Mold Found in Montevallo's Hanson Hall

by Hannah Bell

Sydney Fields found black mold beside her bed

If there’s one thing in common between residents assistant Olivia Ricks and Hanson resident Sydney Fields, it’s that they love the historic residence hall where they live. Fields says Hanson feels homey and loves the hardwood floors and central location. Ricks loves the history of the building, but history can come with a price.

Because the building is very dated, sometimes wear shows. In Fields’ room, a small hole in the wall allowed enough room for moisture to come through, soaking the edge of her bed sheets. Discovering the damp sheets led to a more pressing issue. Fields followed the trail of moisture to find a patch of black mold that was growing by the head of her bed in the corner of her room.

Fields did not hesitate to submit a work order to the physical plant. She included pictures of the damage. Employees of the physical plant arrived the next morning to clean the area and repair the hole. They also replaced filters in the air conditioning unit where more mold had grown.

“They painted my air conditioner with mold killing paint,” Fields says. “Then they came back two days later and painted it the normal color.”

Ricks says she has had several residents voice concerns about mold in their rooms.
“Last semester some girls reported that they had found mold in their room,” she says. “And within the next couple of days they were moved to a new room.” The physical plant can determine whether the problem can be fixed or whether the residents should move rooms.

Although Fields did not experience any noticeable health problems from the mold in her room, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and irritated skin or eyes can occur.