“If you l ove yo u r wo rk , i f
you en j oy i t, yo u ’re a l rea d y
a success.”
– J a c k Ca nfi e l d
HEALTHY, WEALTHY & WISE
SEPTEMBER 2013
In This Issue
}} Mold... What’s the Big
Deal?
}} Did You Know: Coupons
}} Easing Your Financial
Stress
}} Does Working Longer Help
Your Brain?
}} Recipe: Red Potato Salad
}} Good Clean Funnies and
Quick Tips
National
Grandparents
Day is
MOLD...
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
“Black Mold Forces Family to Move”… “The
Hidden Dangers of Toxic Mold”… “Is Your
House Making You Sick?” Headlines like these
are used to shine a spotlight on the health
risks associated with mold. Naturally, the more
extreme stories get the most interest. But is
mold really as bad as they say? Where does it
come from? How can you prevent it?
In 2004, the Institute of Medicine found
sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to
mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms
including coughing, sneezing and wheezing
in otherwise healthy individuals. People
with asthma and allergies often see a marked
increase in the incidence and severity of
their symptoms. Those with compromised or
underdeveloped immune systems can suffer
from serious infections caused by mold.
ABC CLEANING
555.123.4567
www.abccleaning.com
Mold needs 3 things to grow: The right
environment, a food source, and moisture.
High humidity is one contributing factor. A
relative humidity (RH) range is between 30%
and 50% is required for human health and
comfort. Once the RH rises above 60%, mold
growth is encouraged. If RH remains high for
extended periods of days, weeks or longer,
some mold species can thrive on surfaces that
are not even wet. Controlling humidity and
ventilation in your bathroom, laundry area,
basement or crawl space is the best way to
prevent mold in these areas.
Indoor mold flourishes from 65°F to 85°F.
Mold grows more easily where air is still or
stagnant. That’s why it is usually found behind
cabinets, inside walls or in poorly ventilated,
damp crawl spaces and basements.
Non-living organic matter like wood, paper,
dust and lint, leather, many fabrics and even
wool rugs can become a food source for mold.
This can cause destructive damage to these
materials as the mold uses enzymes to break
down organic matter into simpler compounds
it can digest.
See “Mold” on next page }