Mold and Your Health

~ courtesy info from the Dumpster Diva at Bin There Dump That

One tends to think of something that grows as having life and being categorized as either a plant or animal.   Mold, however, is neither plant nor animal, yet it can grow and reproduce by making spores. It has a life of its own and can negatively impact your health. 

It belongs in the Fungi Kingdom, and unlike a plant, mold does not get energy from the sun via photosynthesis.   The sun, in fact, inhibits the growth of mold, which sort of eats its way along, most commonly fulfilling its mission to break up decaying stuff like dead plants or animals.   Mold spores can survive severe conditions like drought where normal mold growth is not likely to occur until wetness or humidity returns.

Mildew is a form of mold, and the most common place in the house to find mildew is shower stalls and basements -- warm, humid, wet or damp, dark environments.   Surprisingly, neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor another government entity has issued standards on mold or mold spore levels, so there are no building regulations. 

Mildew forms a thin, white, gray or greenish layer while the less frequent "black mold" has a green-black hue and grows on surfaces with a high cellulose content like paper, wood, fiberboard and gypsum board, all common building materials.   While mold can do some serious damage to your home's structural elements like walls, floors, ceilings and upholstered furniture, it can really raise havoc with the health and well-being of residents in a poorly ventilated or cared-for house.

According to the Florida Department of Health, there are four kinds of health problems related to mold:

• allergic illness
• irritant effects
• infection
• toxic effects

The most vulnerable people to mold health risks include infants, children, elderly people with respiratory or lung conditions and those with weakened immune systems from ongoing treatments or recent illness.   The most common symptoms of an allergic or highly sensitive reaction to the presence of mold may or may not be linked to mold:

• running nose and sneezing
• coughing or wheezing
• redness or itchy eyes
• rash or skin irritation
• asthma attacks
• fever (less common)
• breathing difficulty (less common)

There are some routine maintenance and awareness measures which can reduce the incidence of mold in your house:

• check plumbing for leaks a few times a year
• use A/C or a dehumidifier in hot or warm months
• maintain good ventilation at all times
• keep indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent max
• refrain from installing carpets in basements and bathrooms
• have and use an exhaust fan in every bathroom
• clean up quickly and thoroughly after a rain or water incident

Some of the most common places for mold outside your home which might cause distress to people with a sensitivity to the odor or presence of it include, not surprisingly, antique shops and lake or oceanfront summer cottages.   Also, greenhouses and flower shops, saunas, farms and construction areas can have the kinds of conditions where mold thrives

Being educated in mold conditions and its effects on health are key to avoiding the associated illness and discomfort, as well as potentially connecting the dots should symptoms arise. 

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here.

            The song peaked on the billboard in the top 10 in 1963, but the words sung by Nat King Cole, written by Charles Tobias, have stuck with every generation. We are once again in the throes of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.

            The beaches beckon, golf courses are in full swing and families are flocking to the whole state for camping, swimming, windsurfing, fishing, Disney-ing, cruising and watching the sun set into the glorious horizon throughout the Tampa Bay region. It's hot outside most days, so:

v drink plenty of water

v wear lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton clothes

v always wear a hat

v put on sunglasses

v eat light

v take showers and baths for cooling

v seek out shady outdoor venues or A/C indoor ones

v use sunscreen

            However, the long days and warm temps also are perfect for home renovation or spruce up projects. Your first stop should be Bin There Dump That for a dumpster rental. Even if you are simply power washing your house, you'll likely find some broken gutters or downspouts, branches, leaves and debris that have rested on your property from somewhere else. Summer is great for painting, roofing, staining decks, screening a porch or adding a sunroom.

            It is wise to have your air conditioning unit checked annually, and the beginning of summer, when it's likely to run the most, is the best time. A heat pump can use up to 50% more energy when it's not in optimum condition. Change your filters, switch ceiling fan rotation and check all your screens for those nights when you can sleep with fresh air wafting around inside.

            Remember that you don't need to be a tourist from afar to enjoy your own hometown. If there's a museum you haven't been to recently, a beach full of memories you haven't walked on years or a bucket list fishing excursion you always want to go on, summer break is the perfect time. Be a little lazy, hazy and crazy yourself.

Honey, I Shrunk the Household

           

With the wild popularity of the "tiny house movement" and "living tiny," people of all ages are downsizing. Many are shunning boatloads of possessions and big houses for cozy, small square footage and a lifestyle not defined by largess. Older folks on the other side of raising family also find, at some point, that they have too much house. Longing to reduce expenses, maintenance, stuff and time spent on upkeep, they seek to downsize. Remember the definition of "stuff" ~ something that has weight and takes up space.

            The "tiny house movement" is synonymous with "small house movement" and is attracting much attention across generations. Roughly speaking, a tiny house is less than 400 square feet, and a small home has 400 to 1,700 square feet. Most people who move to smaller digs find it quite appealing to live in less space, do less maintenance, spend less money and live more efficiently. Some opt for outdoor deck and patio living instead of maintaining a formal yard of grass, shrubs, mulch, trees, etc.

            With more than 130 senior living 55+ community lifestyle options in the Tampa Bay area and some tiny and small homes on the market as well, it's not hard to find something that suits your style and budget. If you cannot quite embrace the tiny ones, low maintenance bungalows and ranch homes abound in the Tampa Bay-Clearwater-St. Petersburg region. Townhouses, lofts and condos benefit homeowners by sharing walls, exterior maintenance costs and common spaces. Homeowner dues cover parking lots, trash pickup, roofing, exterior building maintenance and landscaping. Many singles, couples and families report a renewed closeness, not just in proximity, but emotionally, when they downsize.

            As with any project, it takes planning to pull off a successful downsize, and one can begin well before signing a contract on the new place.

• List items that you think you cannot live without. Check off how many times you use each one over a month or two months. Be realistic.
• If you opt for condo living or a neighborhood where a homeowner association handles landscaping, pass along your lawn mower, weed eater, hedge trimmers and garden tools.
• Sort through clothes, shoes, linens, excess furnishings and drastically reduce the collections, keeping only what you need, use and love.
• Envision smaller rooms similar to what you have now. Your new living room might be the size of your guest bedroom. Move furniture in there the way you want your new space to function.
• Trade exercise equipment for a good pair of walking shoes. 
• Measure furniture and figure room space and square footage on graph paper or an app.
• Use this as a great opportunity to bless others with things they may want or can use in their big houses.
• Consider closet and storage systems which maximize space utility.
• Look into Murphy beds and clever conversion furniture.
• If you've lived a long time in your home and/or have accumulated things that have been water damaged or become moldy, piles of newspapers or broken items, you may as well order a Bin There Dump That dumpster. It will save you all the hassle of dump or landfill trips and fees and make the whole downsizing adventure run more smoothly.

Flood Resources

There's more flooding in Florida than any other state, and the Internet if chock-full of resources for planning and preparation measures, as well as dealing with flooding at home or in the streets. Floridadisaster.org is the online home of SERT, State Emergency Response Team. Its mission is "to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them and mitigate against their impacts." Its motto is

Semper Gumby (always flexible) and these are the Director's standing orders:

1. Take care of the needs of survivors.

2. Take care of the needs of responders.

3. When in doubt, re-read number one.

Mitigation is one of the common words used with regard to dealing with floods, and basically to mitigate means "to make less severe or intense; moderate or alleviate.   See synonyms for relieve." (thefreedictionary.com) So, mitigation in play means working toward reducing or eliminating risks and relieving the bad effects of flooding.

Dozens of websites can provide you with general flood information, good reading before any flooding occurs.

• www.dep.state.fl.us
• www.floridafloodinsurance.org (see fact sheets)
• www.floodsmart.gov (see "Assess Your Risk")
• http://floridaswater.com/
• http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/
• http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/levelthree/drought%20and%20flood
• http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/emergency/floodriskprojects/
• http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/index.shtm. 

Probably the most valuable resources in advance of and during a severe storm with lots of rain are your local municipalities. Stay tuned to the radio or television for watches and warnings, which you can also receive on mobile devices. Pay attention, and ideally, have your own preparation and evacuation (if necessary) plan in place. Also, each county has flood information on its website.

• hillsboroughcounty.org 
• tampa gov.net
• pinellascounty.org/flooding
• pascocountyfl.net
• mymanatee.org
• scgov.net [sarasota]
• polk-county.com
• hardeecounty.net 

The USA is one, big, giving, volunteer nation, and disasters bring out the best in people, some who come from afar to help organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Samaritan's Purse. They, in turn, can help you.   If you do not have Internet access and want to learn more about preparing for and weathering a serious storm with flood potential, ask for assistance at your local library.   They have computer access and will help you find all the information you want. You can
be well-prepared and knowledgeable about local, state and national resources whose mission it is to assist residents in the event of a flood disaster. And should you need to dispose of flooded rugs or drywall or damaged furnishing, just call the friendly, sympathetic folks at Bin There Dump That for prompt, courteous service by professionals who understand post-flood clean up and clean out.

Happy Memorial Day!

Only one holiday honors fallen American veterans, evokes family barbecues and marks the unofficial start of summer, and that's Memorial Day!

So from all of us at Bin There Dump That Tampa Bay, we want to wish you a safe and fun Memorial Day!