How Can Mold Kill You

How To Check For Mold In A House

If you suspect a mold source in your home the first thing you will want to do is test/check for mold in your environment. Even if you do not suspect mold inside your home, you should still do a simple test to ensure mold growth is not occurring in your home, particularly if you are experiencing unexplainable symptoms.

Mold toxicity can be a devious stealer of health. When checking for mold growth you should look for these three characteristics mold growth, moisture/water leaks, and health symptoms.

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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Older Model Blind Cords

Research has found that about one child a month dies after becoming entangled in cords from blinds and shades. While headway has been made to get corded blinds off the market, if theyre in your home, be sure to remove them ASAP. Especially on floor-to-ceiling windows with very long cords, they pose a major danger.

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How Do You Know If Mold Is Making You Sick

Are you sick and suspect it might be from mold?

Determining whether exposure to mold is making you sick isnt always easy.

Each persons body is affected by mold toxicity in different ways. Some experience constant migraines and headaches, shortness of breath, brain fog, fatigue or even depression.

Since symptoms differ from person to person, they may not be quickly associated with mold exposure. Many people suffering from mold illness struggle to get a proper diagnosis and investigation.

Its common to think my house is clean it cant be mold! However, mold comes in many forms. In this article, well share what toxic mold is, the signs and symptoms, and how it can be treated.

Can Mold On Food Make You Sick

Mold on food can be harmful in various ways. Some people are allergic to mold and could have a potentially serious reaction. However, even if you dont have allergies, mold can cause irritation in the respiratory, gastro-intestinal or urinary tracts. And the mycotoxins created by some molds are poisonous carcinogens that can prove fatal.

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Why Mold Is A Hazard

Mold is a serious environmental hazard that drastically affects your propertys conditions and your tenants wellbeing. There are many different types of mold, including common, pesky types like stachybotrys, penicillium, aspergillus, paecilomyces, and fusarium. These dangerous molds are usually black, white, green, or gray. The textures can vary some being smooth and shiny, and others being rough or fuzzy. Certain kinds of mold have a repulsive odor, and others dont smell like anything. No matter what the mold looks or smell like, its still an annoying issue to have in a rental unit.

Most of the time, mold grows in hard-to-reach places, making it extra difficult to remove. To clean mold, you usually have to get down and dirty and do some hard scrubbing. Mold tends to form in materials that trap moisture, like wall paneling, paint, fabric, ceiling tiles, newspapers, or cardboard boxes. Any porous surfaces are also prone to mold. The humid environment is perfect for mold to grow and thrive. They can also be pretty persistent, coming back no matter how many times you spray or scrub. This is why its so important to choose the right mold killer and get rid of it for good.

Some kinds of mold can be hazardous to ones health, so you may be liable if a tenant inhales toxic mold spores. Symptoms can include:

• Weakness and fatigue

• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite

How Do You Get Rid Of Toxic Black Mold

To get rid of toxic black mold, you first need to wear a protective face mask to keep yourself from inhaling the mold. After that, you need to choose your product of choice to kill the black mold, whether that be hydrogen peroxide or distilled white vinegar.

Find the area infected with black mold and use the product in the area. If the mold is in a hard-to-reach place, you may need to use something like a fogger to reach the mold.

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How To Remove Black Mold Yourself

Did you know that its often possible to remove black mold yourself? Its true! Professional mold remediation can cost thousands of dollars and is often excluded from many homeowners insurance policies. But in many instances hiring a mold removal professional isnt necessary and black mold can be removed by a handy homeowner in less than one weekend of work.

If you feel like you may be a homeowner who is up to the challenge, weve written an eBook that gives step-by-step instructions on how to tackle your mold problem. For less than $20, we guarantee that youll save hundreds, if not thousands, of your hard-earned dollars.

You can purchase our eBook here:

• eBook: Step-by-step DIY Mold Removal eBook

And if youre not comfortable tackling the problem yourself, were happy to provide you a quote if youre in our service area. Just contact us for a completely free quote.

Bottom Line: No mold belongs in a healthy home. Be it black mold, or any other color of mold. It should all be treated the same. If you have mold, remove it.

Treating Black Mold Poisoning

If you suspect youre suffering from symptoms associated with black mold exposure or poisoning, there are some things you can do to improve your health.

In conclusion, the best way to avoid the negative effects of black mold poisoning is to minimize your exposure to black mold.

You can do this by preventing its growth in the first place. If its too late to prevent it and you suspect theres black mold already in your home, dont wait to book black mold removal, completed quickly and efficiently by the industry experts.

Black mold, typically green or black, in your home can be extremely hazardous to your health. Learn about black mold poisoning and start preventing black mold growth today.

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What Molds Are Dangerous For My Dog

There are hundreds of thousands of mold species out there, and not all of them are toxic and can cause harm. But it takes time and tests to determine if the mold in your home is toxic, and its levels are dangerous. If you can see mold it, in and of itself, is a bad sign.

The most common types of fungus in homes are Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Stachybotrys . All of these can cause allergic reactions and health problems in humans and pets. If left untreated, it can cause serious health problems.

If You Have Mold In Your Home

Mold can look like spots. It can be many different colors, and it can smell musty. If you see or smell mold, you should remove it. You do not need to know the type of mold.

If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold can be removed from hard surfaces with household products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water.

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Does Vinegar Kill Mold Spores

Does vinegar do the magic? Do you have white vinegar in your household already or as usual? Then you should put it to use!Vinegar contains between 5-8 % acetic acid, and this acid is a constituent with a pH of around 2.5, and it usually interrupts the growth of a range of microorganisms.

Vinegar works in killing mold spores, be it on concrete, mold on drywall, and leather! Nevertheless, you should know when to call or seek the assistance of a professional as advised by the Environmental Protection Agency for mold that has reached the extent of covering over 10 square feet of an area.

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What does mold on a mattress look like

Household Molds That Can Lurk Inside Your Home

Mold is unfortunately, pretty much unavoidable in your home as most homes harbor some species of mold in its confines. Out of the 1,000s of mold species, there are some species that are more prone to growth indoors than others, and some that particularly grow inside homes.

There are six main species of mold that are commonly found inside homes, and each contain their own characteristics and potential health hazards.

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Signs Of A Black Mold Infestation

It is difficult to see and identify black mold. The first clue that it may be present in your home comes from the symptoms of exposure, such as nasal congestion or coughing. However, only a trained professional can accurately diagnose whether black mold is present by having a professional analysis completed.

Another way to tell is a musty smell. Most species of mold and mildew cause a musty smell throughout your home, and the highest concentration of that smell likely has the most

If you can physically see the mold in your home, in most cases its bad enough that you probably need to call a professional mold removal team.

How Can I Clean Moldy Surfaces

It is important to make sure that the source of moisture is fixed before the mold is cleaned up. If this is not done, the mold will grow again. How you clean up areas contaminated with mold depends on the surface where the mold is growing. A professional should be consulted if large areas are contaminated with mold. If the surface is non-porous , you can take the following steps:

• The surfaces first need to be cleaned:

• Use a non-ammonia soap or detergent in warm water and scrub the entire area affected by the mold. Use a stiff brush or cleaning pad on block walls or uneven surfaces.
• Rinse clean with water.
• Dry completely.
• The next step, if desired, is to disinfect the surfaces to help kill any mold missed by the initial cleaning:

• Ventilate the area before using a disinfectant.
• Disinfect the area with a solution of water and bleach . Never mix bleach with ammonia the vapors are hazardous. Straight bleach will not be more effective.
• Let disinfecting areas air dry completely.

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How To Test And Remove Indoor Mold:

There are many ways in which you can test your property for mold, including:

• ARMI testsThe American Relative Moldiness Index test is cost-effective however, it is not the most thorough as it can only detect a select few types of mold.

• ERMI testsThe Environmental Relative Moldiness Index test was developed by the EPA and can detect up to 36 different types of mold within a home. Despite being able to identify more molds than ARMI tests, an ERMI test does not provide information on the source of mold production.

• Mold clearance testingThis is a series of tests conducted by professionals to make certain that the areas of your home where mold was removed have returned to normal conditions.

• MSQ/PCRThese tests can help homeowners identify the genus and species of mold.

• Petri dish testsPetri dish tests are common and often sold in hardware stores. However, homeowners should be wary of the accuracy of these tests. There have even been numerous instances where at-home petri-dish test results have been wrong. Some unopened test kits have even been moldy upon purchase.

• Presence Absence:These are simple swab applicators that detect mold in a home. If the swab comes back as green, then there is mold present in a home. However, these tests do not give homeowners an idea of the level of toxicity/classification of the mold or the moist area of the home that caused it to grow.

How Long Do Mold Symptoms Last

The tricky thing about mold exposure is that its different for each person. The amount of time mold exposure symptoms persist depends on:

• What type of mold they are exposed to,
• How long the exposure has been,
• How well their bodies eliminate toxins

Those who process toxins well can see their symptoms disappear as quickly as a few days.

Others who eliminate toxins slowly can experience symptoms for much longer. They could be ill for months or even years after the source of mold is eliminated.

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Can You Kill Mold In Insulation

Once mold has grown into insulation, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove. A variety of chemical compounds can be used to render the mold inert, but if water is ever reintroduced to the space, mold will grow back if the insulation is left in place.

Likewise, can you remove mold from insulation?

Brush all contaminated, porous insulation, such as fabric or foam, with a wire brush to remove loose mold. Wet insulation should be removed as quickly as possible and allowed to dry. Cardboard, paper, or loose fill insulation should be disposed of, as these will be practically impossible to clean.

One may also ask, will insulation mold if it gets wet? Wet insulation in a closed wall cavity will usually not rapidly dry out. Wetness will not only reduce the insulating quality of the insulation, but it might not dry soon enough to prevent mold and wood decay from forming.

One may also ask, is mold insulation dangerous?

If mold prevention is your number one concern, you should look into fiberglass insulation. While it’s non-biodegrade, it is resistant to mold. Fiberglass is made of sharp pieces of ground glass and mold spores can’t survive when they land on it. They’re punctured by the glass before they attach.

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How Do You Kill Mold Spores In The Air Naturally

Got a dampened corner or area around your house or room? Mold spores everywhere? Are there any forms of leaks? Since mold itself is a natural byproduct of a humid environment, does that mean they can be eradicated naturally!? What then is how you can get rid of mold naturally? You might want to go for harsh chemicals like Borax or bleach! But dont think of getting those as they can be natural and non-toxic!!!

To naturally kill mold spores in the air around your house, some of these household items come into play. They are the likes of tea tree oil solution, citrus or lemon seed extract, and water inclusively others are baking soda and vinegar.

Use of tree tea oil solution: it is one of the natural made and natural mold remover, usually expensive products that have a quick removal action within a few days. Tea tree oil is quite the best, with a strong scent!.

To use: just two teaspoons of tree oil mixed with two cups of water, and your solution is ready for work! Spray the solution on the mold spores without rinsing them.

Citrus seed extract and water: usually, grapefruit is a source of citrus seed extract, so you can take the first step by getting one! They are void of odor.

To use, dilute about 20 drops of extract with a mixture of 2 cups of water, then get a spray bottle to get your mixture into one place. After that, spray the solution onto the mold. Make sure not to rinse just as with other solutions.

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Cheeses Made With Mold

The mold used in making these cheeses is safe for consumption. However, if other mold that is not part of the manufacturing process is present, these items should be discarded just like any other red flag food item. Some blue cheeses may be hard enough to be treated as a Yellow Flag item . However, if you are unsure where to draw the line, remember: when in doubt, throw it out.

Note that while the mold that forms the blue veins inside blue cheeses is harmless when deprived of oxygen inside the cheese, the same strain of mold can form harmful mycotoxins if allowed to grow on surfaces exposed to air. Be careful of cross-contamination with these cheeses and keep them wrapped in cellophane while storing them.