This fact sheet provides information to people who have experienced water damage to their home and presets the health concerns related to mold exposure. It also provides general guidelines on mold detection, cleanup & removal of mold contaminated materials.

Health Effects

How am I exposed to indoor molds? Mold is found everywhere, indoor and outdoors. Much of the mold found indoor comes from outdoor sources. Therefore, everyone is exposed to some mold on a daily basis without evident harm. Mold spores primarily cause health problems when they enter the air and are inhaled in large number. People can also be exposed to mold through skin contact and eating.

How much mold can make me sick? It depends. For some people, a relatively small number of mold spore can cause health problems. For other people, it may take a lot more mold.

Who is at greater risk when exposed to mold? Exposure to mold is not healthy for anyone inside buildings. It is important to quickly identify and correct any moisture sources before health problems develop. The following individuals appear to be a higher risk for adverse health effects of molds:

• Infants and children
• Elderly
• Immune compromised patients (people with HIV infection, cancer chemotherapy, liver disease, etc.)
• Pregnant women
• Individuals with existing respiratory conditions, such as allergies, multiple chemicals sensitivity, and asthma.
• People with these special concerns should consult a physician if they are having health problems.

What symptoms are common? Allergic reactions may be the most common health problem of mold exposure. Typical symptoms reported (alone or in combination) include:

• Respiratory problems, such as wheezing, and difficulty in breathing
• Nasal and sinus congestion
• Eyes-burning, watery, reddened, blurry, vision, light sensitivity
• Dry, hacking cough
• Sore throat
• Nose and throat irritation
• Shortness of breath
• Skin irritation
• Central nervous system problems (constant headaches, memory problems, and mood changes)
• Aches and pains
• Possible fever

Are some molds more hazardous than others? Allergic persons vary in their sensitivities to mold, both as to amount and type needed to cause reactions. In addition, certain types of molds can produce toxins, called mycotoxins, that the mold uses to inhibit or prevent the growth of other organisms. Mycotoxins are found  in both living and dead mold spores. Materials permeated with mold need to be removed, even after they are disinfected with cleaning solutions. Allergic and toxic effects can remain in dead spores. Exposure to mycotoxins may present a grater hazard than that of allergenic or irritative molds. Mycotoxins have been found in homes, agricultural settings, food, and office buildings.

Detection of Mold

How can I tell if I  have mold in my house? If you can see mold, or if there is an earthy or musty odor, you can assume you have a mold problem. Allergic individuals may experience the symptoms listed above. Look for previous water damage. Visible mold growth is found underneath materials where water has damaged surfaces, or behind walls. Look for discoloration and leaching from plaster.

Should I test my home for mold? The California Department of Health Services does not recommend tested as the first step to determine if you have a mold problem. Reliable sampling for mold can be expensive, and requires equipment not available to the general public. Residents of individual private homes must pay a contractor to carry out such sampling, as it is not usually done by public health agencies. Mold cleanup is usually considered one of the housekeeping tasks of the private citizen, along with roof and plumbing repairs, sweeping and house cleaning.

Another problem is that there are few available standards for judging what is an acceptable quantity of mold. In all locations, there is some outdoor levels of molds. If sample indoors, to provide a baseline measurement. Since the susceptibility of individuals varies so greatly, sampling is at best a general guide.

The simplest approach is: if you can see or smell mold, you have a problem. Once you know the problem exists, follow the procedures given next.

Unless the source of moisture is removed and the contaminated area is cleaned and disinfected, mold growth is likely to reoccur.

General Clean-up Procedures

• Identify and correct the moisture source
• Clean, disinfect, and dry the moldy area
• Bag and dispose any material that has moldy residues, such as rags, paper, leaves, or debris.

What can I save? What should I toss? Substances that are porous and can trap molds, such as paper, rags, wallboard, and rotten wood should be decontaminated and thrown out. Harder materials such as glass, plastic, or metal can be kept after they are cleaned and disinfected.

Ultimately, it is critical to remove the source of moisture first, before beginning remedial action, since mold growth will return shortly if an effected area becomes re-wetted.

Removal of Moldy Materials After fixing the moisture source and removing excess moisture, the cleanup can begin:

• Wear gloves when handling moldy materials.
• Remove porous materials (examples: ceiling tiles, sheetrock, carpeting, wood products)
• Carpeting can be a difficult problem--drying does not remove the dead spores. If there is heavy mold, disposal of the carpet should be considered
• Bag and discard the moldy substances
• Allow the area to dry 2 or 3 days
• If flooded, remove all sheetrock to at least 12 inches above the high water mark. Visually inspect the wall interior and remove any other intrusive molds. (This step may have to be carried out by a licensed contractor).

CAUTION: Spores are easily released when moldy material is dried out.

Soap Cleanup

• Before disinfecting contaminated areas, clean the areas to remove as much of the mold (and food it is growing on) as possible.
• Wear gloves when doing this cleanup
• Use a non-ammonia soap or detergent, or a commercial cleaner, in hot water, and scrub the entire area affected by the mold
• Use a stiff brush or cleaning pad on block walls or uneven surfaces
• Rinse clean with water. A wet/dry vacuum is handy for this.

Disinfect Surfaces

• Wear gloves when using disinfectants
• After through cleaning and rinsing, disinfect the area with a solution of 10% household bleach (e.g., 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water).
  Using bleach straight from the bottle will not be more effective
• Never mix bleach with Ammonia - the fumes are toxic
• For spraying exterior large areas, a garden hose and nozzle can be used.
• When disinfecting a large structure, make sure the entire surface is wetted (floors, joists, and posts)
• Avoid excessive amounts of runoff or standing bleach
• Let disinfecting areas dry naturally overnight-- this extended time is important to kill all the mold.

CAUTION: Bleach fumes can irritate the eyes, nose throat, and damage clothing and shoes. Make sure the working area is ventilated well.

Can cleaning up mold be hazardous to my health? Yes. Exposure to mold can occur during the cleaning stage. Mold count are typically 10 to 1000 times higher than background levels during the cleaning of mold damaged materials. Take steps to protect your health during cleanup:

When handling or cleaning moldy materials, consider using a mask or respirator to protect you from breathing airborne spores. Respirators can be purchased from hardware stores; select one for particle removal (sometimes referred to as a N95 or TC-21C particulate respirator). Respirator are not as effective removing bleach fumes, so minimize your exposure when using bleach or other disinfectants.

• Wear protective clothing that is easily cleaned or discarded
• Use rubber gloves
• Try cleaning a small test patch of mold first. If you feel that this adversely affected your health, you should consider paying a licensed contractor or professional to carry out the work.
• Ask family members or bystanders to leave areas when being cleaned.
• Work over short time spans and rest in a fresh air location.
• Air your house out well during after the work

CAUTION: Never use a gasoline engine indoors (e.g. pressure washer, generator)-- you could expose yourself and your family to carbon monoxide.

Can my air duct system become contaminated with mold? Yes. Air duct systems can become contaminated with mold. Duct systems can be constructed of bare sheet metal, sheet metal with an exterior fibrous glass insulation, sheet metal with an internal fibrous glass liner, or made entirely of fibrous glass. If your home's air duct system has had water damage, first identify the type of air duct construction that you have. Bare sheet metal systems, or sheet metal with exterior fibrous glass insulation, can be cleaned and disinfected.

If your system has sheet metal with an internal fibrous glass liner, or are made entirely of fibrous glass, the ductwork normally will need to be removed and discarded. Ductwork in difficult locations may have to be abandoned. If you have other questions, contact an air duct cleaning professional, or licensed contractor.

After I've cleaned everything as thoroughly as possible, can I still have mold odors? Yes. Its is possible that odors may persist. Continue to dry out the area and search for any hidden areas of mold. If the area continues to smell musty, you may have to re-clean the area again (follow the cleaning steps given in this sheet). Continue to dry and ventilate the area. Don't replace flooring or begin rebuilding until the area has dried completely.

How can further damage to my home be prevented? Check regularly for the following:

• Moisture condensation on windows
• Cracking of plasterboard
• Drywall tape loosening
• Wood warping
• Musty odor

If you see any of the above, seek out and take steps to eliminate the source of water penetration, as quickly as possible.

Can ozone air cleaners help remove indoor mold, or reduce odor or pollution levels? Some air cleaners are designed to produce ozone. Ozone is a strong oxidizing agent used as a disinfectant in water and sometimes to eliminate odors. However, ozone is a known lung irritant. Symptoms associated with exposure include cough, chest pain, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Ozone generators have been shown to generate indoor levels above the safe limit. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that ozone is not effective in controlling molds and fungi, even at high concentrations far above safe health levels. Also, ozone may damage materials in the home. For these reasons, the California Department of Health Services strongly recommends that you do not use an ozone air cleaner in any occupied residential space. Refer to the CDHS IAQ Info Sheet: Health Hazards of Ozone-generating Air Cleaning devices (January 1998).

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