Rain and mold making its way inside homes

After constant days and nights of heavy rain across Mid-Missouri, some roofs and gutters may be letting rain water get inside houses.

“For a good roof, there’s no problems and it continues to shed water,” said Jim Pellock, President of Premiere Construction Services in Columbia. “Sometimes weak roofs can be opened up and exposed by this much saturation of rain.”

Cindy Rose, a Family Practitioner with University of Missouri Healthcare, said it takes just a small amount of water for mold to form.

“If you think of in your bathroom or in your kitchen, even just that little bit of water that’s left around the sink or in the tub, that grows mold,” she said. “So even the smallest amount if left there for a long period of time is going to cause mold to start growing.”

Mold spores can cause serious health problems for those living inside the home, especially those with weakened immune systems and those with asthma.

“You could have some respiratory issues, because you could breathe in the mold spores which then wind up in your lungs, and you could get an infection from that,” said Rose. “There are also going to be skin issues that could be related to it.”

Rose said symptoms of being around mold may include coughing, nasal congestion and fatigue.

“A lot of people when they go to work or outside they feel better, but when they come home they start having these symptoms,” she said.

Roofing contractors recommend a self-inspection to check for cracks in walls and windows inside your home. Pellock also said cleaning out your gutters where debris may have collected will help keep water out.

“If the gutters spilling over that’s going to run down the side of the house and maybe find a hole in the window where caulking has given away,” Pellock said.

The CDC recommends using a simple bleach and water solution to clean up small amounts of mold.