Can Mold Trigger Sleep Problems
When you sleep, it is important for your body to breathe as easily as possible. Otherwise, your brain has to focus harder on keeping you breathing, decreasing the quality of your sleep. As a result, people who sleep in bedrooms with mold may experience the following sleep problems:snoring refers to any sort of loud breathing during the night. Snoring may not wake you up, however, it can cause insomnia for your sleeping partner, and it is an indication that something is interfering with the quality of your sleep.
Snoring can also trigger dry mouth.
Being exposed to mold every night while you sleep can cause numerous health problems, including:trouble breathingdepressionitchy rash or hiveschildren are especially prone to mold-related illnesses. According to U.S. Centers for disease control and prevention , exposure to household mold has been linked to the development of asthma in children and to bleeding in the lungs, which can be deadly, in babies. Children normally invest even more time oversleeping their bedrooms than grownups do, so mold in the bedrooms of children is an even greater issue.
Get Your Cleaning Solution Ready
We always recommend using safe/organic items such as vinegar and baking soda.
To prepare: Mix white distilled white vinegar and water at a 50/50 ratio into a spray bottle this alone is a great mold killer, but for extra power, add a teaspoon of baking soda and shake it up well.
You can also use 3% hydrogen peroxide or borax if you do not have any vinegar and baking soda available.
How Does Mold Get In The Attic What To Do About It
Feces Buildup In the Attic
If the critters haven’t been up there for long, they won’t have left many droppings, and they will be spread out, and probably not a mold risk. But if droppings can accumulate over time, it’s more of a risk.
This special antimicrobial fogging cleaner penetrates all surfaces and breaks down and neutralizes the dangerous mold. Usually. In some cases you have to remove insulation by hand, or scrub wood.
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How Does Mold Grow On Your Window
Mold can be a black, green, or white growth that forms on the surface of objects. Mold generally needs four things to grow: moisture, food, oxygen, and warmth. It can grow on almost any type of surface, including wood, paper, carpet, food, and insulation. Mold will often grow in windows because they are usually warm and moist and often have condensation or no ventilation.
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Two: Seal Holes And Gaps
Troublesome air gaps allow pests and dust to enter your attic. Once animals settle in your crawlspace, they can cause severe structural damage and leave droppings throughout your attic. Always seal holes and gaps in your attic with a high-quality sealer to prevent dust accumulation and pest infestations.
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Mold Prevention And Solutions
One of the best ways to prevent mold is to keep your attic dry and well circulated throughout the year, and we have the tools and expertise to make it happen. We can install high quality blown in fiberglass insulation to keep your attic cool and dry in any season. This moisture-resistant insulation will prevent warm air from seeping into your attic.
We can also install a proper attic ventilation system to remove harmful, humid air effectively as well as deal with any leaks or condensation problems you may currently have. Hedrick Construction serves customers throughout Ames, Ankeny, Des Moines, and surrounding areas. If you notice sudden leaking or damage after a storm, we can help. Contact us today for more information or to request a free, no-obligation estimate.
Why Is Attic Mold Removal And Prevention Important
Moisture issues in your attic have to be resolved to avoid unnecessary problems. Mold grows in moisture and leaving it unchecked deteriorates attic sheathing and structural roof elements. Having molds in your attic means staining will become a usual phenomenon every time your attic or home is inspected. The longer you wait, the costlier it would be for mold remediation.
According to a study by the scientists of NIEHS, mold exposure has increased the risk of childhood asthma.
Even after concealing the visible mold, contamination due to mold affects the occupants and the surrounding of the structure. This is why you should consider prevention and removal of mold. While it may seem natural and unharmful. But it can cause more health issues than you think. Attic mold spores tend to spread around the house. This can affect the family even without spending more time in the attic. It spreads and that can be problematic. Several studies have proven the ill-effects of mold growth in your home. Prolonged skin rashes, chronic cough, irritation in eyes, sore throat and other such symptoms. Take precautions and measures for mold removal to keep off health risks.
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Why Does Mold Growth Occur In The Attic
Contrary to popular belief, mold doesnt actually grow within the thick layers of insulation found in most attics it can, however, grow on the surface of this insulation. How does this occur? Usually, the mold infestation actually begins somewhere else in the attic, such as within nearby cellulose-rich structural elements Mold spores then gradually drift downwards, settling on the insulation if a food source is available, the mold can then reproduce plentifully across the insulations surface.
Typically, this food source arrives in the form of dust mold can feed on the remains of dust mites quite effectively, creating something of a symbiotic food chain of allergens. All of which eventually find their way into the air of the home below.
As is the case in all areas of the home, in order for a mold infestation to begin in the attic, a source of moisture must be present. Sometimes water infiltrates via an obvious channel, such as a leak in the roofing nearby, but even if your roof is in excellent repair, its still possible for a mold infestation to flourish below. The culprit in these cases? Inadequate ventilation and/or a leak somewhere in the ventilation system that allows moisture from outside to enter the home .
No matter where the attics moisture originates from, it quickly penetrates the cellulose materials within the attic and also becomes trapped within the fibers of the insulation itself, resulting in an overall damp environment thats ideal for mold growth.
Health Concerns Before And Since The Storm
Although she was unable to attend, Assistant to the District Attorney Samantha Dooies acknowledged that several officials from the county and the NCAOC have made joint requests to address the working conditions of courthouse staff in Pender County before and since the storm.
She said that members of her staff make routine visits to the Annex courthouse.
Their health and the health of the public visiting the courthouse remains a concern for our office, Dooies said.
Craver said she brought the recent health concerns of her staff to county officials because we knew that the annex and the courthouse have both been sick buildings since long before I worked here.
I have been telling them that this was going on in the old courthouse since I came into office, Craver said.
According to Craver, the past three elected head clerks of the Pender Superior Court have been investigating health issues of employees who had worked extensively inside the courthouse.
Craver said the clerks investigations were looking into the air quality inside the courtroom, and that mold and mildew showing up in assessments were the cause of homotropal and thyroid issues.
Brown said he is not familiar with past health assessments of the courthouse, but that many buildings in the low-lying areas of the county often hold excessive moisture.
Now, Craver is concerned that her staff must make consistent trips inside the closed-off courthouse to retrieve files and perform other administrative tasks.
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Reduce The Chances Of Mold With Proper Attic Ventilation
One of the biggest causes of mold is having improper ventilation in your attic. This is intensified during the winter months when there is a significant amount of air coming in your attic versus going out. There is also a temperature variance that will create moisture buildup if not properly taken care of.
The heat leaking out of your house and into the attic combined with the already cool or cold temperatures in your attic will cause condensation. This condensation if occurring for a prolonged period of time can lead to mold growth. The worst part of all of this is that how many times a year do you go in your attic? If you are like most people very rarely. This gives the mold ample time to grow and spread. Greatly increasing the likelihood that you or your family with possibly get sick with mold poisoning.
Another important item to check is if you have a bathroom ceiling fan vent or even a dryer vent running directly into your attic. This will create and instant surge of moisture as the hot moist air is cooled by the attic air.
Another important step is to seal up any gaps around pipes or chimneys that go through your attic. This is a critical place that air can escape into your attic.
Hiring A Professional To Remove Mold
If you hire the right professional, you will obtain peace of mind for yourself and family that the job was done right, and you can regain the clean healthy air in your home that you and your family deserve. You can also breathe a sigh of relief that you do not have to worry about nasty mold impacting your health and others living with you.
And of course, you can rest easy knowing that if and when you decide to sell your home, the transaction will not be held up or killed by a previously unknown attic mold problem.
Some techniques a mold professional may utilize:
Mold killing chemicals
Professional mold remediation companies follow industry guidelines when removing attic mold. The most common type of remediation is chemical based using powerful cleaning agents to kill the mold, and then covering the attic with powerful anti-fungal sealers that will prevent mold from growing back. Chemical based mold remediation is highly effective and usually costs the least, so its the most popular option.
Abrasive blasting to remove mold
Another method thats highly effective, but usually much more expensive, is abrasive blasting. In this method, the mold professional will blast off the top layer of wood using a medium such as dry ice, soda ash, or sand. This method is very impressive, but is usually loud, expensive and requires a lot of labor hours. Therefore, this method is much less popular
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How To Test For Mold In The Attic
There are two ways of testing you can do it yourself or get a professional mold remediation company to do it for you.
If you have found mold in the attic and its in a small quantity, then you will be able to remove it yourself easily. Doing a test to determine the species may not be necessary, as your primary concern should be to remove it as soon as possible.
On the other hand, if the infestation is large, then it would be best to let the professionals take care of it. The company doing the removal would, in this case, also take care of testing to determine the type/s of mold.
There may be some cases that you strongly suspect mold being present in the attic, but cannot locate it. If this is the case, you can conduct your own airborne test to determine whether or not mold is present.
Can Mold On The Grill Make You Sick
If your grill is showing signs of mold growth, it is important to take immediate action to remove the mold and prevent it from spreading.
One option for cleaning mold off your grill is to use a commercial cleaning product specifically designed for this purpose. These products typically contain strong chemicals that are effective at eliminating even stubborn mold growth.
However, if you prefer a more natural approach, you may also want to consider using diluted vinegar or tea tree oil. These are both highly antimicrobial solutions that can help to get rid of unwanted mold without posing any side effects or risks to your health.
In addition to properly cleaning your grill after each use, there are also certain steps you can take to prevent the build-up of food particles and moisture that can lead to mold growth in the first place.
For example, it is important to allow your grill ample time between uses for air and heat to fully circulate and dry out any leftover particles from cooking. Furthermore, it may be a good idea to inspect your grill regularly for signs of wear and tear that could be allowing moisture or other particles inside where mold can thrive.
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How To Get Rid Of Mold In The Attic
Attics are an important part of our home. They serve as a storage area for many people but also as protection for the lower part of the house from the outdoor elements. Many homeowners dont go in their attic, let alone survey it to check for anything out of the ordinary.
Imagine you are up there and smell mildewchecking it out, you find mold! Mold! How can that be? Well, it is a very humid area and often goes undetected, as it is a dark space that homeowners will put stuff in storage but not walk around to check it out.
How do you get rid of mold in the attic? Use vinegar and water, alcohol, and find the source of the mold such as a roof leak. You can try to do it yourself or hire a professional. Keep in mind the attic is a very dangerous place to be and exercise caution.
Lets take a look at how the mold grows in the attic, signs of mold, how to do it yourself , and when to call in a professional.
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These Are All Symptoms Of Vertigo
The exact problem the medications are supposed to heal.
Ironic, right?
Its crazy to take a drug for diseases and then have the side effects create the exact same symptoms.
This is not made up. The above list is taken directly from WebMD.
As much as the medical system would like to cash in on costly, cutting-edge surgeries, these operations are almost always useless.
More importantly, its scary to learn how often these surgeries lead to serious hearing loss , damage to the inner ear, infection and other complications.
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How Do You Naturally Remove Mold From Attic
After completing the cleaning and drying process of your attic, there are a several steps to follow for natural treatment.
Step 1- Safety Gear
Protection is everything! Shield yourself from the toxicity of attic mold. While you work in your attic, spreading of the spores is natural. Cover yourself with the following.
- A breathing mask
Symptoms Of Mold Allergy
Some of the most common symptoms of mold allergy include hives, coughing, runny nose, itchy eyes, and fatigue. In some cases, the allergic reaction can be more serious, but most people are able to deal with the symptoms on their own. Hives are technically called urticaria, and they can cover most or all of your body. If they persist, you should contact a doctor. Your allergist may prescribe an over-the-counter antihistamine to reduce your symptoms.
Mold spores can reach the lungs, causing symptoms like hay fever. Some individuals with mold allergies have delayed symptoms, which can lead to nasal congestion and worsening of asthma. As a result, patients with mold allergies tend to experience their symptoms at times when theyre not in the room where the mold is present. However, they often have a delayed onset of symptoms and worsen as time goes on.
A physician will typically conduct a skin prick test to determine whether mold is the cause of your symptoms. They can also perform an allergen-specific IgE blood test. Typically, antihistamines are the first-line treatment for mold allergy symptoms. Decongestants are also used to control nose swelling and inflammation. A medical professional can also prescribe antihistamines if they suspect a mold allergy.
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Top Tips For Controlling Mold
It’s impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores in your home, but because mold spores can’t grow without moisture, reducing moisture in your home is the best way to prevent or eliminate mold growth. If there is already mold growing in your home, it’s important to clean up the mold and fix the problem causing dampness. If you clean up the mold but don’t fix the problem, the mold will most likely return.
Following is some advice for reducing moisture throughout the home with specific tips for the areas most prone to dampness and mold growth:
Around the house:
In the kitchen:
- Use exhaust fans to move moisture outside whenever you are cooking, washing dishes, or cleaning.
- Turn off certain appliances if you notice moisture on windows and other surfaces.
- Check for leaks around the kitchen sink, refrigerator ice makers, and other sources of water. Repair if necessary.
- Empty and clean refrigerator drip pans if necessary.
In basements and crawl spaces:
In the laundry room:
- Vent your clothes dryer to the outside.
- Make sure the vent is clear of obstructions, such as lint, and that there are no holes that leak air. If the vent duct is damaged, replace it with a metal duct. Have the duct cleaned at least once a year.
- Avoid leaving damp clothes in the laundry basket or dryer. Wash and dry them promptly.
In bathrooms:
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