Moisture, Mold, Mucus

The mold spores pictured may look no more harmless than a pizza made by a toddler, but they will make you ill. They like to grow in an environment that provides moisture and porous surfaces for supporting colonies. Wet sheet rock, sadly, is paradise for mold spores. So is damp carpet, insulation in which water is condensing because of infiltrated air, your pet's slightly soggy basket, and pretty much anything in your damp basement. Oh---- almost forgot----- YOUR LUNGS! Most important thing, of course.

Some merchants tout the benefits of ozone, chlorine, air fresheners, ammonia cleaners and herbal sachet, but the inconvenient truth is that almost nothing controls mold as long as it finds its basic needs in your home: moisture and absorbent surfaces. Reduce relative humidity below 55%, and mold can be washed, swept, scrubbed, vacuumed and soaped away. Lower can be better still, but other factors argue against ultra-dry environments.

If mildew spotting, musty smells and allergic symptoms make it obvious you have a mold problem, you can best restore a healthy environment to your home by rounding up the usual suspects: seal infiltration leaks where moisture condenses, run a (Energy Star, of course) dehumidifier in your living space while you root out and remedy the sources of moisture. Look for leaky drain traps, check under your washing machine and dishwasher, make sure the dampness in your basement is actually ground water seeping through concrete as opposed to leaky pipes or air infiltration causing condensation.

Mold is only the most obvious threat to indoor air quality in our homes, but it is the most vicious; you can put up with a lot of dust, pet dander and laundry lint without getting sick, but a bit of mold will make you miserable and puzzled as to why you feel so much better when you're not at home. Fight the big battles first. Deal shrewdly with mold, and you'll have given your family a nice present of better air. Even your pets will thank you, until we get to dander and you begin eyeing those little critters critically. Until then, pet the cat and deal with the moisture.