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Rainfall, moisture leading to mold problems

ATLANTA — Significant rainfall and moisture is causing major mold problems throughout the metro Atlanta area.

"We've gotten five or six phone calls daily because of the amount of rainfall we've had the past two months," said Quincy Collins, a certified mold specialist. "The grounds are very saturated and we are finding that a lot of water (is) coming through the crawl spaces through cinder blocks and foundations, causing a lot of problem."

Kristy Welch, who lives in Dallas, Ga., said she knew something was wrong immediately after moving into her rental home.

"He (my son) started having more asthma attacks. He'd been having them since we moved in," Welch told Channel 2's Rachel Stockman.

Just this week, while doing laundry, Welch said she noticed the mold, which was up to her waist, behind the washer.

"Very scary, I have a kid at home, and I was very concerned about their health," Welch said.

If you have mold, and you believe it is contained to a small area, experts said it can be treated without hiring a professional crew.

"The first thing a person should do if they think they see mold, try to find the point of entry for the moisture. If there is no moisture, there is no mold," Collins aid.

Experts said using bleach is not always an effective remedy for mold.

"What it is doing is killing the mold, but the chlorine is evaporating first and it leaves enough water for the spores to start to grow again," explained mold inspector Richard Johnson.

"Use plastic, seal it up, clean it, and then clean it with soft detergent if it's less than 10 square feet of mold," Collins said.

Not all mold problems are visible, explained Johnson.

"The three signs are if you see it, you can smell it or you have symptoms that are associated with mold growth," Johnson said.