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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Why We Recommend A Free Consultation With A Mold Removal Specialist:
- They will assess the situation at no cost to you.
- They will help you find mold that you may not have seen. This is very important because if you miss even a little mold, you remain at risk for health problems
- They have the knowledge and special equipment to safely remove mold without exposing you to further health problems.
- They can advise you on techniques that will help you complete the job safely if you opt to do the work yourself.
Follow this link to get a list of licensed Mold Removal Specialists offering free consultations in your town.
Additional Reading:
Reasons To Have A Mold Specialist Come To Your Home
Because toxic mold can be so dangerous to your health, you should not put off having a mold specialist examine your home. Most specialists offer free consultations, and they will bring specialized testing equipment.
A common problem is to have the mold spread to other areas, causing cross contamination. Working with a mold contractor will help you to safely remove the mold and prevent it from growing back.
With the free consultation, you will receive a complete home inspection, as well as a full report listing specific steps that should be taken in order to remediate the problem. Click here for a list of mold specialists in your town that offer free consultations. Additional Reading:
Effects of Mold – Information on the health issues from mold exposure. Why its important to use a professional mold tester to check your property.
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Illnesses Caused By Toxic Mold
In the beginning, symptoms of toxic mold are similar to allergies or a head cold. You may experience itchy eyes, a runny nose, sinus problems, wheezing, and some people also have skin rashes. As the symptoms progress, it is common for a person to experience infections, and the mold can even begin to grow in a persons lungs and sinuses.
When mold is present in a building, it releases several dangerous compounds: acetone, benzene and mycotoxins. The acetone and benzene substances are associated with headaches, dizziness, and nausea. The mycotoxins are even more dangerous, because they target cells within the body and causes damage on a cellular level. Mycotoxins have been linked with serious diseases caused by toxic mold such as sudden infant death syndrome, autoimmune conditions, cancer, and stillbirths.
Health Effects Of Mold On Adults Children And Pets
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.
If you think you need a mold inspection for your home or business, get in touch with us, and well get down to the source. Here at Branch Environmental, we know your health is your priority, and we see each mold inspection as an in-depth investigation.
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Health Effects Of Black Mold On Children And Pets
There are thousands of different types of molds all around us, both inside and outside our homes. Many types of mold shouldnt cause you any worry as a homeowner. In fact, some mold such as penicillin is even considered helpful. Other molds, however, can be dangerous to humans, especially children and pets.
Black mold, also called Stachybotrys chartarum, is one of these types of toxic molds. Black mold can cause health problems for home occupants and can even cause damage to buildings, walls, carpeting, furniture, and more. If you discover black mold in your home, the absolute worst thing to do is ignore it. Over time, there can be long-term effects of black mold on children and pets.
How does mold affect children and pets? And how can you safely remove black mold? Lets review the impacts of mold on kids and our furry family members and walk through the steps to remove mold.
Less Common Black Mold Health Issues
While we know these health problems are less likely to result from exposure to mold, they can happen, or at least some people believe these symptoms may occur as a result of black mold exposure. We dont know how common they are, just that they are not as common as other symptoms listed above. Less common health problems sometimes caused by exposure to black mold include:
- Fatigue
- Pulmonary hemorrhage , which can be fatal
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What Type Of Doctor Should I See For Black Mold Health Problems
The CDC recommends first consulting a family or general health care provider that can refer you to a specialist if necessary. The type of specialist depends on the health problem. Allergists treat patients with mold allergies, infectious disease physicians treat mold infections, and pulmonologists treat lung infections.
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.
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Causes Of Damp And Mould
Mould and damp are caused by excess moisture. Moisture in buildings can be caused by leaking pipes, rising damp in basements or ground floors, or rain seeping in because of damage to the roof or around window frames.
A newly built home may be damp if the water used when building it is still drying out for example, in the plaster on the walls. Excess moisture indoors can also be caused by condensation.
If you have mould or damp it’s important to find out why you have excess moisture in your home. When you know what’s causing the damp, you can make sure your home is repaired or take steps to limit the moisture in the air. You may need to get a professional to remove mould for you, but if it’s only a small amount you may be able to remove it yourself.
Page last reviewed: 8 August 2018 Next review due: 8 August 2021
What Are Symptoms Of Black Mold Poisoning
The symptoms of black mold poisoning vary from person to person and are also affected by how much you were exposed to.
Exposure typically causes effects characteristic of an allergic reaction or respiratory issues like asthma. Long-term contact is also linked to health risks like chronic respiratory and neurological issues. A recent study found that 93% of patients suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome tested positive for the presence of mycotoxins in their bloodstreams. People who have an immunodeficiency or who suffer from certain illnesses like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or where affected by the coronavirus are especially at risk to toxicity.
You may experience any of the symptoms below, either on their own or in combination with one another. Since many of these effects can be indicative of conditions or illnesses unrelated to toxic exposure, you should consult with your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
- Red, itchy eyes
- Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or sinus congestion
- Headaches, difficulty concentrating, confusion, forgetfulness, or brain fog
- Weakness, extreme tiredness
- Joint pain, aches, muscle cramping, or nerve pain
- Insomnia, depression, or anxiety
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Indoor Environmental Quality: Health Problems Mold
Health problems associated with excessive damp conditions and mold include:
Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
- Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
- You will be subject to the destination website’s privacy policy when you follow the link.
- CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance on other federal or private website.
Five Of The Most Common Indoor Molds
Mold illness is the variety of health problems that can occur from any type of mold exposure. Although a mold allergy is the most common problem caused by exposure to mold, mold can cause illness without an allergic reaction. Mold can also cause infections or irritants and toxic reactions. Infections caused by mold can lead to a variety of problems from flu-like symptoms to skin infections and even pneumonia.
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Who Is At Risk For Mold Toxicity
While anyone can become ill from exposure to mold and its mycotoxins, some are more susceptible than others.
People who already have allergies or asthma can be more severely affected by mold toxicity than those who do not have allergies.
Also, people who are already ill, have immune suppression, or who have respiratory illnesses are more likely to have noticeable and intense symptoms resulting from mold exposure.
Symptoms of mold toxicity are relatively persistent and should not be ignored.
Prevent Mold Growth With Routine Maintenance
To prevent mold growth, we suggest using a dehumidifier during the warm months and providing your home or business with the proper ventilation. Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens. Clean surfaces with mold-killing products.
Keep your humidity levels below 50 percent. Humidity levels shift throughout the day. Inspecting your structure for mold growth is an important part of routine building maintenance.
Seek treatment from a doctor soon as you notice any eye irritation, skin irritation or other common symptoms after exposure to mold, especially when symptoms persist. Its better to be safe than sorry. ECOS Environmental is happy to step in and test your home or business for mold and assist with the cleanup and renovation.
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What Causes Black Mold
Molds are an important part of our environment. They decompose dead plants and animals. All types of mold will grow if the conditions are right. Mold grows and spreads quickly in the right conditions, which include:
- Moisture level at or over 70%
- Adequate food source
- Oxygen
- Temperatures that range from 40 to 100 degrees F
Mold can grow anywhere in your house that provides these conditions. The most likely places mold will grow are:
- Anywhere that there has been a water leak.
- Damp rooms without adequate ventilation, such as bathrooms.
- Basements where humidity tends to be higher.
- Any areas with a lot of water condensation.
- Any areas where flooding has occurred.
What Medical Tests Are Available To Determine If I Am Allergic Tomold
There are medical tests to determine if you are allergic to a particularsubstance, such as mold. These can be performed on skin or blood. Skin testsare considered more reliable than blood tests to determine allergic reaction toa substance. Skin tests yield results more quickly, are less expensive thanblood tests and are generally considered more sensitive. If an individual hassymptoms year-round, which may indicate an indoor allergy, skin testing may berecommended.
Blood testing called the RAST test can be done to showif you are allergic to a substance. The RAST test detects levels of antibodiesto particular allergens. The test is expensive to perform and results areusually not available for about two weeks.
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Mold Toxicity Is Also An Issue And It Is Considered A Chronic Inflammatory Response
An acute and chronic, systemic inflammatory response acquired following exposure to the interior environment of a water-damaged building with resident toxigenic organisms, including, but not limited to fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, and Mycobacterium serve as inflammogens! Inflammogens keep your body in a state of inflammation.
Sneezing And Nasal Congestion
While many things can trigger sneezing, its also a symptom of mold toxicity that should get your attention. If youve never had allergies or hay fever symptoms and youre positive you dont have a cold, those sneezes could be indicative of mold exposure.
Sneezing is the immune systems standard response to allergens. It could also be a warning sign that your home has a mold problem.
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What Do Mycotoxins Do
These chemical substances can cause many health problems ranging from mild to severe. Even if you are not allergic to mold, you can be affected by mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins can be absorbed by the body in a number of ways including: through the skin, the airways , and through the intestinal lining . Detrimental health effects caused by mycotoxins can range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and cancer.2 Chronic disease sufferers, such as people with immunosuppressive disorders or underlying lung disease may be more sensitive to molds and mycotoxins in their environment.4
One of the main ways people and pets become poisoned by mycotoxins is through eating contaminated foods. Foods such as apples, cereal grains, coffee beans, nuts, spices, dog and cat food, and more can become contaminated with fungi that produce mycotoxins.
To learn more about mycotoxins in foods check out the World Health Organizations article: Mycotoxins.
Did you know that toxic mold can affect your pets as well? To learn more about how mold affects your pets check out our article: Mold and Pets 10 Things You Most Likely Didnt Know.
Air Purifiers For Black Mold
Without moisture and food, black mold will be unable to colonize in your home. However, that doesnt mean it goes away completely mold spores will still waft through the air and lay on surfaces, waiting for the opportunity to grow again. One of the best ways to prevent black mold growth is by running an Air Oasis air purifier.
Air Oasis air purifiers can greatly reduce, if not eliminate, indoor mold. Multiple scientific studies illustrate the effectiveness of Air Oasis purifiers against both airborne fungus and visible mold colonies. Air Oasis purifiers achieved this through a combination of powerful purification technologies, including overlapping filtration techniques and ionization.
If youre concerned about the health effects of black mold, you need the best air purifier on the market. Air Oasis has got you covered. Questions? Contact us online or give us a call at .
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Could Your Symptoms Be From A General Mold Allergy
Regardless of the species of mold in question, symptoms of a mold allergy can appear very similar, especially when looking at many individuals. So if you see black-colored mold and experience allergic symptoms, it could be Stachybotrys, or it could be another species of mold. That said, the same person can react differently to different molds. For example, one person may have severe dry eyes in response to a Cladosporium exposure, while Aspergillus exposure may cause wheezing and asthma-like 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.
Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
- Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
- You will be subject to the destination website’s privacy policy when you follow the link.
- CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance on other federal or private website.
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