Is Black Mold An Emergency

Is Mold Really A Big Deal

The answer depends, but it can definitely turn into a huge deal for the building and your health. Even regular, run-of-the-mill mold can make you miserable and should be dealt with immediately. However, mold that is left untreated can develop into black mold, which is toxic to humans and can make you extremely ill.

What Are The Treatments For Mold Exposure

The first step in treating problems with mold exposure is to avoid the environment where the triggers are located. In short, the mold problem needs to be taken care of completely. If not, you will simply be managing the symptoms. It is also difficult to completely avoid any mold exposure, which means some medications or therapies will ease the symptoms rather than offer a cure. However, in conjunction with your physician, you should be able to enjoy an improved quality of life once you have had the mold removed and your immune system set back on track. Here are some of the treatments or medications that are used to address mold exposure.

Lifestyle changes may also need to be made for an individual to recover from mold poison. The primary consideration is removing the source of the toxin, either through mold remediation and cleanup or by taking yourself out of the environment. If you have found mold in your home, dont delay in having it removed. With a serious allergy to the substance, it isnt advised that you undertake the cleaning on your own. Professional help is advised if you want to thoroughly remove the contaminant without making the problem worse.

Does Mold Make You Tired

Have you been feeling lethargic in your home, but full of energy when you leave town for a few days? This could be a sign you have a black mold infestation. Studies show a correlation between mold exposure and chronic fatigue syndrome. As you inhale in its presence, minuscule spores can enter your lungs, causing an immune response.

It takes a lot out of your immune system to defeat these tiny invaders, which can cause exhaustion. As your immune system keeps fighting the particles, your body can begin to develop an allergy, even if you didnt have one before. If your family has a history of allergies or asthma you could be more at risk for symptoms.

Tiredness is one of the most common symptoms of toxic mold. Breathing in spores can interrupt your breathing and irregular breathing is a root cause of sleep apnea. If you cant sleep through the night and are always catching your breath, this could be due to mold-induced sleep apnea. So, if you constantly feel under the weather and ready for a nap, it might not be a bug going around the office. There could be black mold lurking in your walls.

Read Also: What Can You Put On Mold To Kill It

What Can You Do

To prevent and get rid of mold:

• Keep your house clean and dry.
• Fix water problems such as roof leaks, wet basements, and leaking pipes or faucets.
• Make sure your home is well ventilated and always use ventilation fans in bathrooms and kitchens.
• If possible, keep humidity in your house below 50% by using an air conditioner or dehumidifier.
• Avoid using carpeting in areas of the home that may become wet, such as kitchens, bathrooms and basements.
• Dry floor mats regularly.

To find mold that might be growing in your home:

• Search for moisture in areas that have a damp or moldy smell, especially in basements, kitchens and bathrooms.
• Look for water stains or colored, fuzzy growth on and around ceilings, walls, floors, windowsills and pipes.
• If you smell a musty odor, search behind and underneath materials such as carpeting, furniture or stored items.
• Inspect kitchens, bathrooms and basements for standing water, water stains and patches of out-of-place color.

To control moisture problems and mold:

• Fix any water problems immediately and clean or remove wet materials, furnishings or mold.
• Clean up spills or floods within one day. If practical, take furniture that has been wet outside to dry and clean. Direct sunlight prevents mold growth.
• Dry all surfaces and fix the problem or leak to prevent further damage.
• Install a dehumidifier when a moisture problem is evident or when the humidity is high.

How To Identify A Building Mold Emergency Odor Emergency Or Indoor Air Quality Emergency

Watch out: because individual health risks and site conditions vary widely, no publication can always identify nor solve all problems caused by indoor air contamination.If you believe that an indoor air quality or contamination emergency exists, get out of the building and seek professional help from emergency services such as dialing 911 from a telephone outside of and away from the building.

See IAQ EMERGENCY STEPS for four key actions to take.

But here we provide assistance that will help in identifying an emergency and more assistance that will help determine when you need to hire a professional.

Even a non-emergency situation may require expert professional advice on diagnosis of problem causes and procedures to clean up mold or to remedy other IAQ issues.

At page top and above left we show examples of severe indoor mold contamination. In the extremely mold-contaminated building shown at page top there is no question that if this building had been occupied, it should not be. In an interesting technical experiment the author tested every surface of every different type of building material found inside the structure.

The results were interesting: different mold genera/species had strong preferences for different materials . These variations underscore the importance of strategic sample location selection when screening less obviously contaminated buildings for mold.

Also Check: How To Keep Mold Out Of Closet

What Happens When You Inhale Mold

Breathing in mold spores is the most common way for mold spores to enter your system. Individual spores, unlike colonies of growth, are invisible to the naked eye. This makes it nearly impossible to know if you are ingesting spores into your nasal passages and letting them take root down in your lungs. Though mold will grow on old or decaying food, most people wont purposely eat a rotten tomato or moldy piece of bread. Penicillin is a form of mold that can be ingested, but this only occurs under the guidance of a physician for anti-microbial and wellness purposes. Toxicity levels are more likely to occur through inhaling the spores and creating a buildup that the body can no longer fight.

The body commonly processes toxins out of the body when it eliminates waste. Mold spores arent the only toxins your body has to eliminate, but inhaling heavy doses of mold spores can put a burden on the bodys natural toxin elimination system. When the toxic load gets too high, the body cant detox. Instead, the mycotoxins may be recycled back into the body or reabsorbed until the body can try again. The toxic threshold varies by individual.

Have Your Home Tested For Mold

We encourage you to have your home tested for mold. A professional can test to determine what type of mold you have in your home, so you can let your doctor know if youve been exposed to black mold or other harmful strains. A professional can also do tests to determine where mold is growing in your home and can find mold in places where you cant see it, like inside heating and air conditioning ducts. to find a professional to test for mold in your home.

Don’t Miss: Can Hydrogen Peroxide Kill Mold

What Causes Black Mold

Since black mold thrives in damp environments, water or moisture will be or has been present in any area that the mold colony has started growing.

Areas with water damage like a leaky pipe under the sink, flooding from a storm or other event are also more likely to have black mold. This includes carpet, drywall, and gypsum board.

Black mold spores can come from anywhere and get into your home also. This includes coming in from the outdoors on clothing, pet fur, and from the summer breeze coming in from the open window.

Resolving the moisture issue, and removing the black mold affected areas will help prevent the continued growth of the mold colony.

How Is Black Mold Exposure Diagnosed

Illness caused by mold exposure often leads people to seek medical care.

Once at the doctors office, a blood test can determine black mold exposure. Called the radioallergosorbent test, this blood test can measure your immune systems response to black mold.

Other symptoms may require X-rays, and doctors can identify black mold exposure in some cases viewing lung damage.

Also Check: What Does Mold Cause To Your Health

The Verdict: Treat All Mold The Same

If you find what you believe to be toxic black mold in your property, or any mold for that matter, treat it all the same. Mold has the potential to cause severe allergic reactions that can damage your health. Your best option is to seek professional mold removal and mold remediation to ensure your well-being. ERSI is always happy to answer your questions regarding what is black mold.

How Should You Clean Mold

Sometimes cleaning mold yourself makes sense, and sometimes its highly discouraged.

First, lets look at some cases when cleaning mold yourself would be appropriate:10

• Only a small area is affected.
• The mold is growing on areas that are easy to clean like glass or tile.
• There is growth on hard to clean areas, like carpet, that can be removed and replaced.
• You dont have any current health issues that will be made worse with increased exposure to mold growth.

• An area 3 feet by 3 feet or larger is affected.
• A flood occurred that may have been contaminated with sewage.
• There is mold in your HVAC system.
• The mold has grown on wood that cannot be removed.
• You are already experiencing symptoms of mold exposure.
• You have a medical condition, such as asthma, that will be worsened around the mold.
• There is a smell of mold but you cannot find it.
• You arent in possession of the correct tools.
• You have any concerns or doubts on how to remove the mold correctly.

If you believe that your mold growth is suitable to be removed by yourself, here are a few household products you can use:11

• Undiluted white vinegar.
• Create a 50/50 mixture of water and ammonia. Spray and then rinse after three hours. Be sure to take proper safety precautions and wear a mask, gloves, and goggles.
• Using EC3 Laundry Additive rinses away bacteria and mold spores that get trapped in your clothing and other fabrics that regular washing alone cant eliminate.
• Try BioBalance for Natural, Citrus-Based Mold Remedies

You May Like: How Can I Test For Mold In My House

How Do You Know If It Is Black Mold

The best way to determine if you have black mold is to call a mold damage restoration company that will be able to go to your property and get the mold professionally tested. This is especially important to properly assess the next steps and determine if the mold will harm you in any way. As mentioned above, black mold is black or dark green in color and can form after water damage so if you didnt get your water damaged fixed and see black or dark green mold spores appearing, its most likely black mold.

What Your Landlord Needs To Do

Your landlord may choose to hire a handyman or might clean it up on their own. Oftentimes, preventing further water from leaking or spilling, properly sealing barriers, and either removing, replacing, or bleaching the affected area will take care of the problem.

If there is mold growing on your personal property, you will have to talk to your landlord about that damage. Be prepared, though, that you may be responsible for replacing any personal items per your apartment rental agreement. If the item is expensive, you may send it a claim to your renters insurance company.

If there is black mold, your landlord will need to hire a professional mold removal service as it is extremely dangerous and must be handled in a specific way to prevent it from spreading.

Read Also: How To Clean Mold Off Of Popcorn Ceiling

Can I Control Mold Growth In My Home

Yes you can. Dry out the house and fix any moisture problems in your home:

• Stop water leaks, repair leaky roofs and plumbing. Keep water away from concrete slabs and basement walls.
• Open windows and doors to increase air flow in your home, especially along the inside of exterior walls. Use a fan if there are no windows available.
• Make sure that warm air flows into all areas of the home. Move large objects a few inches away from the inside of exterior walls to increase air circulation.
• Install and use exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
• Ventilate and insulate attic and crawl spaces. Use heavy plastic to cover earth floors in crawl spaces.
• Clean and dry water damaged carpets, clothing, bedding, and upholstered furniture within 24 to 48 hours, or consider removing and replacing damaged furnishings.
• Vacuum and clean your home regularly to remove mold spores.
• Check around your windows for signs of condensation and water droplets. Wipe them up right away so mold can’t start to grow.

S You Can Take To Prevent Mold Growth

As you read earlier, its nearly impossible to prevent all mold growth since spores are always floating in the air. However, there are some steps you can take to discourage future growths:12

• Control the moisture by investing in a dehumidifier and keep humidity levels under 60%.
• Dry wet spots quickly.
• Leave your bathroom fan on for 30 minutes after showering.
• Dry your bathtub or shower with a squeegee.
• Clean shower curtains, towels, rugs, and loofahs regularly.
• Open a window or turn on a fan while cooking.
• Use MicroBalance Laundry additive for each load of laundry.

Need more guidance on mold treatment? Get my today and take the next step towards better health.

Check out my online health store for all the products listed in this article and more!

You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Mold Spores In Your Home

When To See A Doctor For Mold Exposure

In the last few years, education and awareness on the impact of toxic mold on human health have increased. Mold spores tend to build up in an environment long before any visible signs of an infestation are clear, leading to long-term exposure to this harmful toxin. Mold exposure can be hard to diagnose since toxicity symptoms mimic several other health conditions. However, in severe situations, exposure to mold warrants a visit to a medical professional. This guide can help you narrow down your exposure, possible signs of illness, and how a doctor can help.

Mold exposure is dangerous and should be handled immediately. Call us at for a free consultation with a licensed remediation expert available 24/7 near you.

Here’s What Ohio Landlords Need To Know About Mold And The Law

Every landlord should take mold seriously. A top environmental hazard, mold thrives in warm, damp places, and often grows quickly in basements, attics, and other parts of buildings with poor ventilation and humidity problems. Although mold is often associated with buildings in wet climates, no rental property is immune from a mold outbreak, as one can occur following an unattended spill, faulty plumbing, or even a misdirected lawn sprinkler.

If you own or manage a rental property in Ohio, a mold problem could present you with costly cleanup and repair bills as well as lawsuits from tenants claiming that the mold made them ill. Here’s what Ohio landlords need to know about mold and the law.

Also Check: How To Kill Mold Spores On Wood

How Can I Prevent A Relapse

Mold spores can be found just about anywhere, whether inside or outside. However, you can take preventative measures to ensure they dont breed into larger, toxic colonies. If there are water leaks in or around the house, have them repaired immediately. Dark, wet environments and plenty of organic material create the perfect home for mold growth. Keep your attic and basement or crawl space dry and free of moisture. Consider bringing in an environmental professional and having an ERMI mold test done every so often to evaluate your home for the presence of mold. There are DIY kits that can be purchased, but these results arent always accurate.

If you suspect that you have been exposed to mold, either because you have found mold in your home or you have had nagging symptoms similar to the ones discussed, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. As you make a plan to remove mold from your home and prevent future relapses, team to have the mold problem removed.

Defining Your Landlords Responsibility

Landlords have a duty of care to provide adequate living conditions for their tenants, which includes keeping them safe from health and safety hazards this is known as implied warranty of habitability. This standard of habitability is based on your jurisdictions building codes, which outlines the health and safety concerns of tenants.

Because a landlord-tenant relationship is legally defined through a lease agreement, contractual provisions addressing factors such as ventilation malfunctions and plumbing are enforceable this is because both contribute to mold growth. If your lease states your landlord is responsible for quickly fixing all plumbing issues, but a broken pipe eventually leads to black mold growth, failure to fix this problem can result in a breach of contract lawsuit.

Read Also: How To Get Checked For Mold Exposure

What Does Black Mold Look Like

The appearance of black mold can vary depending on the species, but it is usually a black to dark brown or greenish-black slimy film that grows on organic matter. It is often found in damp and dark places such as basements, bathrooms, and crawlspaces. Its easy to confuse black mold with other types of mold that you might encounter in your home.

Here are some signs that indicate youve got black mold:

• Unpleasant odors coming from your walls or other surfaces
• Moldy patches on walls or ceilings
• Mold growth on woodwork or other building materials
• Musty smells in different rooms of your house