How Do You Determine If You Have Black Toxic Mold
The best thing you can possibly do if you are concerned you may have mold in your home is to have a mold inspection performed.
The problem with that is:
Mold inspections can be expensive.
Well:
You cant put a price on your health.
So if you had some sort of leak in your home and have good reason to believe you have a mold problem, it would be wise to call a mold inspector to come check out your home or office.
Good news if you cant afford a mold inspection:
You can perform a half-assed mold inspection by yourself!
Im just being honest. If you are not a mold professional, it wont your best solution, but it can be effective.
Plan Of Attack To Removing Mold From Your Home
What can you do when you find a mold source in your home, what plan of action is required next? First and foremost, when you locate mold growth in your home you will want to examine the underlying cause of the mold growth, whether there was a moisture leak or what type of conditions surround the mold in the environment.
Second, you will want to call a mold remediation specialist to assist you in the removal of this mold from your homes surfaces. Often times we will try to utilize different methods of mold removal that we find online, but in reality, the best solution is having a trained professional come to your aid to ensure that proper removal occurs of this mold.
Third, eliminating the mold spores that have traveled into your air. We often dont consider that mold can compromise the quality of your homes air by collecting mold spores released from mold.
How can you eliminate these mold spores from your air? The enhanced chemical reactivity found in the EnviroKlenz Cartridge makes it ideal for removing harmful mold-generated VOCs.
The EnviroKlenz Mobile UV Air System is a portable air filtration machine that contains this enhanced chemically reactive technology that can effectively work at taking in mold spores and capturing them from your air.
How To Get Rid Of Mold Spores In Your Lungs
The first step of ridding yourself of mold spores in your lungs is to clean your environment of any and all molds.
If you cannot accomplish this, limiting your exposure is also effective.
If you suspect mold spores in your lungs, the next step is to visit your doctor to assess the seriousness of infection and exposure.
From there, your physician can prescribe you treatment to help your symptoms.
For example, there are several types of medications that may help clean out your lungs. The most popular include:
- Corticosteroids: these help to open up your airways and make coughing easier and more productive.
- Itraconazole: this antifungal medications effectiveness is still debated, but often prescribed to rid the lungs of mold.
If you develop Aspergillosis, your treatment may be more aggressive.
Anti-fungal drugs may be prescribed for a short or long period of time, depending on the degree of your symptoms and severity of the infection.
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Exposure Sources And Prevention
The primary sources of mold exposure are from the indoor air in buildings with substantial mold growth and the ingestion of food with mold growths.
While mold and related microbial agents can be found both inside and outside, specific factors can lead to significantly higher levels of these microbes, creating a potential health hazard. Several notable factors are water damage in buildings, the use of building materials which provide a suitable substrate and source of food to amplify mold growth, relative humidity, and energy-efficient building designs, which can prevent proper circulation of outside air and create a unique ecology in the built environment. A common issue with mold hazards in the household can be the placement of furniture, resulting in a lack of ventilation of the nearby wall. The simplest method of avoiding mold in a home so affected is to move the furniture in question.
Prevention of mold exposure and its ensuing health issues begins with the prevention of mold growth in the first place by avoiding a mold-supporting environment. Extensive flooding and water damage can support extensive mold growth. Following hurricanes, homes with greater flood damage, especially those with more than 3 feet of indoor flooding, demonstrated far higher levels of mold growth compared with homes with little or no flooding.
Mold Prevention Is The Key To A Healthy Environment
The saying goes better safe than sorry for a reason. Many things, including mold, can be prevented from making a harmful impact on your health by following a few simple steps. Most of them can be done on a daily basis, without interrupting any other daily habits.
First of all, fresh air is your weapon in the fight against mold. It will lower the humidity level and dry wet surfaces such as walls, windows, curtains, etc. Try to keep your windows open as often as possible, especially in rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom. In case there are no windows, or if its too cold outside, your next best weapon are air vents, and even dehumidifiers if the humidity level is extremely high.
Secondly, you have to ensure your house is clean, because dust, spoiled food, and any similar dirt are molds favorite food. Of course, it doesnt mean you should be obsessed with cleaning, but things like washing the dishes every day, cleaning the excess water after the shower and vacuuming at least once a week will do the job.
And last but not least, if mold is already present in your home, there is little you can do on your own. In that case it is best to call professionals to test and confirm the mold type after which they will give you information about the remediation process and future prevention.
If youd like to get in touch with a professional mold inspector, contact Mold Busters. We provide all-inclusive mold testing, inspection and removal services at affordable prices.
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I Heard About Toxic Molds And Black Molds That Grow In Homes And Other Buildings Should I Be Concerned About A Serious Health Risk To Me And My Family
There is always a little mold everywhere in the air and on many surfaces.
Certain molds are toxigenic, meaning they can produce toxins . Hazards presented by molds that may produce mycotoxins should be considered the same as other common molds which can grow in your house. Not all fungi produce mycotoxins and even those that do will not do so under all surface or environmental conditions.
Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors, and can smell musty. Color is not an indication of how dangerous a mold may be. Any mold should be removed and the moisture source that helped it grow should be removed.
There are very few reports that toxigenic molds found inside homes can cause unique or rare health conditions such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. These case reports are rare, and a causal link between the presence of the toxigenic mold and these conditions has not been proven.
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How Do Doctors Diagnose Mold Allergy
To diagnose an allergy to mold or fungi, the doctor will take a complete medical history. If they suspect a mold allergy, the doctor often will do skin tests or allergen specific IgE blood tests. Extracts of different types of fungi may be used to scratch or prick the skin. If there is no reaction, then you probably dont have an allergy. The doctor uses the patient’s medical history, the skin testing results and the physical exam to diagnose a mold allergy.
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Quick Tips To Check Your House For Mold
Check for hidden leaks
Remember, it is almost impossible for mold to grow if you do not have a water source.
Normally, when you have a leak, some clues may be available to the naked eye. You will want to check around all windows, doors, plumbing fixtures and dont forget to look up at the ceiling as there may also be signs present above.
Some of the indications of leak include:
- Stains on the walls
- Baseboards and crown molding pulling away from the wall
- Paint bubbling or pealing
- Discoloration on flooring
If you really want to get productive, you can get yourself a moisture meter and start checking the water content on building material yourself.
### Make Sure The Relative Humidity In Your Home Is Between 30-60%
While this may not matter much if you are in a dry section of the world
It is important to make sure that your homes relative humidity is between 30 and 60%.
If your air conditioning is functioning properly, it will be pulling enough moisture out of the air to keep the RH low.
If you have relative humidity above 60%, you may start to notice mold growing on some of your belongs including clothes, shoes, furniture, etc.
Get yourself a standard thermometer where RH is also measured. If you have higher indoor humidity, you should contact and air conditioning professional to determine if your system is working correctly.
Signs You Might Have Toxic Mold In Your Home
Seeing mold growing on an old piece of bread is creepy enough, but mold in the home is something next level. It might not be a problem you think about regularly, but if you feel like you have some weird health issues, you might be exhibiting some signs that you have toxic mold in your home. Since mold isn’t always visible or easy to spot, it’s important to know what to look out for so you can take care of any issues if you have some you don’t want your health to suffer just because your house looks clean enough.
“Although toxic mold can bring on the most serious health problems, all mold and mildew can cause health issues especially for those who suffer from allergies,” says Robert Weitz, a certified microbial investigator and principal of RTK Environmental Group, over email. “An important thing to consider: Do you feel bad at home or at work, but feel better when you leave? Its very likely a mold or indoor air quality issue.”
If you suspect you have mold in your home, look out for these seven telltale signs. These signs can help you identify a potential problem, but if you feel that mold has made its way in, schedule a test. An independent testing company will provide you with an unbiased assessment of the situation, determine what type of mold is growing in your home, and determine the proper course of action to remove it.
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How Do I Know If My House Has A Moisture Problem
One of the best ways to tell is by checking the humidity. A home with high humidity likely has a moisture problem. Musty smells suggest mold, mildew or rot. Household odors that linger may indicate too much moisture in the air. Frost and ice on cold surfaces from condensation can be a sign of excess moisture in the air as well.
What Does Mold Need In Order To Grow
The truth is not much is needed for mold spores to grow out of control. Ideal conditions include lots of moisture and food. Indoor mold growth is fueled by moisture. This explains why mold is such a common problem in highly humid and damp areas like bathrooms and basements.
In addition to moisture, mold also needs nutrients, which it finds in a variety of materials like paper, wood, drywall or any organic material. More information available in our article about causes of mold growth.
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Your Houseplants Might Be Making You Sick
Between two ferns? Make sure they’re clean, because they can sometimes invite an unwelcome guestmold. This contamination happens in on the plants or in the potting soil, since mold flourishes anywhere there’s food and moisture along with a warm temperature. When mold grows on your plants, it might look white and fuzzy or dusty. These spores are released into the air, where you can inhale them and suffer from allergic reactions or even chronic illness.
The Rx: If you see mold on your houseplants, wipe down the leaves and stalk with a moist towel. Take the plant outside and spray with a fungicide made to kill mold . Then scoop out the top layer of potting soil and replace it before bringing the plant back inside. And don’t overwater your plants!
A Qualified Environmental Lab Took Samples Of The Mold In My Home And Gave Me The Results Can Cdc Interpret These Results
Standards for judging what is an acceptable, tolerable or normal quantity of mold have not been established. Sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth. If you do decide to pay for environmental sampling for molds, before the work starts, you should ask the consultants who will do the work to establish criteria for interpreting the test results. They should tell you in advance what they will do or what recommendations they will make based on the sampling results. The results of samples taken in your unique situation cannot be interpreted without physical inspection of the contaminated area or without considering the buildings characteristics and the factors that led to the present condition.
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Can Mold Exposure Be Lethal
If you are wondering, can you die from breathing in mold?, you are likely not alone. Mold exposure can be frightening.
It is important to know, however, that most mold exposure is rarely deadly.
Exposure to molds, even some toxic molds, is unlikely to be life-threatening.
Although exposure can present adverse health effects, it is most likely not lethal.
Suspecting Mold in your Home?
Call for a Risk Free estimate from a Licensed Mold Remediation Specialist in your area.
We Can Help Get rid of the Mold & Prevent it from returning.
What Are Toxigenic Reactions To Mold
A toxigenic mold produces toxins. There are approximately 20 common toxins that mold is known to produce.
When you ingest or inhale these toxins, your chance of becoming ill increases. Upon exposure to toxigenic mold, you may experience the following effects:
- Mucous membrane irritation
- Acute/chronic central nervous system disorders
- Hormone disorders
- Cancer
Another serious condition associated with mold exposure is hypersensitive pneumonitis. This is an acute, or chronic, lung disease brought on by inhaling fungal antigens.
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Stachybotrys Species As Pathogens
In the Ukraine in the early 1930s, a unique disease of horses was recognized that was characterized by lip edema, stomatitis, oral necrosis, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis. The symptoms often progressed through well-defined stages to pancytopenia, coagulopathy and hemorrhage, neurologic compromise , superinfections, and finally death . There was also a rare atypical or shocking form, which was primarily neurological and highly fatal, with areflexia , hyperesthesia , hyperirritability, blindness, and stupor. In these latter cases, there were no blood dyscrasias. Pathologic examination of tissue from affected animals revealed diffuse hemorrhage and necrosis, with involvement of the entire alimentary tract. Pulmonary changes consisted of lung congestion and edema . Pathologic changes in tissue appeared unique, since there was no zone of demarcation around necrotic foci and since the tissue appeared to be in a nonreactive state. In retrospect, these findings were perhaps the first indication that the entity had a toxigenic origin rather than being due to direct tissue infection. In the wake of the equine outbreak, it was soon realized the disease was not limited to horses. However, there were marked species and age effects on susceptibility: cattle were less affected than horses, and younger animals fared better than older ones .
Where Indoors Does Mold Growth Thrive
As mentioned above, mold spores are in all sorts of personal contents like your clothing.
But
In order for mold to actually start forming a colony and grow it will need to be on building material that is wet.
The most common types of building materials for mold to start growing on is:
- Wood
- Drywall
- Carpet
Anywhere building material is present that is wet and in a humid environment, mold growth can thrive.
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Facts About Black Mold
Here are a few facts about black mold you probably didnt know.
