A hotter, wetter South is becoming a breeding ground for mold

Mold is a silent menace that can wreak havoc on homes and health, as Regina knows all too well. Her battle with mold in her Asheville apartment is a harrowing tale of the dangers lurking in aging rental housing throughout the Southeast.

Regina’s nightmare began after her dishwasher flooded her apartment, leading to a persistent infestation of mold spores. The problem only worsened after Hurricane Helene, when rainwater seeped into her son’s bedroom through gaps in the window frame. Despite her best efforts to scrub away the mold, it kept coming back, causing allergic reactions in her son and keeping her up at night.

The Evergreen Ridge Apartments, where Regina lived, is a nearly century-old complex that once housed a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Tenants in the complex, many of whom are elderly, disabled, or have young children, have reported widespread issues with leaky pipes and water damage. The aftermath of Hurricane Helene only exacerbated these problems, with over 12 inches of rain pouring through windowsills and causing black, crumbling walls and sagging ceilings.

The property manager at the complex declined to comment, and the owner, Shadow Ridge Associates, did not respond to requests for comment. Mold, a type of fungi that thrives in moist, warm conditions, is becoming harder to avoid and eliminate in the wake of climate change impacts such as heavier precipitation, frequent flooding, and increased heat and humidity.

Despite its prevalence, mold is a poorly studied public health issue that is expensive to fix and often overlooked in building codes and housing regulations. As mold’s ideal conditions become more common, it remains a gray area in public knowledge and policy.

Regina’s health concerns eventually led her to break her lease and find a new place to live. While she is spending more than she would like on rent, the peace of mind of living in a mold-free environment is priceless to her.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Duke University scientists saw an opportunity to study mold and fill some of the gaps in our understanding of its impacts. This research could shed light on the dangers of mold and help inform better policies and practices to protect residents from its harmful effects. The Duke Climate and Fungi Research Group, also known as CLIF, recently conducted a research study in Black Mountain, North Carolina, a small town outside of Asheville. The team went through flooded buildings, collecting air samples and scraping residue from walls that had been affected by floodwaters reaching 27 feet. The mist left behind by the floodwaters settled into homes and workplaces, leading residents to report headaches, coughing, and respiratory problems.

After a flood, common indoor molds like penicillium or aspergillus are often encountered by researchers. However, there are countless species of molds, each with varying impacts on human health. These organisms produce a range of chemicals, including mycotoxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can affect the human body, particularly the lungs, liver, and kidneys. While mycotoxins remain stable in the environment, VOCs disappear quickly, making them less studied but equally harmful.

The effects of mold on individuals depend on factors such as the species present, the amount of mold, ventilation in the space, and the individual’s preexisting health conditions. For healthy adults, mold may cause mild symptoms, but for children, older adults, and those with respiratory issues or compromised immune systems, mold-related irritation and infection can be serious and persistent.

Asiya Gusa, a microbiologist at Duke University working with the CLIF team, emphasized the importance of understanding how substances produced by fungi can worsen symptoms in individuals with chronic respiratory illnesses or asthma. The team is taking a multidisciplinary approach, including engineers and architectural experts, to fully understand the impact of flooding, building conditions, fungal growth, and human health.

In their study in Black Mountain, the CLIF team identified 65 species of fungi, ranging from common varieties like aspergillus to more mycotoxic examples like Penicillium citrinum. The next step is to determine if these species pose a threat to human health when they grow on different building materials and if they are resistant to antifungal drugs used to treat diseases.

Gusa highlighted the importance of studying the effects of climate change on mold propagation and its implications for human health. As temperatures rise, fungi like cryptococcus are adapting by changing their DNA, making them more resilient and potentially more harmful to humans. Translating these findings into public health guidance will be a challenge, as the specific health effects of different molds under various conditions remain difficult to pinpoint.

Tracking mold-related health impacts is challenging due to the nonspecific symptoms it causes, such as itching, sneezing, and coughing. Virginia Guidry of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services explained that mold exacerbates preexisting conditions and leads to respiratory ailments, infections, allergies, and other health issues that can be hard to monitor. Health departments struggle to track mold cases because symptoms are nonspecific and often do not prompt individuals to seek medical attention.

Residents of Evergreen Ridge Apartments in Black Mountain have reported persistent sinus problems and respiratory symptoms, highlighting the need for further research and public health interventions to address the complex relationship between mold exposure and human health. Those who can afford to move have. But in a state like North Carolina, where legal protections for renters are limited and affordable housing is scarce, many people have nowhere else to go. One Evergreen resident, Dana, said she wakes up every morning with congestion, something she began experiencing after moving in three years ago. It started occurring nightly after Helene, and she regularly coughs up mucus each morning.

“I don’t want to have to wake up every day like that,” said Dana, who asked that her real name not be used for fear of repercussions from her landlord.

Asheville remediation expert Dylan Hunt, who works for a company called Green Home Solutions, has seen extreme weather cause an explosion of household mold. After Helene, he saw black mold appear in places it hadn’t before. Even minor flooding can trigger growth within 24 to 48 hours if it isn’t cleaned up immediately — and when water damage goes unnoticed, mold can continue spreading for months. Depending on how much water a home takes on and how humid it stays inside, spores can spread throughout an entire house within weeks, turning what might have been a small cleanup into a much larger problem.

The crisis grew worse over the summer. The region saw a long stretch of hot, humid weather, including Asheville’s hottest July on record (tied with the summer of 1993). Homes that hadn’t experienced flooding started smelling musty, and Hunt’s phone began ringing with complaints of damaged furniture, headaches, and coughs. Drainage pathways shifted after Helene, changing how water moves through the area. Now even light rain can cause water intrusion in some homes.

“Water’s hitting homes in places where it hasn’t hit before,” Hunt said. “A lot of homes, especially the lower levels of homes, will just erupt in a coating of white, fuzzy mold.” Because the damage isn’t always immediate or visible, some people wait months to respond. By then, what might have been a $5,000 cleanup might have grown into a $30,000 remediation project — a frightful amount of money, especially when insurance isn’t always an option. Most companies won’t cover the problem unless it’s the result of a “covered peril” like a burst pipe.

Despite mounting costs and health concerns, mold remains largely unregulated. The EPA does not have an exposure limit, so there’s no federal support for mold testing. Instead, states are left to decide how seriously to take the problem — with about 15 setting their own standards.

That lack of oversight can leave renters with few options. For some, it can even mean starting over. When Helene flooded the three-bedroom house they rented near the French Broad River, Ginger and Amanda Simmons packed up and left. More than a year later, their search for a home has become a frustrating cycle of hope followed by doubt. Many of the rentals they have toured show signs of water damage — a particular concern because their 8-year-old daughter is sensitive to mold and has a history of respiratory problems. In several cases, a place smelled musty or affected their breathing within 20 minutes of being inside.

“I’m nervous to get a rental out here because at this point so many of these houses have had water damage,” Ginger said. “I just don’t know if the owners will disclose it, or fix it, or even know about it.”

When remediation is delayed, incomplete, or simply does not occur, tenants are often left with few options. In North Carolina, the main recourse is to request, in writing, that the property owner address the problem. Turning that into a repair is often an uphill battle, said David Bartholomew, an attorney with Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville.

Because of the high cost, property owners are sometimes reluctant to address the problem, especially in the absence of enforcement.

For renters, requesting a repair means asking a landlord to incur serious expense — and because there’s no federal mold exposure standard, not every state or municipality is ready to back renters up when that happens.

Bartholomew guessed that there are “easily thousands of people” in Western North Carolina who have had mold issues exacerbated by Helene. Since last spring, he’s seen a 35 percent increase in mold-related legal cases from residents throughout the region. The lack of state and city laws overseeing mold places a heavier burden on tenants seeking remediation, he said.

Tenants must show that a landlord has a duty to rectify the problem, and prove who is at fault, he said. They must also document harm, often with expert testimony about the type of mold involved and medical records showing health impacts and costs. “That can be difficult,” he said.

For tenants living in moldy homes, the risk has become a worry somewhere between bills, work, and life’s other demands, one that grows insidiously with time. As heavier rains and longer stretches of hot, humid weather settle into the South, that mold is becoming less an isolated household problem and more a predictable consequence of a changing climate — one advancing faster than the protections meant to keep pace with it. The world of online shopping has exploded in recent years, with more and more people turning to the internet to make their purchases. From clothing to electronics to groceries, you can now buy just about anything online with the click of a button. But with this convenience comes a host of new challenges and considerations for consumers.

One of the biggest concerns for online shoppers is the issue of security. With so much personal and financial information being shared online, it’s important to ensure that your data is safe and secure. This means using secure payment methods, such as PayPal or credit cards with fraud protection, and being cautious about the websites you visit and the information you share.

Another consideration for online shoppers is the issue of counterfeit products. With so many retailers selling goods online, it can be difficult to know whether the items you’re purchasing are genuine or fake. To avoid purchasing counterfeit goods, it’s important to stick to reputable retailers and read reviews from other customers before making a purchase.

Price comparison is another important factor for online shoppers. With so many retailers offering the same products at different prices, it’s important to shop around and compare prices before making a purchase. There are also a number of price comparison websites that can help you find the best deal on the items you’re looking for.

Despite these challenges, online shopping offers a number of benefits for consumers. One of the biggest advantages is the convenience of being able to shop from the comfort of your own home. With just a few clicks, you can order everything you need and have it delivered right to your doorstep.

Online shopping also offers a wider selection of products than traditional brick-and-mortar stores. With so many retailers operating online, you can find just about anything you’re looking for, often at a lower price than you would find in a physical store.

In conclusion, online shopping offers both benefits and challenges for consumers. By being cautious about security, avoiding counterfeit products, and comparing prices, you can make the most of the convenience and selection that online shopping has to offer. With a little research and caution, you can find great deals and enjoy the ease of shopping online. Title: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok have transformed the way we communicate, connect with others, and consume information. While social media has many positive aspects, such as enabling us to stay in touch with friends and family, share our thoughts and experiences, and discover new content, it also has a dark side that can negatively impact our mental health.

One of the main ways in which social media can affect mental health is through comparison. When scrolling through our feeds, we are bombarded with carefully curated images and posts that often depict an idealized version of people’s lives. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and low self-esteem as we compare ourselves to others and feel like we are not measuring up. Research has shown that constant exposure to these unrealistic portrayals can contribute to anxiety, depression, and body image issues.

Moreover, social media can also be a breeding ground for cyberbullying and harassment. The anonymity that the internet provides can embolden individuals to say hurtful and harmful things to others, leading to feelings of shame, embarrassment, and isolation. Cyberbullying can have devastating effects on mental health, especially for young people who are more vulnerable to online attacks.

Another significant impact of social media on mental health is the phenomenon of FOMO, or fear of missing out. Seeing our friends having fun, attending exciting events, or going on lavish vacations can make us feel like we are missing out on life’s experiences. This fear of missing out can trigger feelings of loneliness, inadequacy, and social isolation, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction with our own lives.

Furthermore, the constant barrage of information and notifications from social media can be overwhelming and contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety. The pressure to be constantly connected and available can lead to burnout and fatigue, as we struggle to keep up with the demands of maintaining an active online presence.

Despite the negative impact that social media can have on mental health, there are ways to mitigate its effects. Setting boundaries around our social media use, such as limiting the amount of time we spend on these platforms, unfollowing accounts that make us feel bad about ourselves, and prioritizing real-life interactions with friends and loved ones, can help protect our mental well-being.

In conclusion, while social media has revolutionized the way we communicate and interact with others, it also has a significant impact on our mental health. By being mindful of how we engage with social media and taking steps to protect ourselves from its negative effects, we can maintain a healthy balance between our online and offline lives.