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A mother living in a damp house is afraid of what might happen. winter after he claims outbreak The mold caused her son to suffer from chest discomfort and meant he was unable to walk across the living room without stopping to breathe.
Tracy Manley, 59, has lived in her home for 27 years, but she discovered she had a mold problem about three years ago.
He said it started with moisture all around windows That was before she noticed that things kept in the airing cupboard in her son’s bedroom were getting wet.
Ms Manley, who is unemployed, receives Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and rents a semi-detached Home From bristol councilShe decided to empty the cupboard, but believes doing so caused damage to the cupboard, which could impact the health of her 31-year-old son, the person said on condition of anonymity,
“When we removed the bedding last winter, he became ill and had to take antibiotics,” Ms Manley said. Independent,
“There were rattles in his chest. We went to the doctors and at first, they said it was clear, but then he started having trouble breathing.”
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Ms Manley said: “He couldn’t walk across the living room without stopping to breathe. It was a serious chest infection, and it was really bad. The doctor put him on a course of antibiotics for about 10 days.”
“It was a case of when it (the mold) was disturbed that was the problem. You were disturbing the mold and then breathing in that mess.
“It was a little scary – we hadn’t considered that possibility.”
Photos of her home taken last winter that Ms Manley shared Independent Look for mold spots around windows, on ceilings, and in air closets. He said he tried treating it with chemicals but could only keep the problem at bay.
On dealing with it, he said: “You’re always told to open windows and ventilate – we tried it, we tried diffusers, dehumidifiers.
“We left the vents open, but it was a case of dealing with it, cleaning it, but it was still coming back. That’s the problem, it seems to be an ongoing thing in older houses.”
there was also Health There is concern for Ms Manley, who was diagnosed with throat cancer last year and was undergoing chemotherapy when the fungus was causing a problem.
“I was worried about my health and it took a mental toll,” she said.
“My own immune system is low and I am on a course of chemotherapy. After my cancer diagnosis last year, I was on a very strong course of chemotherapy.”
“It was hard to stay positive – it was having a detrimental effect on my mental health.”
Ms Manley is not alone in dealing with such problems – campaign group Health Equals has warned that more than eight million people in the UK live in cold homes.
New research by the group found that 28 per cent of people in the UK live in homes with problems such as damp, mold or cold, which can lead to health conditions.
Research from Health Equals found that a quarter of people living in a cold home experience respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, flu and pneumonia, while more than a third report mental health effects including depression and anxiety.
Ms Manley is worried about what might happen this winter. He said the council responded to his requests for help and addressed the mold first, but he believes this did not address the root causes of the damp.
She said: “There is still humidity in my kitchen and I am worried about my son’s chest problem this winter, as well as my own health.
“They’ve checked in the loft, they’ve checked the guttering, and they say there’s no problem, so it’ll be dealt with as soon as it comes up.
“It’s worth keeping an eye on it over the winter and seeing how it will progress, but you’re worried you’re going to bother it again.
“You have to clean it up, but you’re worried about making it worse for yourself. Then it gets dispersed into the air.”
Responding to Ms Manley’s position, Councilor Barry Parsons, chairman of Bristol Council’s homes and housing delivery committee, said: “Our priority is to ensure that all council homes are safe, warm, well maintained and meet the standards required of us as a social landlord.
“Since our self-referral to the regulator of social housing, we have been working hard to improve the way we manage and maintain our housing stock. Significant progress has already been made; since August, the number of open damp and mold cases has fallen significantly. However, we recognize that our homes still need to do more to ensure they meet tenants’ standards. We are continuing to improve the safety and quality of our homes, with a strong focus on tackling damp and mould. Will continue to invest.
“Every report of damp or mold is taken seriously and responded to within 10 working days. We encourage any of our tenants experiencing these issues to contact us so we can investigate and provide assistance.”
Independent It is understood that council officers visited the property last week to inspect and remedy the problems.