“Mold is a fact of life no matter where you live,” according to a recent article published on Army.mil. The risk of mold and mildew is greater in areas with higher precipitation – such as the Ohio Valley, which has long been home to Fort Knox Army base. And the first step to preventing the spread of mold is to take action.
Fort Knox Housing Division director Mary Ellen Correia is working to educate Military Housing Privatization Imitative (MHPI) residents about how to limit the presence of mold in the homes.
“Welcome to Kentucky and Ohio Valley,” [Correia] said. “Mold is in the environment, and as soon as you open your door, you’re letting mold spores in.”
Correia said the Knox Hills Housing office has expectations for its residents regarding mold and mildew. The first is personal responsibility.
“If a resident sees mildew or mold, they’re expected to attack it right away and clean it up at the first sighting of it,” said Correia. “If it’s beyond their capabilities, they can go to Housing and request that it be evaluated.”
Maintaining safe, quality housing is built on a strong partnership between military housing providers and the tenants living in these communities. According to Correia, “If the mold is a major issue, Knox Hills will call in a third party to come out and take care of it.” The Army encourages MHPI residents who need to report the presence of mold in their home to call their local Housing representative.