One serious concern that arose in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina—and, in fact, an environmental problem wherever excess moisture exists—is mold and the health problems it can cause. Allergic reactions to touching molds or breathing mold spores include runny nose, red eyes, sneezing, and dermatitis (skin rash). In addition, people with asthma may be more prone to attacks when exposed to mold. Worse, toxic mycotoxins can be produced in concentrated forms by some molds like black mold, particularly in especially damp indoor areas. These can be carcinogenic or cause central nervous system damage.

Molds are natural organisms that grow on organic materials and are fed by moisture. Outdoors, they are as much a part of nature as the trees. Mold spores too tiny to be seen drift in the air, landing on fallen leaves, soggy ground, and dead trees, where they set up little colonies. Molds thrive in a damp environment, growing and reproducing. Fortunately, most outdoor molds don’t present health problems to humans because they are not encountered in concentrated amounts.

But indoors molds can grow and become more concentrated in the ambient air. Even in houses that haven’t experienced hurricanes, flooding, and the like, molds flourish in moist, warm, insufficiently ventilated places such as crawlspaces, showers, leaky attics, and areas behind refrigerators. Plumbing leaks, sprinkler water, and flooded sewers are other sources of dampness that encourage mold growth.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), symptoms other than allergic or irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Nevertheless, if you have health concerns about symptoms that may be caused by exposure in your home, the EPA recommends calling your local or state health department. Do this before cleaning up the problem so that tests may be taken if necessary.

In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is not needed. And since no EPA or other federal limits have been set for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to check a structure’s compliance with any federal mold standards. Surface sampling may be useful to determine if an area has been adequately cleaned or remediated.

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