What Does Black Mold Do To Your Health

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a type of lung disease that affects breathing. Smoking tobacco is the main cause of COPD.

People with COPD can develop other conditions that worsen their symptoms, such as obstructive bronchiolitis or emphysema.

Breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath and difficulty exhaling, are the main symptoms of COPD.

Other symptoms may include:

It is vital to see a doctor about COPD. Treatment will primarily involve giving up smoking and avoiding exposure to smoke or other irritants.

In more serious cases, an oxygen tank may be necessary to help support the lungs.

How Does Black Mold Get Inside A House

Mold spores find their way inside by hitchhiking on clothes, pet fur, and air currents into your home. But spores cant get comfortable without plenty of water. This is why youll usually find black mold around water-damaged areas impacted by plumbing issues like floods or leaky pipes.

Materials like drywall, carpet, or gypsum board can soak up water, creating a perfect home for a black mold colony. If you find water damage at home, its crucial to remove all the affected materials to prevent mold from growing.

A water leak sensor can alert you to leaks in hard-to-reach places where the water damage would otherwise go unnoticed.

Health Effects Of Black Mold

According to the EPA, various types of mold can cause health problems for some people. Those health problems are primarily in the form of allergies such as stuffy head, headache, itchy eyes, trouble breathing, etc. These ailments can be more severe in the young, the old, and those with other health issues. The CDC basically says the same thing that mold can cause health issues in some people, or no issues in other people.

According to the CDC, Stachybotrys black mold is unproven to cause serious medical issues beyond those mentioned above. In other words, symptoms of black mold are only proven to be similar to other molds. The CDC simply states that various types of mold may cause health symptoms, to consult with a doctor if symptoms persist, and that no color or type of mold belongs in a building.

You may be thinking: If all we know for sure is that mold causes allergies in some people, and maybe some serious health problems in a small percentage of other people, then whats the big deal?

Well, our answer to that is to imagine yourself as one of those people who are sensitive to mold. Constant allergies, constantly feeling sick, and miserable in your own home. Theres even a scientific name for it: Sick Building Syndrome . Mold, along with other problems such as radon, Chinese drywall, etc., can cause Sick Building Syndrome. Suffering through Sick Building Syndrome is a terrible way to live, and we wouldnt wish it upon our worst enemy!

You May Like: Does Purple Power Kill Mold

Signs Of Black Mold In A House

As a homeowner, you might wonder how to identify signs of a black mold growth in your home.

The first and most important realization for you when you are looking to spot a black mold growth is that there has been a water breach in your space. This can be a large breach such as a major breakage or a smaller leak of a roof or through windows.

In either case, the moisture that comes in makes black mold growth likely.

Other clues to a black mold issue can include:

• Dark spots on a wall
• Discolored tile grout

Can Black Mold Kill You

Mold can affect everyone differently. Those who are more at risk for serious health problems due to mold are:

While symptoms can vary, the most common include:

• a runny or blocked nose
• watery, red eyes

Research is constantly being conducted on different mold species, and more so, black mold species called Stachybotrys Chartarum.

So, it may look like black mold wont kill you, but it can surely cause some serious side effects.

Long term exposure can also be harmful to your health and put you at further risk for infections, serious illness, and other symptoms.

Aside from having flu-like symptoms, or worsened allergies, other serious effects can occur from prolonged exposure to black mold. These include

Recommended Reading: Do I Need Mold Remediation

What Are Some Physical Symptoms Of Mold Exposure

The extent of symptoms depends on ones sensitivity. A wide variety of reactions are attributed to the toxic effects of mold, including:

• Chronic clogged throat
• Persistent cold-like or flu-like symptoms
• Burning, itching, watering eyes
• Serious swelling of legs, ankles, and feet
• Serious swelling in the torso or stomach
• Prolonged muscle cramps and joint pain

Prevent Mold From Growing Back

• Use dehumidifiers in damp areas, such as the basement
• Fix leaks in the roof, walls, windows, or pipes
• Ventilate bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry areas
• Vent clothes dryer to the outside
• Use mold-resistant paint
• Dry areas that are wet or have been flooded within 24 to 48 hours, throw out anything that cannot be completely dried

Also Check: Who Do You Call For Mold Inspection

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.

Can Black Mold Spores Travel In The Air

Yes. Mold spores are airborne and can attach themselves to peoples skin, clothing, shoes, shopping bags, furniture, carpets, and even pets. Once spores enter your home, they can settle onto any surface and start to multiply. They can also enter your house through open doorways, open windows, and HVAC systems.

Mold spores are microscopic and are virtually found everywhere. They are naturally found in the air we breathe, both indoors and outdoors. Since spores are tiny and lightweight, they become airborne easily, every time we vacuum or walk on the carpets or even sit on our couch.

Don’t Miss: How To Get Mold Out Of Outdoor Rug

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.

What Is Black Mold Where Does It Live

From the arctic to equator and all the places in between, mold lives literally everywhere. Molds are fungi, and grow from microscopic spores that are everywhere in the air. Molds are important for recycling organic matter . The recycling process they perform returns nutrients to the soil, and is important for plants to grow. In order to grow, molds need four things to grow: oxygen, moisture, a food source, and the right temperature range .

Don’t Miss: How To Injection Mold At Home

Mildew Vs Mold: What Is The Difference

Do you have mold in your home? Or is it mildew? Not sure? You are not alone. Many people are confused about the difference between mold and mildew, or if there is any difference at all. While these terms are often used interchangeably, there are a few subtle differences that can impact how mold or mildew is identified and treated.

When you want to know how mold and mildew could affect your health and the quality of your indoor air, it is important to understand all of their nuances. Keep reading to find out what are the differences between mold and mildew, how they may affect your health, and how to prevent both from growing in your home.

Conventional Treatment Of Black Mold

Typically, you can see or smell large black mold infestations. Smaller infestations can be harder to find. Wondering how black mold is conventionally treated?

According to the CDC, In most cases mold can be removed from hard surfaces by a thorough cleaning with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Absorbent or porous materials like ceiling tiles, drywall, and carpet may have to be thrown away if they become moldy. If you have an extensive amount of mold and you do not think you can manage the cleanup on your own, you may want to contact a professional who has experience in cleaning mold in buildings and homes. It is important to properly clean and dry the area as you can still have an allergic reaction to parts of the dead mold and mold contamination may recur if there is still a source of moisture.

Are you wondering how to test for mold? One option is to hire a professional mold tester to collect and analyze mold samples. A cheaper option is to order a black mold test kit, which you can use to collect mold samples yourself. You then send the samples to a professional mold testing laboratory.

Recommended Reading: What Is In Tilex Mold And Mildew Remover

How Does Mold Get In Your Home

Like any other living thing, mold needs food and water to thrive. Mold problems start when a mold spore thats floating in the air lands on a wet piece of organic material , takes root and starts to multiply. Mold spores are everywhere in the air, including in the cleanest of homes.

In fact, every breath you take likely has some mold spores in it at low levels! In the home, mold usually grows wherever there is dampness and moisture including:

What Is Black Mold

Stachybotrys chartarum is a common black mold. It can also be a greenish color. It grows on cotton, wood, and paper products. It sometimes produces toxic chemicals that are found in its airborne spores and fungus fragments.

These are called mycotoxins and are dangerous if they’re eaten. There’s no link to inhaled Stachybotrys chartarum mycotoxins and deadly diseases. But there are risks for people with allergies, asthma, and other hypersensitivities.

There is no evidence that black mold causes symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, an inability to focus, or a headache. These symptoms have been referred to as “toxic mold syndrome” but are largely due to media hype. Yet some people are allergic to mold. It should always be removed from your home.

You May Like: What Happens If Your Exposed To Black Mold

Rare Health Effects Of Black Mold

In numerous human studies of stachybotrys mycotoxins, researchers have observed rare and bizarre health effects. Many of these health effects cannot be conclusively linked to black mold exposure, as multiple mold strains and unique environmental conditions precipitated sickness. Regardless of causation, researchers observed associations between black mold exposure and the following conditions:

• Severe vomiting and diarrhea
• Pseudotumor cerebri
• Low levels of T-lymphocyte cells

The vast majority of black mold exposure does not cause serious health effects. In fact, its possible to live with black mold without ever being aware of its presence. However, as indoor mold is increasingly common, its important to be aware of its potential hazards to health.

Does Black Mold Really Cause Health Problems

In one word Yes.

Mold is most often associated with allergies and asthma, but mold is much more menacing than people know. While all molds have the potential to cause irritation and allergy symptoms, molds can also cause much more dangerous health problems including: fungal poisoning from mycotoxins to mental health issues.

Mold hides in places no one ever thinks to look like under cabinets, in crawl spaces, attics, and behind furniture. People may spend weeks, months, and even years fighting illness, and never know what they are really fightingmold. Many of our customers find us after a recommendation from their doctor, that they may in fact have a mold problem, and not just an illness.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Bleach To Water Ratio For Killing Mold

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.

How Common Is Mold In Buildings

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

The most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus. We do not have precise information about how often different molds are found in buildings and homes.

Don’t Miss: Is Black Mold Covered By Insurance

How Are Mold Allergies And Exposure Diagnosed

There are no proven tests that show when or where you may have been exposed to mold.

But your doctor may check for mold allergies by reviewing your symptoms and performing one of the following tests:

• Blood test. Your doctor takes a blood sample and then sends it to a laboratory to measure the number of certain antibodies, which can indicate your immune systems sensitivity to different mold species.
• Skin prick test. Your doctor takes a small amount of mold and applies it to your skin using a tiny needle. Your skin will break out in bumps, a rash, or hives if youre allergic to that type of mold.

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.

Also Check: How Long Does Mold Take To Grow After Water Damage

What Happens If You Eat Food With Mold

The thought of eating something moldy likely makes you want to gag. Most of the time, this is the only symptom youd get after eating moldy food. If somethings not right with your immune system and you eat something moldy, you might experience symptoms like:

• If you are allergic to mold, those allergy symptoms may be triggered also

If you notice mold on your food that you dont want to throw away, consult the USDAs guide on handling moldy food.

Health Effects Of Mold Exposure Symptomsheadache Health Effects Of Mold

Even for people in good health, exposure to large amounts of mycotoxins and molds can overwhelm the immune system and cause symptoms of poisoning. Mycotoxins can be especially dangerous for people with compromised immune systems. Symptoms that are associated with allergic reactions are highlighted in italics.

• Some of the symptoms associated with mold and mycotoxins can include:
• Chronic burning in the throat and nasal passages
• Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath
• Eye irritation red eyes, blurred vision
• Morning stiffness, joint pain and/or muscle pain
• Muscle weakness
• Poor memory, difficult word finding
• Difficulty concentrating
• Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
• Appetite and mood swings
• Increased urinary frequency, increased sweating , or increased thirst
• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating
• Metallic taste in mouth

As you can see, the list is quite long! It is also not a list of symptoms that would immediately point a doctor to a specific illness. Some symptoms manifest immediately, but others such as poor color distinction, dizziness, fatigue, poor memory, and difficulty word finding may take months or years to develop.

To learn more about our sources of information, please check out the For More Information section at the end of this article.

In the long term, mold can cause dangerous health problems for adults, children, and pets. If you suspect you or family members are suffering from mold exposure, talk to your doctor, pediatrician, or veterinarian.

Also Check: Can You Get Mold Out Of Wood