May
27, 2004
Indoor
Mold, Dampness Are Linked to Respiratory Problems
You
may have heard about the new CDC and NAO report linking indoor
mold and dampness with respiratory problems. The people that
have had recent rain, flooding and tornado damage to their
home should be especially cautious about drying out interior
structures for several weeks to months BEFORE any materials
are replaced covering existing damp wood and other materials.
Research has indicated (Red River Flooding, etc.) that without
thorough cleaning and drying, cavities and other areas can
product mold causing even more damage and repair, and sometimes
loss of the house itself.
"Scientific
evidence links mold and other factors related to damp conditions
in homes and other buildings to asthma symptoms in some asthmatics
as well as to coughing, wheezing and other upper respiratory
tract symptoms in otherwise healthy people, says a new Institute
of Medicine report. The available evidence does not support
an association between either interior dampness or mold and
the wide range of other health complaints that have been ascribed
to them, but the possibility of a link cannot be ruled out."
The study was sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. The Institute of Medicine is a private, nonprofit
institution that provides health policy advice under a congressional
charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences.
More
information (news release, audio of the news conference, and
links to the report) is available at their web site.
