Common places for mould to grow indoors are around leaks in roofs or pipes, bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, window sills, ceilings, wall paper and around ventilation points.
Mould in the house can cause you to have a wide range of health issues.
Children, elderly people and people with a weakened immune system are more sensitive to the negative effects of mould.
Q: I have just moved into a new house in an upmarket neighbourhood. Unfortunately, the house is cold and damp and I can barely sleep. I have noticed the even my old newspapers and clothes have some mould. Can this damp and cold affect my health?
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A: Yes it can. To help you understand how it affects your health it is important that you understand a little bit more about dampness and mould.
Mould is the common word for any fungus that grows in damp places and on food. Mould can be black, green, white (actually, almost any colour) and it has a characteristic musty smell. In order to grow, mould needs a moist environment. It releases ‘spores’ into the air which people/animals can breathe in. Breathing in these spores can be harmful to your health. Some mould also produce toxins which can also adversely affect your health.
Mould can be found both indoors and outdoors. Common places for mould to grow indoors are around leaks in roofs or pipes, bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, window sills, ceilings, wall paper and around ventilation points.
Mould on fabrics, furniture or carpets can come from spores in the house or from the outdoors (spores attach themselves to clothing, shoes and pets can and be carried indoors).
You also mention that your house is cold and damp. The architectural design of your house and its surroundings are most likely contributing to the cold indoors. Possible causes of dampness are leaking pipes, rain seeping in because of damage to the roof or due to condensation.
Condensation occurs when the air indoors holds too much moisture. Cooking, showering, drying clothes indoors and poor ventilation can all cause excess moisture.
Mould and Your Health
Mould in the house can cause you to have a wide range of health issues. These include:
Sneezing, nasal and sinus congestion
Throat irritation
Coughing or wheezing (especially in people with pre-existing allergies and asthma)
Chest tightness and shortness of breath Watery, itchy, irritated eyes
Skin rashes (worse in people with pre-existing skin problems like eczema)
Some people report recurrent headaches
Children, elderly people and people with a weakened immune system are more sensitive to the negative effects of mould. People with weakened immune systems have been known to develop fungal skin and occasionally lung infections.
Mould prevention tips:
Keep your home clean and dry
Get rid of those old stacks of newspapers
Fix any leaks in your home’s ceiling/roof or plumbing
Ensure your home has adequate ventilation.
Clean bathrooms and moisture prone areas of the house with mould-killing products.
Remove wet carpets and upholstery that cannot be dried promptly. Do not use carpets in places like bathrooms.
Throw out musty smelling items.
If you have a fireplace, do not store firewood inside the home.
Avoid storing clothes in cold damp areas of the house.
Regularly vacuum carpets, upholstery and furniture.
If you decide to re-paint any section of the house, add mould inhibitors to paints before starting.
Avoid hanging laundry indoors.
If you have indoor plants, watch for signs of mould in the plants.
Take out garbage regularly.
If you have an indoor pet (especially a cat or bird), regularly clean out the litter box.
Make it a habit of putting lids on sufurias and saucepans whilst cooking.
Always open bedroom windows each morning after you wake up and bathroom windows after showering.
A wall with mould. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Apart from these tips, you are probably going to need a building professional assess your house and see if there is any way of practically ‘warming up your home’. Creating the right environment in a new home can be a challenge because if you inappropriately warm it, you can inadvertently worsen your dampness and mould problem.
What to do if you develop health problems?
If you (or those living in the house) develop health issues related to the mould, avoid treating the symptoms only. For example, do not just buy antihistamine nose or eye drops to relieve your itchy nose/eyes, you need to get rid of the mould. In severe cases, people have had to move houses. You also must get assessed by a health professional to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.
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