ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- With increasing humidity and temperatures, spring and summer at Robins means prime conditions for mold growth.  

Molds can be found almost everywhere. Mold grows rapidly indoors when coming in contact with building materials that have sufficient moisture to support growth. 

The typical conditions leading to mold growth in buildings include inadequate moisture control, deficient ventilation systems, poor housekeeping, chronic water intrusion and isolated floods, such as from a burst water pipe. 

There's no practical way to eliminate all mold in the indoor environment. The best preventive measure to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture and ensure good housekeeping.  

If you observe mold in your facility, you can safely clean it by spraying it with any cleaner that contains bleach. Let the cleaner soak in for a minute before wiping it up. 

Alternatively, contact your facility manager so they can have it cleaned and inspect the facility for water intrusion.  

Air Force policy dictates that facility managers must clean and correct any small mold problems or water damage within their capability, such as replacing ceiling tiles with minor water damage promptly after ensuring civil engineering has fixed any leaks and caulked any foundation cracks.  

If mold contamination or water damage exceeds the building manager's abilities, the manager will contact the 78th Civil Engineering Squadron Customer Service Center to request an AF Form 332 work order.

One last thing. You may have heard of the dreaded black mold.   It's a very specific mold variety and rarely found. You may believe you have it, but it's far more likely you have one of the other 20,000 varieties that are just annoying.  

So remember, if mold is a problem in your facility, have your facility manager check for humidity-contributing factors. 

High humidity is unhealthy and creates breeding grounds for mold. If you see it, clean it. Don't be afraid of mold, it's rarely a health concern.

What to know: Molds are part of the natural environment, and can be found everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Mold is not usually a problem, unless it begins growing indoors. The best way to control mold growth is to control moisture. For more information about mold control and prevention, visit epa.gov/mold/preventionandcontrol.html or the Bioenvironmental Engineering SharePoint Indoor Air Quality Section, at https://org.eis.afmc.af.mil/sites/78abw/mdg/BIO/default.aspx.