Importance of Avoiding Mold
According to the Expert Panel Guidelines for managing asthma, the first and foremost step in controlling allergic asthma is to reduce exposure to allergens to which you are sensitive. So, if you know that mold is one of your triggers, you should focus on avoiding both indoor molds and outdoor molds as much as you can.
However, keep in mind that it is not always realistic to expect that you can totally avoid all contact with mold spores, as they are commonly present in many different areas of our environment, including bathrooms, kitchens, basements, our gardens, and more. So, chances are, you will be exposed to some mold now and then, which may trigger your asthma symptoms.
Still, you can take some definite action steps to avoid exposure to mold. If you take them, you'll be better positioned to stay healthy and not let asthma interfere in your everyday life.
Tips on How to Avoid Mold
- Track mold counts daily. Many local news and radio stations will report mold counts during peak mold season. You can also go online to AAAAI's National Allergy Board, which reports both mold and pollen counts.
- Stay indoors during peak mold times. Mold counts tend to be highest on hot, humid, or damp days, so stay indoors as much as you can on such days.
- Use air conditioning, rather than having windows open. This is true in the car too, not just at home; keep windows closed and the air conditioning on. These measures will reduce your exposure to outside air that may have high levels of mold spores. The filter in the air conditioner may further screen out some of the mold by cleaning, cooling and drying the air.
- Use a dehumidifier to reduce indoor humidity further. However, if you do use a dehumidifier, be sure to empty the collection basin frequently, and keep the machine clean to avoid creating new problems.
- Avoid fallen leaves. Don't rake leaves or play in them, as mold spores love the damp, dark conditions in a pile of fallen leaves.
- Avoid working with damp, moist soil in gardens or potted plants. Soil – both the natural kind and potting kind – also often harbor mold spores. If you are very sensitive to mold, you may even need to substitute artificial plants for the real kind indoors.
- Avoid mold growth indoors with vigorous cleaning. Mold loves moist, dark, humid environments. So bathrooms, kitchens, basements and garbage pails are common breeding grounds. Strive to keep those areas as clean and dry as you can. Use antifungal sprays as an added protection, along with cleaning solutions that are known to kill mold.
- If carpet or furniture get wet, dry them as soon as possible. Slow drying, especially when the weather is hot and humid, may promote mold growth.
- Use exhaust fans to help with ventilation in humid areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. Run the fan any time the environment is humid, either because of climate or because of activities going on in the rooms, such as cooking or showering.
- Use paint with mold inhibitor. When re-painting walls or cabinets, have a mold-inhibitor added to the paint first to prevent future mold growth.
- Keep carpets and rugs out of bathrooms, basements, and kitchens. Since these areas tend to be more humid, it's best to stick with bare floors in order to keep mold growth down.
- Fix leaky plumbing. Leaks that produce standing water or wet carpets and other surfaces are the perfect environment for mold spores to grow in. So fix leaks promptly to avoid these problems.
As mentioned above, total avoidance of mold is probably not possible. So, you should also be sure to take all of your asthma controller medicine as prescribed. And keep your quick-relief inhaler close by too, just in case.
Living a life without limits may mean making some compromises in some areas, so that you can keep breathing well and staying active. But, any steps you can take now to avoid mold contact will be well worth it in the long run.
Sources:
"Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma." NHLBI Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma. 28 Aug 2007. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 18 Dec. 2007. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.pdf> "Tips to remember: outdoor allergens." 2007. American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. 31 May 2008.
