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 Molds Affect People
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens and irritants. Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash.
Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.
The above does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional, your state or local health department, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mold website.
Mold Exposure And Its Effect On Your Health
In the past, mold exposure was vastly misunderstood. As more information became available, public perception of mold exposure began to shift. For example, the Center for Disease Control website now includes an entire section dedicated to information concerning mold and its effect on overall health.
The CDC also explains that mold exposure may not affect some people, while for others, especially those with weakened immune systems, serious illness may occur. Symptoms often present in the respiratory system and the central nervous system.
Some regularly reported symptoms of mold exposure are:
Physical
Each type of mold may be associated with a spectrum of disease manifestations:
- Aspergillus is present in breathable air and is typically benign except for allergy sufferers or those with a weakened immune system. If you are excessively exposed to this mold, your immune system may be further harmed. Ultimately kidney health and brains health may be impaired
- Cladosporium appears where there is water damage or excess humidity in the environment. Long-term exposure can result in asthma, allergic reactions, and eye irritation.
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Were Here When You Need Us
Nothing is more important than your health, which is why we often receive mold removal or remediation calls from families looking for relief. We understand that you are doing everything you can to protect your family, which is why we take our professionalism extremely seriously. We believe that no one should live or work in a building that makes them sick.
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Black Mold Is Toxigenic
Certain molds prove toxigenic, which means that they produce mycotoxins that cause ill health effects. A little mold is everywhere, but not all mold is poisonous. That doesnt mean you should ignore mold.
Most are familiar with black mold, which is toxigenic and produces mold spores. These form colonies and grow with other spores. High concentrations of these mycotoxins can cause mold poisoning in healthy people, too.
Mold poisoning is also known as mycotoxicosis. This condition affects the upper respiratory system with harmful cold or flu-like symptoms. Additional symptoms due to mycotoxins can prove fatal. Thats especially true for those with severe allergies, asthma or other conditions.
Green-black mold is also harmful. Its found on paper, dust, lint, fiberboard and other low-nitrogen content materials. It can develop and spread after water leaks, floods and condensation.
Until you know more, treat all molds the same due to the potential long-term side effects and health risks. Take mold growth seriously. You will usually see the mold colony and smell the signature musty smell.
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Mold Reactions: Whos At Risk
For people sensitive to mold, inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. People with serious mold allergies may have more severe reactions, including shortness of breath. In people with asthma who are allergic to mold, breathing in spores can also cause asthma attacks.
In addition to people with allergies and asthma, others who may be more sensitive to the effects of mold include:
- Infants and children
- People whose immune systems are compromised due to HIV infection, cancer, liver disease, or chemotherapy
- People with chronic lung disease
How Do You Keep Mold Out Of Buildings And Homes
Inspect buildings for evidence of water damage and visible mold as part of routine building maintenance, Correct conditions causing mold growth to prevent mold growth.
Inside your home you can control mold growth by:
- Controlling humidity levels
- Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes
- Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding
- Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.
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How Long Does It Take For Mold To Get Out Of The Body
Similar to how a person exposed to mold will react, how fast mold leaves the body also depends on the level of exposure. However, there are specific steps you can take to make it leave your body faster.
If you think youve been exposed to mold, you should remove yourself from the area where its present as quickly as possible to help slow the molds progression. Also, if you have a mold infection, you should seek medical attention to receive the treatment you need.
Position Statement Regarding The Impact Of Mold On Health
Molds grow abundantly in outdoor plant and soil materials. Molds produce spores that are normally found in both indoor and outdoor dust. Mold growth is familiar to most people when it is seen as a fuzzy patch or stain spreading across food or damp surfaces. It is known that many molds produce chemicals that can be toxic if eaten. Few if any of these chemicals are commonly found in indoor air and are not suspected to be a health hazard to the general public.
Mold exposure from breathing indoor or outdoor air can be irritating and can aggravate allergies and asthma. Health effects of mold can be a concern where exposures are very high, such as in sawmills, grain elevators, and agricultural settings. Where there are people with severely weakened immune systems, such as in hospital transplant units, mold infection can be a serious concern and exposures should be aggressively controlled. A physician should be seen whenever health effects are experienced.
It is not practical to expect a building to be completely free of mold, nor is it necessary. However, mold growth on indoor surfaces is a sign of moisture presence, the cause of which should be identified and corrected. Indoor mold growth should be removed regardless of mold type, using appropriate cleaning methods for small spots and careful attention to dust control, seeking professional assistance for larger amounts.
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How Best To Remove Mold From Your Home
Here are some tips for how to remove mold from your home and prevent exposure:
- Check your home for places where mold might lurk, such as under sinks and in basement walls. Things to look for include visible mold growth, water leaks, and water seepage.
- Promptly fix any leaks you find, including leaky roofs and pipes.
- Dry damp surfaces, such as shower stalls, immediately after use.
- Control your homes humidity level with a dehumidifier.
- Keep kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms well ventilated.
- If flooding occurs, clean and dry the flooded area as quickly as possible.
Since mold can grow under carpets and behind walls, moldy homes dont always have obvious mold patches.
Mold smell is unmistakable but doesnt always accompany mold. If you suspect that your home is harboring mold but cant find the source, a home inspection will help.
Signs Of Mold Illness
by Dr. Michele Neil-Sherwood | Health Tips
Mold is a big problem in most homes, but many people are unaware of the problem. Of course, everyone looks at the shower curtain, under the sink, or in the basement when he or she think about mold issues, but mold can grow just about anywhere.
Mold can be found in drywall, in the roof , and even in ones Christmas tree. One study found that Christmas trees can breed mold, quietly releasing millions of spores into the room causing winter allergies and asthma attacks. Studies have found that indoor air quality dropped six-fold over the 14 days a Christmas tree typically decorates a room.
There are 1,000 types of mold that can be found growing in the modern American home. Scientists classify these molds based on the effect they have on humans and other living things.
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Mold Reactions: Who’s At Risk
For people sensitive to mold, inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. People with serious mold allergies may have more severe reactions, including shortness of breath. In people with asthma who are allergic to mold, breathing in spores can also cause asthma attacks.
In addition to people with allergies and asthma, others who may be more sensitive to the effects of mold include:
- Infants and children
- People with chronic lung disease
Mold Health Impact : Paranoia And Anxiety
Paranoia can often be caused by high levels of toxic molds, such as the trichothecene black mold toxin or the Ocratoxin-producing Aspergillus Mold. Paranoia and anxiety can occur when a mold toxic brain produces excessive levels of glutamate and PEA, two powerful electrifying brain chemicals. These two chemicals in the brain cause an over-electrified nervous system. Since many doctors are unaware of the effects mold toxicity has on a patients body, doctors will address the symptoms produced by mold toxicity by prescribing drugs like Klonopin or Xanax to calm their over-electrified, anxious brain. Unfortunately, this simply masks a larger issue that can only be solved by detoxifying the body of these mold toxins.
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Removing Mold From Your Home
Resolve any issues causing mold growth, and throw away anything affected by mold or contributing to mold growth that you cant clean.
- Wear protective gear. As youre dealing with the moldy area, cover yourself with a mask, gloves, goggles, and rubber boots. If youre cleaning a lot of mold, you can also wear disposable clothing or a mold-resistant suit.
- Ventilate the room. Open all doors and windows to increase ventilation.
- Sort and discard. Remove any objects from the area that havent been touched by mold growth. Throw away any items that cant be cleaned.
- Replace moldy housing materials. Cut away and replace mold-damaged drywall, ceiling tiles, and carpet.
- Scrub and disinfect. Cover and scrub nonporous surfaces affected by mold with bleach, a fungicide, or detergent and water, then dry them. Dont mix cleaning products together.
- Address any water issues. Make sure any water problems are fixed and the area is dry before you renovate the room.
You cant prevent all mold, but you can reduce the amount in your home. Here are some dos and donts for managing mold and keeping it from growing indoors.
How Does Mold Affect Your Health And How To Correctly Clean It
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How Does Mold Affect Your Health
Mold is a type of fungi that grows best in damp and poorly ventilated areas. Airborne mold spores can be found outdoors and indoor environments. When these spores land on damp indoor spots, they may start to grow and spread.
Fortunately, it is easy to recognize molds because they tend to have unappealing patches of black, yellow, green, pink, brown fuzzy growths. Although mold and its spores are literally everywhere, active mold growth requires moisture. They can grow on visible surfaces, behind drywall, under carpets, or in the attic. Indoor mold grows well in damp areas or areas with excessive water.
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Is Mold Linked To Asthma In Children
The dangers associated with mold exposure and inhaling mold spores have been common knowledge to the public for many years now. Mold releases toxic spores that are damaging to human health when inhaled for a prolonged period of time. For example, they can contribute to or worsen asthma symptoms.
There are thousands of different species of mold, and some are more harmful than others. The most harmful strand of mold is Stachybotrys chartarum, also known as black mold. Some of the most common symptoms of black mold exposure are shortness of breath, sneezing, coughing, skin irritation, red or itchy eyes, wheezing and respiratory complications and infections .
Did you know?
Stachybotrys is the 3rd common toxic mold type found in homes we tested?! Find out more exciting mold stats and facts inside our mold statistics page.
Recently, a study confirmed a link between mold and childhood onset of asthma. A strong link between mold exposure and asthma in children is a significant cause for concern. Having your home inspected for mold by a professional can determine whether or not its hiding and reduce the chance of future outbreaks. Many times, homeowners are not even aware of existing mold problems in their homes because mold can hide behind walls and ceilings, underneath carpets and in other places that are difficult to reach.
Create a healthy and safe environment for you and your family by helping reduce the chance of black mold growth.
Summary Of Health Problems
Many types of indoor mold, not just black mold, may cause health problems in some individuals.
Long-term exposure to high levels of mold in the home, however,
People who are most at risk of the symptoms of mold exposure are:
- infants and children
- people with allergies or asthma
- people with weakened immune systems
The main health risks related to mold exposure are allergies and irritation, which typically cause respiratory symptoms.
People with weakened immune systems may also have a risk of fungal infection.
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I Found Mold Growing In My Home How Do I Test The Mold
If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you cannot rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk.
Who Is At Risk
Its commonly assumed that mould causes the health problems described above, though the evidence for this is generally weaker than for dampness itself. This may be related to the fact that scientists are still struggling to accurately measure indoor mould exposures.
The WHO estimates that in cold climates, 15% of dwellings have signs of dampness and 5% have signs of mould problems. In warm climates, the estimates are 20% for dampness and 25% for mould.
Since dampness is more likely to occur in houses that are overcrowded and lack appropriate heating, ventilation and insulation, the prevalence of damp indoor problems in low-income communities and rental accommodation can be substantially higher.
Climate change and its effects on the weather are likely to further increase the proportion of buildings with damp problems.
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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.
