About Mold and Moisture
Facts and Figures
- Asthma affects almost 25 million Americans, including an estimated 7 million children.2
- Asthma is one of the most common chronic pediatric disorders. It affects an estimated 7.1 million children under 18 years of which 4.1 million suffered from an asthma attack or episode in 2011.3
- Asthma leads to 205,000 pediatric hospitalizations and 697,000 emergency department visits annually.4
- Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism; in 2008, asthma accounted for an estimated 14.4 million lost school days in children with an asthma attack in the previous year.3
- Approximately 24 percent of children ages 5-17 have some limited activity due to asthma.5
- In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.6
- Asthma has no cure. However, utilizing the proper knowledge and treatments, most people are able to manage the disease.7
Risks
Gain Control: Actions You Can Take
- 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 a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water. If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:
- Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.
- Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.
- Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear.
- Be sure your home has enough ventilation. Use exhaust fans which vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.
- Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
- Dry damp or wet things completely within one to two days to keep mold from growing.
- Maintain low indoor humidity, ideally between 30-50% relative humidity. Humidity levels can be measured by hygrometers, which are available at local hardware stores.
Check out the following resources for more tips about what to do if you have mold or moisture in your home:
- EPA Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home (also available in Spanish)
- EPA Flood Cleanup and the Air in Your Home Booklet (also available in Spanish)
- EPA Flood Cleanup and the Air in Your Home Poster (also available in Spanish)
- CDC Get Rid of Mold Poster (also available in Spanish)
Local Resources for Detroit Residents
Sources
2U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: What is Asthma (http://www.epa.gov/asthma/about.html)
3American Lung Association: Asthma & Children Fact Sheet (http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/asthma/resources/facts-and-figures/asthma-children-fact-sheet.html)
4Takaro, T.K., et al. (2011). The Breathe-Easy Home: The Impact of Asthma-Friendly Home Construction on Clinical Outcomes and Trigger Exposure. American Journal pf Public Health, 101(1), 55-62. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000722/>
5PediatricAsthma.org: Asthma Burden (http://www.pediatricasthma.org/about/asthma_burden)
6U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Asthma Triggers: Gain Control (http://www.epa.gov/asthma/molds.html)
7National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: What Is Asthma? (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/)