Household mold is certainly an unsightly nuisance, but how bad is it for your health? I looked into the question for the Washington Post. Experts say allergic responses are most common. Toxic mold, on the other hand, is more myth than truth -- at least in terms of inhaling invisible spores and becoming severely ill.

The issue is relevant to those states that suffered Superstorm Sandy's exceptional storm surge, which resulted in many flooded homes. I share some revealing reports from the CDC after Hurricane Katrina and from the Institute of Medicine about the health effects of damp places.