What is it about ?
Damp spots in a building can be a breeding ground for germs. It can be mold, but also yeast and bacteria. All are commonly grouped under the name “mold”. Humans can come into direct contact with these molds through the skin and mucous membranes, but also by breathing air containing contaminated particles. They can also make you really sick.
What is their frequency?
Up to 1 in 2 buildings in quite a few parts of Europe have humidity problems. These problems mainly affect buildings with flat roofs.
How to recognize them?
Symptoms due to external contact are:
- Itching and redness of the skin;
- Red eyes ;
- Allergic rash (hives) (rarely).
Symptoms due to breathing (inhalation) are:
- Stuffy nose, runny nose;
- Sore throat ;
- Hoarse voice ;
- Cough accompanied by expectoration of white mucus (sometimes);
- Asthma attack (wheezing and shortness of breath);
- Otitis media;
- Bronchitis.
With prolonged exposure, you may also suffer from general symptoms such as:
- Tired ;
- Headache ;
- Muscle aches ;
- Nausea;
- Fever.
How is the diagnosis made?
If the doctor does not come to your house, he or she may not know that you have humidity problems at home, let alone at work. Tell him. Only then will he be able to check whether your symptoms are the result.
It will ask you:
- The extent of moisture damage;
- If your symptoms started at the same time as the humidity problems;
- If other people living under the same roof have the same symptoms;
- If the humidity problem affects your home or workplace; …
It will also take into account pre-existing conditions such as asthma and allergies, as well as your possible smoking behavior.
He will examine you. If he suspects a mold allergy, he will refer you to a specialist for skin tests.
What can you do ?
If you believe that moisture damage is responsible for your health problems, it is important to describe the moisture problem well – note where the wet spots are, how extensive they are, and what color they are. Take a picture of them. Try to determine if your symptoms started when the wet spots appeared. Dust and cigarette smoke can make symptoms worse. We therefore advise you to stop smoking.
You can contact the municipal administration, municipal employees in charge of housing, regional officials of the housing and environment administration, the general practitioner or other health professionals. They can upload a reasoned request to the competent environmental medical experts for your Region. On the basis of a duly and fully completed request, including all the relevant medical data, the environmental medical expert will decide whether a site visit is necessary. On the basis of this report and a reasoned request, the public health control service will decide on the need for measurements.
This type of indoor environmental quality control can be performed for both homes and public buildings such as schools.
You can also request the document “Reasoned request for an assessment of indoor air quality” from the Environment-Health Service of the SPW.
If you are not an owner but a tenant in your home, let your landlord know about moisture and mold problems. If the damage is not repaired or if the situation turns into conflict, you can in some municipalities request an assessment of your home. A municipal employee will come to your home with a technical inspector from the regional department in charge of housing. A technical report will then be drawn up and a score will be assigned to your home. If the score is high, the house may be declared unsanitary. The websites below will give you more information on what to do next.
What can your doctor do?
The doctor can submit a request for an assessment of indoor air quality as described above or directly to the Environment-Health Service of the SPW.
The doctor will treat illness resulting from exposure to molds. In case of itchy skin, you will be given a cortisone cream and, if necessary, an anti-allergic. Eye irritation can be relieved with eye drops. In the case of common respiratory tract infections, the doctor will prescribe drugs that reduce the symptoms. In the presence of signs of asthma, the doctor most often prescribes inhalers (puffs). You should only take antibiotics if you have an established bacterial infection and secondary infections.
Want to know more?
- Allergological assessment (patch tests or prick tests), here, Where to find on this page of Cliniques St Luc UCL
- The skin allergy test explained to children and in pictures – plaster
Are you looking for more specialized help?
- Smoking Assistance Center (CAF®) – FARES – Respiratory Affections Fund
- Tobacco specialists – FARES – Respiratory Affections Fund