The first step is to have your home professionally tested for mold. This should involve a thorough inspection for any water damage or mold growth found on materials in your home, as well as an air quality test to check for airborne spores. This entire process typically takes an hour or less to perform.
Next, samples will be sent to an environmental testing laboratory to determine if there are harmful species of mold in your home. If needed, you can then call in a mold remediation company to remove the toxic mold in your home and get to the bottom of any remaining sources of water damage. Once the mold has been remediated, a clearance air test can be performed to ensure that the mold levels in your home are safe.
To an untrained professional glancing at a suspect problem area might not give you the answers you need. Give us a call to discuss how we can help identify and solve the issue. DIY mold clean-up can also be beneficial, but the harsh chemicals that need to be used tend to be harsh. Check out 6 natural ways to treat mold without using bleach. People with a mold allergy as well as asthma have a higher chance of having an asthma attack when there is mold in the environment.
A higher volume of dust can increase the risk of dust mites, which can also trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Some types of mold, such as Aspergillus , can cause a serious health problem, known as aspergillosis , in some people. Most people can breathe in the spores of this fungus without becoming sick, but people who have a weakened immune system or an existing lung disease can have a severe reaction.
There are different types of aspergillosis:. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis ABPA : This affects the lungs and can cause breathing problems. Allergic aspergillus sinusitis : This affects the nose and can involve a headache. Aspergilloma, or fungus ball : This can cause a cough, which may produce blood, as well as breathing problems. Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis : Symptoms include breathing problems, a cough, and weight loss.
Mold can also trigger the production of microbes and bacteria. Exposure to these bacteria may trigger an inflammatory response in some people, according to the World Health Organization WHO. The WHO also note that mold and the microbial agents it produces may increase the risk of bronchial and fungal infections. Some evidence from the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC suggests that people have experienced the following symptoms after spending time in an environment where mold is present:.
Mold can trigger bronchitis in some people. Which home remedies can help treat bronchitis? Controlling moisture is the key to preventing mold from growing indoors. It is also important to keep the home clean and well ventilated. It is not always possible to prevent mold from growing, but regular cleaning and wiping can reduce the risk of it appearing or getting worse. Wipe hard surfaces with a suitable commercial product, soap and water, or a heavily diluted bleach solution.
Always dry the surfaces after use to prevent mold from reappearing. Wash or wipe porous surfaces and check regularly to see if mold has returned, as it can infiltrate these materials.
If mold continues to reappear, consider disposing of these items. Ask at the local hardware store about antifungal paints and other products that can help prevent mold from developing.
However, people with a compromised immune system may have a higher risk of illness, and especially lung problems, if there are mold spores and mold in the environment.
Others may experience allergic reactions. Keeping an indoor space clean, dry, and well ventilated is the best ways to prevent mold from developing. Anyone who has concerns about mold in the home, the workplace, or an educational or other setting should ask their healthcare provider or state health department for advice. Moth larvae can eat through clothes and other fabrics, and the insects can trigger allergic reactions, which may be serious.
Learn how to get rid of…. Hand sanitizer does expire, and while it may still be safe to use, it may not work as well. Here, learn about the timing, how to use it effectively…. Proper hand washing can help prevent the spread of germs and disease. Cladosporium is an olive-green or brown colored mold with a suede-like texture. Cladosporium typically causes allergic reactions to the eyes, nose, throat and skin. Exposure to cladosporium causes skin rash and lesions, asthma, lung infections and sinusitis.
While not considered to have toxic properties, cladosporium should not be handled directly due to its potential for causing skin and lung irritation. Like cladosporium, fusarium is another mold capable of growing and spreading even at colder temperatures.
It is both an allergenic and a toxigenic type of mold that grows in homes with water damage. Typically, fusarium will grow in carpeting, wallpaper and other fabrics and materials. Fusarium mold is often pink, white or reddish in color and naturally grows on food products and in compost. Exposure to fusarium can cause skin infections as well as allergic reaction symptoms such as sore throat, running nose, sneezing, itchy eyes and dermatitis.
Prolonged exposure to fusarium can cause other severe and life-threatening conditions such as bone infections or brain abscess. Fusarium can produce toxins that are damaging to the nervous system and can potentially lead to hemorrhages and internal bleeding.
Fusarium by nature will quickly spread from room to room. If you notice it in one area of your home, examine the rest of the home thoroughly for signs of it elsewhere. Mucor is an allergenic form of mold that usually grows in thick patches. It is often white or greyish in color and grows quickly. It most often grows near air conditioning, HVAC systems and ducting due to moisture from condensation.
Old, damp carpets can also grow mucor spores. Mucor causes a range of health problems particularly affecting the respiratory system. When exposed to mucor, it can cause asthma or worsen existing asthma conditions.
Mucor also causes difficulty breathing and flu-like symptoms including fever and malaise. In very severe and unfortunate cases, someone who faces prolonged exposure to mucor can develop mucormycosis. Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that can damage the sinuses, lungs and even the brain. It can also infect the eyes and nose and eventually become systemic in the blood, digestion or renal systems.
For this reason, it is vitally important to contact mold remediation professional to handle the removal of mucor. Never inhale or handle mucor spores without mold remediation equipment and safety gear. Penicillin is an allergenic form of mold. It is easily recognizable by its characteristic blue or green colored surface with a velvety texture.
Penicillin mold is often found in water-damaged homes and buildings. It is found in materials such as carpets, wallpapers, ducting and even in mattresses. It spreads quickly from one area of the home to the next. Unfortunately, though penicillin is responsible for important antibiotic production and food processing capabilities, it is also the cause of terrible respiratory conditions when it grows indoors. Penicillin spores can easily become airborne and travel throughout the home and can be inhaled by occupants, including pets and children.
Penicillin exposure can cause pulmonary inflammation and asthma. When exposed to it for a longer time it can lead to chronic sinusitis. Because penicillin mold growth is commonly associated with damp and moist areas, it is critical to remedy any household leaks or water damage as soon as possible to prevent penicillin from recurring and spreading throughout your home. It is a toxigenic type of mold that can also cause allergic reactions.
Stachybotrys mold is dark greenish or black in color and has a slimy texture. Stachybotrys thrives in damp, wet areas with high humidity levels that maintain these environmental conditions for weeks. It is known for growing on cellulose material such as woods, cardboard, paper, hay or wicker.
Stachybotrys exposure symptoms include difficulty breathing, sinusitis, fatigue and even depression. Dull aches and pains in the mucous membranes of the sinuses are common among sufferers of black mold exposure.
Stachybotrys is linked to neurological problems in children and pulmonary bleeding in infants. If you have black mold in a home with children, it is important to remove children from the home and prevent their exposure to stachybotrys. Contact a mold remediation professional immediately to restore your home back to safety. Trichoderma is an allergenic mold type with five different subspecies. Trichoderma mold colonies grow rapidly as wooly-textured clusters and then become more compact over time.
It commonly grows in the home on wet surfaces including within wallpaper, carpet and other damp fabrics. It thrives in moist areas, and so you may also find it in air conditioning filters and HVAC system ducts where there is a buildup of condensation. While most trichoderma molds are non-pathogenic, other types have been linked to pulmonary and even hepatic liver infections. When it produces mycotoxins, trichoderma acts similarly to stachybotrys.
Trichoderma is also extremely damaging to building materials. It contains an enzyme that destroys wood and paper products as well as textiles. This leads to rot and causes these structures to crumble. A trichoderma mold infestation must be dealt with professionally to stop the destruction of building materials and prevent further health hazards.
Ulocladium is a type of mold that thrives in wetness and water. It is usually black in color. Ulocladium is typically found in homes and buildings that have experienced extreme water damage.
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