What about Mold, Mildew and Allergens in Schools?
The Solution: Clean and Dry

Contact: CRI Communications Department, 706.428.2103

The issue of mold and mildew in schools has become national in scope with many schools closings for massive cleanings or closings for extended times to resolve terrible air quality. Children are definitely at risk for reactions when there is extra moisture and dirt in a school building, which may promote mold, mildew and excessive allergens. Believe it or not, the carpet industry has been addressing this issue head on with scientific studies and by providing solutions from academia for the problems surfacing in many schools.

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), the Dalton, Georgia based industry trade association, has been challenged in recent years with a false public perception about carpet in schools that is based on myth and incorrect facts.   The industry has done due diligence in research with in-depth scientific studies about carpet's role in indoor air quality in order to answer the challenges presented about several issues, including emissions and biological issues (mold, mildew and allergens).  What you will read here may challenge the conventional wisdom and some may be skeptical. But we know that we must challenge this wrong-headed thinking since our children are put at risk when bad decisions are made based on misperceptions.

Emissions were found to be insignificant in air quality; however, the industry provides a testing program that helps with the selection of tested products - carpet, cushion and adhesives -- that have very low emissions and odors.

Concerning allergens of all types, the perception is that carpet can become a problem because of its innate ability to hold these materials - dust, mite allergen, molds, and pet allergens.  The real truth is that this very unique, positive feature of carpet - its filter-like ability to contain allergens  -- is a value that no other floor covering can claim.  Just think about the value of being able to vacuum up - with a good vacuum cleaner - all the materials that fall on the carpet.  Those allergens can be taken out of the building instead of re-circulating in the air continually from the patter of the many feet of students.  Refreshing the filter can be as easy as scheduled vacuuming and periodic extraction cleanings that actually help to clean the entire indoor environment.

In some areas of the country, parents and teachers have discovered excessive mold and mildew of books, ceiling tiles, upholstery, carpet, and in air conditioning vents and air in-takes for heat and air systems. In some places, such as Ridgefield, Connecticut, a group of frightened parents demanded that the carpet that showed mold be removed. Of course, the moldy carpet was only a manifestation of a much larger problem a leaky roof, un-repaired leaks from plumbing, air intakes that had seldom been cleaned and humidity in the building that would rival that of the air during a summer rain. Instead of addressing the source of the real problems, they removed that one product, leaving their children without the value of carpet in classrooms and still left the children at risk because the real cause of the bad air quality and biological contamination problems in the school was NOT addressed.

Other examples of a perceived negative effect occurred in such diverse places as the Bronx, New York and Sweden. Dr. Scott Schroeder, a pediatrician in the Bronx, noted that carpet was removed in the Bronx school system and that it had no impact on the increase of asthma in the students there. Also, based on statistics published by the Swedish Statistical Central Bureau, two professors pointed out that, while the use of carpet in Sweden had steadily decreased since 1975 following the removal of carpet in public facilities, the occurrences of allergic reactions in the general population had increased, and therefore, the removal and decline of carpet usage did not mean improved conditions for allergic patients. Furthermore, the patients missed the advantages of carpet, such as comfort, noise reduction, safety and insulation.

To provide the other side of the coin, some schools are doing everything they can to make the learning environment positive. In Washington, D. C., the Charles Young School, located in a low-economic portion of the city was given the opportunity to be a pilot for correcting all the results of years of deferred maintenance, which was poor air quality. An EPA grant and the participation of the carpet industry afforded them the ability to repair all the water sources standing water underneath, roof leaks, plumbing problems. In addition, surfaces were cleaned of dirt and mold, the HVAC system was corrected and upgraded, new windows added, and existing carpet replaced with new, upbeat and colorful patterns. The result was improved student test scores as compared with other district schools, increased annual student attendance numbers (from 91.6 percent to 93.5 percent), and a higher teacher retention rate than other district schools. These positive, over-all teacher, student, visual and air quality changes are now a model for other schools in the district.

The Solution: Clean and Dry When air quality or mold and mildew are found, the appropriate steps are to 1) fix the sources of any excess moisture and address the excess humidity and 2) be sure the building and all surfaces are properly cleaned or replaced with new ones and that a continued maintenance is followed. With those steps accomplished, any wall, ceiling or floor covering can be used for its own benefits, whether it is for acoustics, insulation or simply adding beauty to the building.

The quality of the vacuum cleaner used is of utmost importance. The Carpet and Rug Institute has gone a giant step forward in helping with the removal of allergens from homes, workplaces and schools by creating a testing program that identifies vacuum cleaners that meet specific criteria. To be approved the vacuum must do a good job of removing soil from floor coverings, keeping that dirt and dust inside the filter bag and the machine, and keeping the floor covering looking good. A green-labeled vacuum cleaner should be chosen for every school and home to assure that dust and allergens can be taken out of the environment. The listing of approved vacuum cleaners appears on the CRI web site, www.carpet-rug.org or can be obtained from CRIs technical specialists at 800.882.8846.

Carpet has been confirmed to be a valuable asset for the learning environment in many schools across the nation. Results of the Ideal Learning Environment Study, a national survey of public school teachers conducted by a research firm in Atlanta and sponsored by the International Interior Design Association and the CRI, indicate that 80 percent of teachers surveyed across the country and from all grade levels realize that a well-designed classroom enhances their ability to teach and their students ability to learn. Safety, comfort, lighting and acoustics top the list of design features that count. Minimizing the risk of accidents, comfortable seating and workspaces, and a quiet environment with good acoustics scored very high as strong impacts on student learning and achievement. Of course, carpet is a great asset in minimizing slips and falls of constantly active school children. And with carpet, when falls do occur, the injuries are fewer. Teachers and staff value its comfort for walking and standing and especially young children utilize carpet for extending the learning space.

We know that pre-school and kindergarten students spend lots of time on the floor. Studies indicate that the issue of hand to mouth transfer of dirt is lessened with carpet. (Study states that only one percent is available for transfer to mouth.) What is embedded in carpet is difficult to transfer while grit and dirt on a hard surface transfers easily.

Even with all the benefits known about carpet, some are concerned about the process of keeping it clean. Data now shows that carpet is much easier to keep clean with simple vacuuming and periodic extraction cleanings and it is also much less costly from a time and labor standpoint. (The data shows that the proper maintenance of carpet is thirty percent less than maintenance of VCT per school year per square foot.) This data, and information about the methods and schedules of cleanings are available from the Carpet and Rug Institute.

When addressing the air quality of schools, lets be reasonable and direct in finding the sources of the problems first, rectifying problems, and then providing the very best learning environments for our children. Remember, Clean and Dry is the Answer.

Comfortable, quiet, clean and safe schools should include carpet in many parts of schools and pre-schools for adding a sense of pride in non-institutional-looking school rooms and can boost a childs morale (and the teachers) for more productive learning. Lets not throw out carpets values based on myths and incorrect facts!

December 2001