Maladies caused by mold are more common for people living in particularly humid or damp environments, which, if you hadn’t noticed, includes Eugene throughout most of the year.
The good news is that situations in which mold is affecting your habitat are easy to identify and rectify.
Mold generally appears on surfaces as colored spots and can smell musty.
The Center for Disease Control warns that if you see or smell mold, a hazard to your health may be present.
The CDC urges removing the growth immediately, regardless of the type of mold.
Exposure to dank and moldy environments may cause a variety of adverse health effects.
A 2004 Institute of Medicine report found there is sufficient evidence to link indoor mold growth to upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing and wheezing in healthy children..
Mold can also lead to more severe symptoms in those most susceptible to airborne irritants, such as asthmatics.
To be safe, the CDC lists a number of precautions for controlling mold growth.
Recommendations include keeping the humidity level in your home between 30 percent and 60 percent, using air-conditioners or dehumidifiers during humid months, and in damp spaces, such as basements.
In addition, students should have proper ventilation in shower, laundry and cooking areas; promptly fix leaky roofs, windows and pipes; and thoroughly clean and dry after flooding.
It may seem like common sense, but if mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem.
Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or bleach solution.
The CDC lists additional mold prevention tips on its website.
If you’re a renter having mold problems and feel ill-equipped to handle them yourself, Eugene’s Rental Housing Code requires certain standards from landlords and property managers in the area.
City Code Enforcer Mark Tritt said the city concerns itself with two areas that relate to mold growth: plumbing and weatherproofing.
If mold in your house or apartment is caused by faulty plumbing or leaks from substandard weatherproofing, the property owner could be liable for fixing the problem.
“The presence of significant visible mold may be a symptom of faulty plumbing,” according to a Rental Housing Code brochure. “However, the presence of mold by itself is not a violation for purposes of sections 8.400 through 8.440 of this code.”
Tritt’s message for Eugene renters worried about mold is to be aware of your own actions.
“Some examples of lifestyle behaviors that could contribute to mold growth are not using ventilation in the kitchen and bathroom, cooking or boiling water, aquariums, [or] a large number of houseplants,” Tritt said. “While mold may occur in these types of environments, because there may not be a plumbing or weatherproofing issue, the rental code may not be able to address the complaint.”
If a mold issue falls outside of the city’s jurisdiction, Dana Mills, director of the University Health Center, recommended Environmental Health and Safety on campus for any students with questions or concerns involving airborne hazards such as mold.
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