Moving in the Tropics with Asian Tigers Hong Kong GM - YB

Host: Welcome back to the Global Move brought to you by Asian Tigers Group. I’m your host. And today we’re diving into a topic that’s becoming increasingly relevant for many people moving from or to tropical climates. The challenge of mold. With us to explore this issue is YB, General Manager for Asian Tigers Group in Hong Kong. Welcome, YB.

YB: Well thank you. I’m happy to be here to talk about a topic that is a common problem, but seldom discussed until it becomes a real problem.

Host: Yeah, mold is a sneaky issue. We’ve seen an increase in mold incidents and shipments lately, too. So YB, can you tell us why is this happening?

YB: There are a few possibilities. The first is that, we are seeing more shipments that are coming up from the tropics. Obviously, tropics is hot and humid. And the other thing is that, lately, we are also seeing a lot of shipments timing that has been lengthened. This is due to the shipment delays. That is, really rather commonplace in the recent months. And then finally it also could be climate change. You see, air has this special property: the higher the temperature, the ability of air to hold moisture goes up. So more temperature, higher temperature, more moisture, just perfect for mold.

Host: So it’s, so it’s heat and humidity. But but where does the mold come from?

YB: Good question, there is this misconception that mold is actually introduced into the box during transit. But the reality is this, most molds are everywhere. That’s to say that when we pack those boxes the mold spores are already actually on the goods already. So all it takes is the right conditions. Okay. As you know, the high temperatures and the moisture, for the mold spores to sprout.

Host: Okay. So, I mean, that’s makes sense why people say to use silica gel or air conditioned storage to prevent the mold. But but does that always work?

YB: Yes and no. Well, you are actually looking at one side of the equation now, air conditioning addresses the issue of temperature, but it does not address the issue of moisture. Yes, silica gel absorbs moisture. But if your goods are laden with moisture, there’s only so much the silica gel can do. One interesting thing about mold is that mold is not a plant. Mold is a fungus. So the difference between a plant and a fungus is that a plant requires, light, you know, it requires carbon dioxide, water to manufacture new plants, but mold doesn’t. It just depends on the host of the plant, – I’m sorry – for the food.

Host: It’s an important distinction. So, so what can our listeners, who are getting ready for an international move, what can they do to minimize the risk of mold?

YB: It’s very important to keep things clean and dry. That’s to say that if you are shipping clothing storage, that most people will be. Make sure that the clothes are dry and, wash and probably dry before the packing. You have wooden furniture, you have leather sofas. Make sure that, you know, you give them a good wipe down.

Outdoor furniture: those that are exposed to the elements. Bring them in. So that they can dry out in the, inside the apartment. You have appliances that may have contained water. A good example will be refrigerators. Washers. Keep the inside clean.

And also make sure that the inside is properly dried out. You want to do this actually days ahead, right? Especially if you are doing this during the rainy seasons. You really want to put many days, between this preparation and the packing.

If you have access to mechanical means, things like, you know, fans, you’ve got air conditioners, by all means, use them to dry the inside of your apartment or house. This actually helps a lot in the, drying process.

Host: That’s solid advice. So cleaning and drying seem to be the key steps here.

YB: That’s correct. In fact, the whole idea is actually to create this environment which is not friendly to, you know, those nasty guys. Remember one thing, the, when you have a leather sofa, a leather sofa is actually very yummy to mold.

But leather sofas with body oil, that’s very, very yummy, to mold.

Host: Thanks, YB. This has been incredibly enlightening and, keeping mold at bay is super important for a successful move, especially when you’re coming and going from the tropics.

YB: Thank you. Happy to share any.