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How Long do Mould Symptoms Typically Last?

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.

Mould Exposure

The best strategy to determine if building occupants are exposed to hazardous mould is to take air samples. It is important to note that even in rooms with visible mould growth air sampling may give very low spore counts. Two methods are widely used in sampling air for mould.

  1. Impacting air on some growth media. This method is used when one is interested in determining the concentration of viable mould spores/fragments in the air.
  2. Impacting air on some inert sticky surface. In this case the mould spores and other particulate are directly counted under a microscope regardless of whether the spores are viable or not.

Both methods have limitations. Therefore, whether to use the first, second or both methods depends on the type of data required, which in turn depends on the objective of the investigation.

Why Do Some People Get Sick From Mould And Others Do Not?

Why do some people get sick from mould and others do not? It is because of genetic and physiological differences. Sensitivity to mould in about 20 % of the human population is believed to be hereditary. Other factors that influence individual’s resistance to mould include age and general health status. For example, infants, the elderly and those recovering from diseases may be at risk of mould exposure even at levels that would otherwise be considered “normal”.

Susceptibility differences among individuals and the variability of moulds in their ability to cause health problems make it difficult to determine and set permissible exposure levels for indoor moulds.

How To Reduce Indoor Mould Exposure During This Winter

It is a fact that we spend most (some people say 90%) of our time indoors. During winter we probably spend more. While mould is not the only contaminant that can compromise our health, it is one of the most important ones. People who may be at risk of mould exposure during the winter include young children, the elderly, people with allergic problems or those with low immune systems following medical treatments or due to other disease conditions such as HIV AIDS.

We can reduce exposure to mould growth by reducing the spore concentrations in the air.

Steps To Reducing Indoor Mould Spore Concentrations

  • Monitor regularly for early signs of mould growth. Pay particular attention to basements, bathrooms, windowsills, ceilings, under kitchen and bathroom sinks and any other area that is likely to be damp. Damp hidden places are particularly prone to mould growth.
  • Promptly fix plumbing leaks, drain clogs, roof leaks, condensation problems or poor ventilation that can lead to mould growth.
  • Regularly vacuum clean (preferably with a HEPA vacuum cleaner) surfaces that tend to collect dust such as the floor, furniture etc. Settled dust is a reservoir not only for mould spores but also for other allergens.
  • If mould is found, refer to the following mould guidelines and call a mould specialist immediately.
  1. New York City Department of Health “Guidelines on assessment and remediation of fungi in indoor environments”. 
  2. CCA 82 – Mould Guidelines for the Canadian Construction Industry. This can be obtained at: http://www.cca-acc.com/documents/electronic/cca82/cca82.pdf
  3. Health Canada’s “Fungal Contamination in Public Buildings: Health Effects and Investigation Methods”. This document is a revision of an earlier version published by Health Canada and the Federal-Provincial Advisory Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health (CEOH) in 1995.

 

 

Do you have a mould problem? We can help. Call us at (905)290-9101.

Are Mould Related Illnesses Real Or Imagined?

Mould associated illnesses have been explained by some experts as hysteria, describing the mould situation as a hoax that begin in the 1970’s following several cases of legionellosis (Legionnaires’ Disease) caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. The media, including the internet have been blamed for highlighting claims of building related illnesses and hence fanning the hysteria. There might be some truth in this which, however, does not mean mould is harmless.

While it is true, some of the illnesses cannot be attributed to mould exposure for lack of scientific data or even by any logical reasoning, there is enough evidence, though in some cases circumstantial to support claims of mould related illnesses. Reactions of human beings from mould exposure differ from one individual to another. While majority of the population may not have problems with common indoor moulds, a certain percentage will react and show symptoms of mould related illnesses when exposed to mould.

As someone who identifies moulds, I have found myself developing an instant running nose when I inhale spores and odours of certain strains of Penicillium spp.

In my opinion, the extremists (those who attribute any imaginable illness to indoor mould exposure and those who believe mould has nothing to do with any building related illness) have not helped the public to understand the truth about mould.

Do you have a mould question? Send it to My Question.

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Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

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