Indoor REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE TO MOLD

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF Web: www.nmhealth.org/eheb/ Phone: 888-878-8992 and Response Division HEALTH Epidemiology Mold: Frequently Asked Questions

Is something growing in your bathroom, water What should I do if someone in my household heater closet, window seals, or under your kitchen sink? is sensitive to mold? You have likely found mold. So now what? The first step is removing the mold. Next is controlling for Consult a health care provider. They can tell you moisture. Take the time to understand what mold is, if the symptoms may be mold allergy-related. how it grows, and how to clean it up. To get you Keep anyone who is known to be sensitive to started the following may answer your immediate mold away from the mold to reduce exposure. questions about mold in New Mexico. You may need to find temporary living arrange- ments for them if the mold problem is large Health Effects Related to Mold enough. Can mold affect my health? For more details go to www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/ Everyone is exposed to some amount of mold every moldguide.html day. Not everyone is mold sensitive. However, if there are active mold in the home (you may notice a musty smell), workplace or outdoors, over time these conditions can cause or worsen health effects. • People diagnosed with may be more susceptible to asthma episodes when exposed to The following types of individuals are most likely to be moldy conditions. affected by mold exposure: What are the health symptoms of mold • The immune systems of infants and children are exposure? more sensitive to the environment around them than adults. The likelihood for long term health damage According to a 2004 Institutes of Medicine in small children increases when they are exposed Report, Damp Indoor Spaces and Health, the to moldy environments on a daily or routine basis. only health outcomes with sufficient evidence of an association with mold include upper • The elderly, especially those with frail immune respiratory (nose and throat) symptoms, , systems are most vulnerable to pneumonia or other , and asthma symptoms among respiratory when exposed to moldy sensitized individuals. conditions. produce allergens, irritants, and

sometimes toxins that may cause adverse • Allergy sufferers are more health reactions. The susceptible to experiencing allergy types and severity of If you notice symptoms when exposed to moldy symptoms depend on the health effects conditions. types of mold present, related to mold extent of the mold • People with respiratory or exposure, see exposure and an chronic health conditions. These your health individual’s existing conditions often worsen with allergies to mold. care provider. exposure to mold. Mold and Your Home What is mold and where is it found? What should I do if I find or suspect moldy conditions in my home? Molds are fungi that occur in the natural environment. Their role in nature is to cause the decay of dead If you see a discoloration or growth on surfaces in plant and animal matter. Molds create tiny spores to your bathroom, water heater closet, on your window reproduce, just like some plants produce . These sills, under your kitchen sink, on your baseboards or microscopic spores travel through the air and when under rugs and carpeting, it they land on a damp spot they may begin to grow may be mold. and feed on organic matter to survive. • Fix any leaks

and other water problems Although mold growth outdoors is a good and neces- as soon as possible. Dry sary process, mold growth indoors is a potential for all items completely. major problems and should be avoided. Mold will not grow Common places for mold without moisture. growth include storage space underneath sinks. Mold in the Home • Scrub mold off hard How can mold get in my home? surfaces with detergent and water and dry completely. Use of biocides such as chlorine Molds will grow wherever they have enough moisture, bleach is not recommended as a routine practice. and the appropriate . There are Please note: Dead mold (treated mold) can still many kinds of molds and people are in contact with cause allergic reactions in some individuals, such mold spores every day, usually by touching them or as those who suffer from asthma or other breathing them in. respiratory disorders. It is not enough to simply kill the mold, it must also be removed. Avoiding mold spores indoors is impossible because they are always in the air and get indoors through • Avoid breathing in mold or mold spores. To limit open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air your exposure to mold use an N-95 , conditioning systems. Mold spores can also attach available at many hardware stores. themselves to clothing, shoes, bags, and pets and be carried indoors. • Wear gloves. Avoid touching mold or moldy items with your bare hands. We recommend What conditions cause mold and indoors? wearing long gloves that extend to the middle of the forearms.

Mold needs two things to grow: • Wear goggles. Avoid getting mold or mold • Wet or damp conditions; spores in your eyes. We recommend wearing • A nutrition source, such as leaves, food, , wallboard, insulation, ceiling tiles, paper goggles without ventilation holes. products (such as stacks of newspapers or magazines) or other organic-based material • Throw away moldy, porous such as , paints, carpet, fabric and materials like ceiling tiles and carpet. upholstery. Common areas for excess moisture in the home are: • To contract for extensive • leaks in the roof, windows, and plumbing; mold clean-up (i.e. greater • steam in the kitchen and bathrooms with poor than 10 square feet of or no exhaust ventilation, moldy material), check the • moisture from Yellow Pages under Once mold growth has started, even with thorough Restoration. See also For large areas, con- drying, the moisture in the air may be enough to www.nmhealth.org/eheb/. sult with remediation sustain mold. professionals. Indoor Mold Mold Prevention How can I keep my home dry and mold-free? Also refer to the NM Department of Health’s Mold Remediation Guidelines for Tenants and Property The key to mold control is moisture control. After you Owners at www.health.state.nm.us/eheb. have repaired the leaks and cleaned up the mold: I am buying a house. Should I have it inspected? 1. Regularly inspect roofs, foun- dations, windows, and plumb- If you are purchasing a new home it may be worth the ing for new leaks. expense to have a mold inspection - that is to have the 2. Homes and buildings should be home checked for mold, especially in places not easily maintained at low (30-50%) visible, as well as for leaks, prior to buying or moving relative . in. Your real estate agent can advise you of this. 3. Use humidifiers as recom- Signs of leaks mended by the manufacturer. include water 4. Use exhaust fans when cook- stains on walls, Mold type testing ing, dishwashing, showering ceilings and and laundering. floorboards. Should I have my home tested for mold? 5. Inspect and repair your venti- lation system. Neither the New Mexico Department of Health nor the 6. Increase air circulation by moving sev- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have eral inches away from the walls. any recommendations for routine mold testing. The 7. If possible, remove carpeting from bathrooms. results are difficult to interpret and the process is 8. If possible, install double-pane windows or insula- costly. tion to prevent moisture buildup. 9. If you rent, please refer to the NM Department Testing may not change what you need to do because of Health’s Mold Remediation Guidelines for Ten- no matter what results you get, you still have to remove ants and Property Owners at the cause of the mold and get it cleaned up. See www.nmhealth.org/eheb/. www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm for details.

In most cases, if visible mold is present, testing is unnec- Who regulates or has jurisdiction to enforce the essary. It is more important to get rid of the mold than abatement of mold? to spend time and money to find out what kind of mold

New Mexico does not have laws or state agencies it is. that regulate mold or have the jurisdiction to enforce abatement. No federal standards Will the State test my home? exist for mold. The Department of Health provides health information about mold and mold cleanup but does not test, clean, I rent a house. What are my rights and obligations or conduct environmental health assessments for mold. as a tenant if I discover mold in it? For testing, assessments, and cleanup check your local

If you currently rent a house, house modular, mobile “yellow pages” under Laboratories-Analytical or Envi- home or apartment, in Santa Fe contact call 505 ronmental Testing, and Mold Inspections.

983-8447 for information about your rights and ob- If I test for mold, what do the results mean? ligations as a tenant. In Albuquerque call 311. If you get a mold assessment from a commercial com- If you are planning to rent a house, modular, mobile pany, the results should compare indoor air samples to home or apartment, it is a good idea to check the outdoor air samples. Ask the company for an expla- structure for mold problems and leaks before signing nation of the results, as neither the Health Department a lease. Work with the landlord or property man- nor the CDC will interpret these results. Keep in mind ager to have these problems corrected before you no state or federal regulations exist for indoor mold. move in. Indoor Mold Indoor mold in everyday places Work Sites Schools What if I’m What if there is mold in a school? exposed to mold If you are a parent or community member contact the at work? school principal first. The principal has the authority If you feel that and responsibility to contact and work with the you are having superintendent’s office to fix such problems. health problems due to mold or It is recommend that school personnel and students any other environmental in the workplace, follow proper channels within the school operating you should take the following steps to remedy the procedures in reporting mold and other environmental situation: concerns. • Talk with your doctor or other health care provider and, if mold is suspected, report your Businesses problems to the company physician, nurse, or health and safety officer. What if there is mold in a business? • Speak to your employer about the problem and remind them that some people are more • For non-food businesses, like hotels and retail, con- susceptible to the health effects of mold than tact your local city council or manager. See www.newmexico.gov/government.php. After you others. find the link you need, scroll down for a list of • Inform the building management of the mold phone numbers.

through proper channels. • Cooperate with management during an indoor • For businesses that sell food, like grocery stores or air quality investigation to aid the process of restaurants, contact the New Mexico Environment identifying the moisture source and solving the Department food program. See problem. www.nmenv.state.nm.us/fod/Food_Program/ For advice or to make a report (anonymous reports fieldoffices.html for a list of phone numbers. In Al- are accepted) contact the New Mexico Occupational buquerque, contact the City of Albuquerque Envi- Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) office in ronmental Health Department by dialing 311. Santa Fe at 505 827-4320.

PLEASE NOTE, New Mexico does not have laws or state agencies that regulate mold or have the Mold Control Quick Tips: jurisdiction to enforce abatement. No federal indoor • Keep It Dry air quality standards exist for mold. • If Wet, Dry Quickly

Resources • Maintain, Clean and Mold tends to grow in areas with high mois- Where can I get more information about mold, Repair Regularly ture such as near this mold remediation and health effects ? air conditioner vent.

Visit these websites: EHEB: www.nmhealth.org/eheb/ CDC: www.cdc.gov/mold EPA: www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldguide.html OSHA: www.osha.gov/SLTC/molds/recognition.html HUD: www.hud.gov/offices/lead/ NCHH: www.nchh.org/ Signs of a leak include water damage such as water stains, sagging walls and tiles, which can lead to mold problems.