Mold is a type of fungus that can grow anywhere there is moisture, including on food, building materials, clothes and furniture.
Being around mold can affect your health, so it’s important to understand how to get rid of it. Mold can cause asthma, headaches, fatigue, eye and skin irritation, allergies and more. Your body’s reaction to mold depends on the type of mold, the amount of mold, how long you are around mold, and your overall health.
This video will start by sharing some general tips for preventing and removing mold, and then we will talk about what to do if a flood causes mold in your home.
If you rent your home, talk with your landlord about mold problems. If your landlord doesn’t take action to address the mold problem, you can file a complaint with the Division of Fire Safety.
If you have questions about your rights, responsibilities, or living conditions as a renter when it comes to mold, there are people who can help.
Call Vermont Tenants at (802) 864-0099 or email them at this address to talk to someone who can help.
There are more resources at this website:
Preventing Mold
Keeping extra water and moisture out of your home is very important to preventing mold growth. Be sure to fix leaky roofs, gutters, windows and pipes so that water doesn’t get in. It's important to keep water away from the foundation of your home, too.
Inside, make sure your clothes dryer and kitchen and bathroom fans push air outside. If your home is very humid, you can buy a machine called a dehumidifier to take the water out of the air, especially in damp places like your basement. A dehumidifier will show the level of humidity in your home. Try to keep humidity levels between 40 and 60 percent.
Be sure to use the right type of insulation in your home to help keep things dry.
Removing Mold
Testing for mold is not necessary or recommended. Tests cannot say whether a building is safe or unsafe. No matter how much or what kind of mold is in your building, what you need to do is the same: remove moldy items, dry out the space, and fix the water or moisture problem.
You can usually clean mold yourself if the moldy area is less than 10 square feet or about three square meters. Be sure to protect yourself by wearing long sleeves, pants, waterproof boots, gloves, goggles, and an N95 mask. Children, people with breathing problems, and people with weak immune systems should not be present during mold clean up.
Use soap and water to clean mold on things that don’t soak up water, like plastic or glass. Throw away materials that easily absorb water like carpets.
Wash clothes that have come into contact with mold in hot water separately from other clothes.
After cleaning mold, vacuum all surfaces with a HEPA vacuum. These types of vacuums have filters that capture small particles like dust, pollen, mold and bacteria. To see if a vacuum has a HEPA filter, look at the instruction manual or the manufacturer’s website.
Professional Mold Removal
If mold covers a large area over 10 square feet, it’s a good idea to call a contractor who knows how to clean up mold.
If you rent your home or work in a building that has mold, talk to your landlord or employer. If the mold problem doesn’t get fixed, renters can file a complaint with the Division of Fire Safety. Employees can contact the Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration (VOSHA) at 1-800-287-2765.
Mold After Flooding
Assume there is mold in your home if it has been flooded and has not been dried out within 24 to 48 hours.
Be sure to completely dry out your home after flooding. Mold will come back if your building is not completely dry. Use portable air cleaners with HEPA filters during clean up, and use plastic sheets to keep mold from spreading. Open all the windows and doors to the outside and use fans and dehumidifiers to increase the movement of air. Only use fans in contained spaces or so that they blow outdoors, so they don’t blow bits of mold around the rest of your home.
Follow the steps we talked about previously to remove mold from your home. You may need to disinfect areas that have come into contact with flood water to get rid of germs. Another video with guidance on safely cleaning your home will play after this video. Clean surfaces with soap and water first, then disinfect the area.
Remember, the key to preventing mold is to keep your home or building dry. For more information go to this website: