Local warns of dangers of damp and mould in the home
A concerned Fermoy local has highlighted the dangers of household mould, having lived for 5 years in a rental property which he claims was ‘infested with mould’.
The man told TheAvondhu that when first viewing the house in Fermoy in the summer of 2015, the property had been freshly painted and he had not detected any signs of mould at the time.
“It started happening within six months of living there, spots of mould started coming out through the walls. There was always a musty smell when you go through the front door.
“We were very stuck at the time, there was a housing and renting crisis in Fermoy. We never got a surveyor out to look at the house because we were only meant to be there for a month, it was meant to be short term,” the man claimed.
While the man acknowledged that the house was old, he claims that having conferred with neighbours who were not experiencing similar issues, he believed the house to have been badly insulated.
According to the man, he and his family have since experienced a host of medical issues which he attributes to exposure to the mould within the house.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to moulds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes or skin. For people with allergies to moulds or asthma, the CDC states that more intense reactions can occur.
‘FRIGHTENED THE LIFE OUT OF US’
The man’s partner and his daughter have allegedly developed severe allergies due to the mould, with his daughter experiencing a ‘constant tickle’ at the back of her throat and persistent ‘snuffles’.
“I got bad bronchitis two years ago and I spent eight weeks recovering. I had a very bad chest and my lungs were full of phlegm. All of us have struggled health-wise because of the dampness and the mould,” he said.
According to the Fermoy local, his daughter remains on medication due to allergies that she has developed. In 2017, the youngest of the three children was rushed to A&E with bronchitis after a SouthDoc appointment highlighted the danger of the child’s illness.
“The SouthDoc said it was very dangerous especially with young kids, it frightened the life out of us. All of us had worsened health because of the mould and the dampness, it was more than just a coincidence, it’s dangerous living with it,” the man said.
Despite allegedly appealing to the landlord about the situation several times, the main claims the issue was never resolved.
Now living elsewhere in Fermoy, the man says that he and his family’s situation has improved, but insists they are still suffering the consequences of living with mould for such a long period of time.
He is now warning people of the dangers of living with black mould and the serious health consequences that can result from it.