Home is where people spend the majority of their time. Most people occupy their residences for up to 16 hours each day, making a safe environment a priority. When spring mould latches onto indoor surfaces, the surroundings become a breeding ground for all sorts of illnesses that affect breathing. Springtime is an opportune time for moulds to flourish. The last of winter’s snows melt away, and the spring showers add plenty of moisture to the environment. Since mould feeds on both oxygen and moisture-rich spaces, the dampness inside a home makes it a haven for spring mould growth. Thousands of mould varieties grow in the typical Canadian home. Five of the most common indoor molds are Cladosporium (triggers asthmatic symptoms), Penicillium (causes allergies and asthma), Alternaria (causes allergies), Aspergillus (can provoke lung infections) and Stachybotrys (can cause severe breathing complications). Mould spores are microscopic and therefore can be inhaled easily. The health co...

Spring is on the way! And the warmer temperatures provide the perfect conditions for melting snow on lawns and driveways. As much as we are jumping for joy for this, hiding beneath larger piles of snow is a less than welcome sign of spring – a fungus called snow mould. Spores from the mould can cause sneezing, wheezing, itchy eyes and, in more severe cases, trouble breathing. Spores are the reproductive cells of the mould. It’s something that comes around every year. It likes the cold. It thrives in the zero-to-seven-degrees temperature range and it likes environments where there is plenty of organic material. The trick is to get the snow to melt quickly. As soon as the snow is exposed to good temperatures, the mould doesn’t survive. Snow mould spores are not in the snow but grow in the moist soil underneath. Once the snow melts, the mould leaves circular grey or pink patches of unhealthy looking grass. But by that point, the spores have escaped into the air. Is snow mould pr...