Question: My question regards how long mould symptoms typically last. I have found what appears to be a mould growing on my window. It is gooey in texture and clear in colour. The window is often wet with condensation to the point it drips down continually for hours on end.

I am not sure if the jelly like characteristic of the mould is because of the water or because that is it’s composition. Recently the mould was disturbed by somebody in our room (they opened the window). My wife had just left the room for a while with our infant daughter (10 months) for medical reasons as this person had to come in. When she came back into the room fifteen minutes or so passed when her nose started running. Being allergic to mould she immediately told me it had been disturbed and she could smell it. She now has had for the last four days what appears to be cold like symptoms. Are these mould symptoms? What should we do? How long do mould symptoms typically last? Does my description of the mould sound at all like anything particularly dangerous? Would this be a danger to our daughter? We don’t actually have anywhere else we could live so this is important to us how we handle it. Could putting plastic window covering that seals with heat keep it from the room or would it disturb it too much? It wasn’t here in the summer but seems to have happened from the washing that we’ve hung in the room drying without any ventilation. We’re concerned for our daughter so if you could let us know asap we’d so appreciate it. As I said, we live in this room and she is in the room nearly 24 hours every day. Thank you for your time.

Answer: I haven’t found any scientific literacy that documents how long mould symptoms last. In my opinion, this could depend on the extent of damage the mould had done on an individual’s health or immune system. The extent of damage will depend on an individual’s resistant to mould exposure. Some people experience mould symptoms only when they are in a mouldy environment.

From the description you’ve given, it’s difficult to tell what type of mould it is and whether it’s dangerous or not. However, all moulds are potentially a health hazard.

Covering the mould with plastic is not a good solution since spores could still find their way into the air you’re breathing. You’ve already identified the cause of the mould growth on the window, that is, condensation due to poor ventilation and the washing that you’ve been hanging in the room.  The solution is to correct the moisture problem and to clean the existing mould. I would suggest you look for a qualified professional who could advise you on how to improve the ventilation, reduce condensation, and also how to remove the mould without spreading spores in the room. Read “ Mold Removal Guidelines ” to learn more about mould removal.

After mould removal the mould symptoms your family is experiencing are likely to disappear.