[turtle]

Ok, so now every time I come home I begin to sneeze and get a runny/stuffy nose. I thought it was just because of the mold issue we had a month or so ago, but it is still going on.

Today is a great example of what happens. I get up and blow my nose a few time to clear it out followed by a handful of sneezes. Once I get out of the house it takes only a matter of minutes and my nose begins to clear up and no sneezing. So I'm at church for a few hours of being out of the house total.

Once I get back into the house I have to grab something to blow my nose in and muffle the sneezes again. I've been home now for a few (2) hours and I'm not sneezing as much, but my nose "tingles" and I'm on the edge of a sneeze. My nose is mostly plugged though I can breath. So when I take some herbals that are geared to limit allergy symptoms, my symptoms lessen.

So how to I figure out what's causing the issue? I can smell mold in my main bathroom, but I never go in there. I guess it could be the issue. Heck, we had a mushroom growing in there when we came back from vacation! The back of our toilet leaks and they never fixed it even though we've called them about it many times. Now I'm beginning to think there are real issue of water damage.


Now mind you, this is a rental and I don't own it. I can't do anything with it either otherwise I have to pay fees for the changes etc.

So what can I do to cut down on allergens? I have two air purifiers in my place running and two more I'm getting ready to put into service. Shampooing the carpet is on my list to do in hopes that it'll help too.

[Banana]

I'd want to check with your local tenant association. I don't think you should have to pay fees for this sort of thing, and it should be completely your landlord's responsibility.

Mold spots are bad, but a mushroom? Sounds to me like a gross neglience on landlord's part.

[ghoti]

LOL, that mushroom should be a reason to sue the landlord, or at least threaten legal action. Your apartment is in a state that is actively degrading your health, I would get the hell out of there, and/or have them get stuff fixed ASAP. If they're a larger company, I would threaten to post these pictures plus info about them on the web. This is really way beyond acceptable.

Having said that, I don't think mold makes you sneeze, it's more likely that you are allergic to dust or pollen. Shampooing the carpet should help, and so does washing your bed linens often. Also, washing your hair before going to bed helps, especially in the case of a pollen allergy.

You should also get an allergy test so you know what it actually is. If you're allergic to dust, it's probably not a good idea to live in an apartment with carpet, hardwood floors are a much better idea. There are also other things you can do besides air purifiers to cut down the amount of allergens once you know exactly what the problem is.

[CrazyChic]

Not good dude.....that appears to be a real health hazzard.

[Windswept]

Article from an allergy nurse on mold health hazards:

http://www.allergynursing.com/moldy/health_hazards.html

FEMA article on mold:

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=20379

Minnesota Dept. of Health info on mold:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/e...old/moldqa.htm

[PKIDelirium]

A mushroom in the house. Damn.

[Schnauzer]

Originally Posted by Banana I'd want to check with your local tenant association. I don't think you should have to pay fees for this sort of thing, and it should be completely your landlord's responsibility. Mold spots are bad, but a mushroom? Sounds to me like a gross neglience on landlord's part.

Agreed, and that is totally wrong that a mushroom was growing in your house!

[Foj]

Originally Posted by Schnauzer Agreed, and that is totally wrong that a mushroom was growing in your house!

Next thing you know, strange things will be happening!

[Bryson]

Could easily be mould or some other kind of fungi that's causing it. Even if you don't go in the bathroom, the spores could be right the way through the house. The first thing I would do is spritz the whole damn bathroom with anti-mould spray (it's kind of watered-down bleach, basically). The next thing I would do is move out!

[Banana]

Or if you are a guy who makes lemonades from lemon, open up a mushroom farm.

[Windswept]

Another site, with a mold test kit. Apparently this kit is also available at Wal-Mart stores.

http://moldtestkit.com/healthhazzards.html

Honestly, I would read as many articles as possible to get yourself informed about the various types of molds and their remedies. Then I would take care of this problem without delay.

A house with *any* kind of mold problem is probably not very safe for toddlers and infants.

[Banana]

Windswept,

I honestly do wonder if the dangers of mold are overrated. We've been living with mold for millenniums and all of sudden it's bad for us? I'm also skeptical because I know that shady lawyers had taken to the catchphrase "Mold is Gold" as it has been used as a basis for several lawsuits, which may be considered frivilous (I remember reading of one civil case where it was shown that it was obiviously owner's fault, but judgment was against the builder because mold is very bad).

Furthermore, I understand that the mold that are truly bad are much more rare- it's more common to see mold growing on your wall but 90% of the time, they're benign.

I could be wrong, but as I said before, it seems strange to me that mold is now the latest and newest health threats of today when in past, housewives simply wiped down the floor and walls with a bucket of water and bleach and were done.

[Souflay123]

Originally Posted by Windswept A house with *any* kind of mold problem is probably not very safe for toddlers and infants.

Originally Posted by Banana Windswept, I honestly do wonder if the dangers of mold are overrated. We've been living with mold for millenniums and all of sudden it's bad for us? I'm also skeptical because I know that shady lawyers had taken to the catchphrase "Mold is Gold" as it has been used as a basis for several lawsuits, which may be considered frivilous (I remember reading of one civil case where it was shown that it was obiviously owner's fault, but judgment was against the builder because mold is very bad). Furthermore, I understand that the mold that are truly bad are much more rare- it's more common to see mold growing on your wall but 90% of the time, they're benign. I could be wrong, but as I said before, it seems strange to me that mold is now the latest and newest health threats of today when in past, housewives simply wiped down the floor and walls with a bucket of water and bleach and were done.

Agreed, the reason that our flu's and cold's are getting so bad is that this terrification of all things that may carry germs. We have lost out immunity to the bad bugs by getting rid of everything. Things like purell and lysol are killing us, not by the toxic fumes they omit, but by removing our natural human power to fight off germs. he said that any mold is bad for kids, as mentioned we have been living with mold for ever, and suddenly in this generation we are terrified of it. give me a break!

[turtle]

Thank you all for the input here. I have been reading the posts and weighting the issues at hand. There is certainly more to this story and me being able to just pack up and move. While I'm looking forward to moving out, it will be when I buy my first home. At this point I'm going to force the apartment complex to repair the issues at hand and then if need be, they can pay for the move to another unit.

See, they have had a list of repairs for over a year and a half and of this list (of something like 25 items) only about 4 have been completed and new issues have come up. Because of this, I'm not on a lease at all right now. I'm not even technically on a month-to-month lease because nothing has been signed. So our rent isn't going up either. This keeps us putting more away for our home we are planning to buy in a year or so.

I'm also not sure of how deadly mold is. While there are certainly bad molds out there that will cause health issues, there's also many that have no real effect on us. I do thank you, Windswept, for the links as there is some really good information in there. I just don't know how bad this issues is. When there was a major water leak upstairs that produced some major mold in our master bath, I spoke to the ServePro guys who were doing the mold abatement and they also made the comments that mold is being over hyped in the current state.

However, they also said that certain molds much be handled immediately which is why most people jump at the first hint of mold that is beyond your shower tile. Most of the things I have read make home mold tests look like a waste of time. Now, since I have the ability to grow a mushroom in my place I would have to think that I could cultivate some great mold spores.

I'm still debating on if legal threats are needed or if it's going to just make this situation worse than it is. I do want my unit repaired like it should be, but I don't want to give up the benefits we have now since me dealing with mild allergy symptoms seems to be the only downfall. I'm going to push for the main bathroom to be totally gutted and started over. I know the complex management is going to baulk at it, but the cabinet and toilet are needing to be replaced. With all the water that has been there it would seem to me that the tile grout has leaked water to the sub-floor too. It would be a great breeding ground for mold I can assure you.

I'm still not sure my allergy symptoms are from the mold though. I don't think it's seasonal because I don't get the symptoms when going outside or to the mall etc. I only get them like this here in my house. This is the troubling part. So I'm going to get a doctors appointment set to see what we can narrow down. We started a major cleaning spree here too. Just about everything was vacuumed here with a new bag in the Kirby so all the little dust mites and leftovers are gone. Shampooing is next. Bed linens get washed about once a week or two normally, so we might have to bump it up to 4-7 days.

Today was gorgeous enough that I opened the house and put a fan blowing out on one end creating a major cross flow of air to help clean it out. This might be the last time this year that I'll be able to do this too.

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by Souflay123 Agreed, the reason that our flu's and cold's are getting so bad is that this terrification of all things that may carry germs. We have lost out immunity to the bad bugs by getting rid of everything. Things like purell and lysol are killing us, not by the toxic fumes they omit, but by removing our natural human power to fight off germs. he said that any mold is bad for kids, as mentioned we have been living with mold for ever, and suddenly in this generation we are terrified of it. give me a break!

Poor logic.

1) We've lived with polio for millennia as well. Should we not consider vaccines?

2) Modern stick-and-plywood construction is just that... modern. It is a unique environment that we haven't been living in that long... and it happens to be perfect for concentrating mildly toxic organisms to excessive levels.

You are correct that overuse of anti-whatevers has really skewed the ambient organisms, and our exposure to *reasonable* levels of a diverse community of infiltrators to train our immune systems. But to leap from that to your conclusion is pretty weak. Rational risk assessment requires not swinging to either extreme.

[LudwigVan]

Originally Posted by Banana We've been living with mold for millenniums...

"Millenniums"?

I could be wrong, but as I said before, it seems strange to me that mold is now the latest and newest health threats of today when in past, housewives simply wiped down the floor and walls with a bucket of water and bleach and were done.

Don't forget radon and, more commonly, carbon monoxide.

To continue one of Kickaha's thoughts in his post, part of the problem with mold issues is the tighter construction (seals, insulation) of buildings in recent years, especially in colder climates like here in Minnesota.

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by LudwigVan Don't forget radon and, more commonly, carbon monoxide. To continue one of Kickaha's thoughts in his post, part of the problem with mold issues is the tighter construction (seals, insulation) of buildings in recent years, especially in colder climates like here in Minnesota.

Bingo. Airtight means no exchange of moisture, cleaning of internal air, etc. Most modern homes have more particulate pollution inside than in the air outside - that includes urban areas.

Opening your windows on a regular basis is a smart thing to do.

[Banana]

LudwigVan, thanks for the correction.

As for 'modern' construction, I can't argue with insulation, but I would imagine that molds has been present in stick-built houses (which has been around for centuries) and even stone building where water can collect in one place and is not readily removed.

So, I still think molds are overhyped, although I'm now starting to wonder about the construction practices- are they doing their homework or just haphazardly buying the newest and latest materials and building homes without any ideas what they can do collectively to the home environment... hmmm.

[turtle]

I have learned long ago about needing to make sure my home is vented. I do open my windows at any opportunity I can as well as running the air purifiers. While they aren't an end-all solution, they sure do help when the house has been closed up for a while.

[ghoti]

Originally Posted by Banana I honestly do wonder if the dangers of mold are overrated. We've been living with mold for millenniums and all of sudden it's bad for us?

We have been eating rotten food, have lived without any concept of hygiene, and without the means to treat infections of our wounds for millennia - and suddenly these things are bad for us? Mold has always been bad, as have these other things, and there's a reason why we now have a life expectancy of over 70 years, as opposed to 30 years a thousand years ago.

Having said that, the whole "you have to wipe every surface with anti-bacterial wipes at least twice a day" is not only bogus (and clearly a result of marketing of the respective products), but also dangerous. By eliminating every single bacterium from our surroundings, we lose the ability to deal with them when we do encounter them. This is especially bad for little kids, who have to develop their immune systems, and who need exposure to bacteria to do that. But that still doesn't mean that mold is good for us.

[turtle]

So I have scheduled a visit with my family Doc to get his take on things as well as some good anti-allergens that won't incapacitate me like Benadryl. I'm so looking forward to the relief too! As it is I'm stilling here with my eyes burning and itching and my nose half plugged.

What amazes me is that I never, never had allergy symptoms as a kid. It wasn't until was in my 20s that I began every having symptoms. This is one of those times I wish I was a kid again.

[Souflay123]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Poor logic. 1) We've lived with polio for millennia as well. Should we not consider vaccines? 2) Modern stick-and-plywood construction is just that... modern. It is a unique environment that we haven't been living in that long... and it happens to be perfect for concentrating mildly toxic organisms to excessive levels. You are correct that overuse of anti-whatevers has really skewed the ambient organisms, and our exposure to *reasonable* levels of a diverse community of infiltrators to train our immune systems. But to leap from that to your conclusion is pretty weak. Rational risk assessment requires not swinging to either extreme.

This is part of the problem. People have stopped thinking logically also, you say that my logic is off, but we are a point where everything is "cured" with some new drug. Polio, and various other yes, uses the drugs to cure and prevent it from occurring. But this is the point where you use your brain, think before you take something for everything don’t run to the doctor to get your anti-biotic though they are good for when you are very sick, it is not solvency for every sniffle and sneeze. The same goes for disinfecting every thing, yes wash your hands, but don’t go around spraying everything with a disinfectant and essentially living in a bubble. When the "white man" came over and brought there germs that they had built up a immunity to, but the natives had not which resulted in many many deaths of the natives, we are some what going back to that again by removing our natural human ability to be immune to certain germs and bacteria. I agree that if you have a mushroom growing in your bathroom bleach that sucker, But I was speaking more in terms of societal mistakes.

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by Souflay123 This is part of the problem.

Then don't perpetuate it. Swinging the pendulum *either* direction is the problem. "Pfft. Ain't gonna hurt ya." is no better or worse than "Disinfect everything!" They're both ignorant knee-jerk positions.

Mold and other organisms have indeed been around longer than we have... but we change our environment in ways that we, and they, have not yet adapted for. Closed airspaces is one such change. We're learning (rather rapidly) that a building that cannot 'breathe' quickly becomes quite polluted... this is accelerated horribly when you add in confined spaces that harbor humidity and therefore molds and mildews.

So no, trying to sanitize everything isn't an intelligent position to take. Neither is dismissing all claims of allergies and reactions to indoor infestations with "as mentioned we have been living with mold for ever, and suddenly in this generation we are terrified of it. give me a break!" (Condescending smileys omitted.) This generation is the first one that has had to deal with the results of attempts at air-tight construction, and a couple decades of organism growth. So yes, this *is* the first generation that has been exposed in large numbers to the effects of concentrated mold and mildew growth in confined spaces. And guess what - it's not good to breathe. Big shock.