Housing Hype – May 5, 2023

Courtesy of the Housing Office.

MOLD: A health risk in your home

The health and safety of our residents is a top concern for the KMC Housing Office. Our commitment to you is to provide our housing residents with a safe living environment. In Germany, mold can often be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. The catalyst that all mold needs is moisture. As such, you are most likely to encounter mold in damp places such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, and crawl spaces.

Identifying the presence of mold early is critical. Often, it will appear as fuzz or dust on surfaces. Even hard surfaces, such as dressers, appliances, and shelves can develop mold. Be sure to inspect vertical surfaces (walls, sides of dressers, etc.) when cleaning for mold. Also, musty odors may be an indication of mold and should be further investigated by a visual inspection. Unfortunately, and too often, mold is left unattended, and it flourishes and spreads before anything is done to remove it.

So, what can you do? Prevention is the easiest way to control mold. Limiting the amount of moisture using exhaust fans, proper ventilation and routine cleaning will greatly reduce the chances of mold.

What do I do if I have mold in my house?

If living on-base, you can call the MFH Maintenance Contractor (Vectrus 06371 463 9510). If you live off-base, you should immediately talk with your Landlord if you suspect mold growth in your home.

For more information on mold, we recommend that you go to the online link for the Environmental Protection Agency at: https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home