<p> Feeling dizzy? Coughing a bit much lately? It might just be a cold. Check your surroundings, it could be indoor mold. While mold is usually more visible outdoors, it does not only appear on bark. Recently, Lauren Williamson, a sophomore at Palm Beach Atlantic, and her roommates discovered mold growing in her apartment in the Samaritan Gardens.</p><p>“One part of our wall in the bathroom was turning grey and black, and we also discovered it was growing from our vents,” Williamson said, noting it had been about three weeks since they found it. Mold, which can grow in an assortment of colors, can become harmful in our homes because many people can have allergic reactions to it. Williamson didn’t think much about the mold at first, but over time became sick and showed flu-like symptoms. Doctors determined that her symptoms were allergic reactions to the indoor mold. “One of my roommates and I have been having extreme headaches. I recently went to the doctor because of my excessive coughing and was told I have a significant upper respiratory infection caused by the mold,” Williamson said. Williamson said she lived with friends while maintenance took care of the mold and even put up new dry wall in the bathroom of her apartment. Williamson has since moved back in. What we believe is mold is not always mold, according to Michael G. Steger, director of Physical Plant Services for The National Management Resources Corporation at PBA. “More often than not, what we find are instances of mildew due to a humid environment that simply requires cleaning and may have been averted by a regular cleaning schedule by the students themselves,” he said. Steger says that any student who finds what is believed to be mold should call X32200 and inform Plant Services of the problem. Someone is then sent to inspect the suspected area and determine if it is mold and what should be done about the situation. When a harmful amount of mold has been discovered, students are offered “alternate accommodations” until a resolution is found. Action is taken, including removing any visible mold with remediation products and getting rid of the source of the mold. Repainting of the area is also provided to the students if their living area needs it after mold removal. Since mold tends to grow in moist areas, keeping rooms dry with proper air flow is essential in keeping mold from growing or possibly spreading. According to http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/prevent-mold, improving simple household chores such as washing clothes can either attribute to or prevent mold growth.</p>