO takes a lot of pride in keeping the dorms and off-campus housing safe. Inspections are conducted several times throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean that the school is responsible for the living responsibilities of every student.
So throw out that old Dough Co.