What Can Mold In Your Home Do To Your Health

Molds are harmful agents inside the home that can have profound effects on our health. It may grow in damp and poorly ventilated areas of a home. There are various types of mold, each posing one or the other dangers to your health. Molds produce allergens such as irritants and toxic chemicals. Inhaling mold bacteria can aggravate the airways leading to different health issues including nasal congestion, coughing, wheezing, running nose, red eyes, throat irritation, asthma and skin irritation. These problems may be delayed or immediate. People living in damp and moist homes are also at increased risk of depression, increasing the risk of asthma and respiratory symptoms. There are various other health effects of molds, some are common while others are rare.

Getting rid of mold is not easy. It cannot be completely eliminated as the mold bacteria keep on spreading in the environment through the air. All molds need moisture and water to grow and thus, preventing moisture and water build-up is the best way to get rid of mold. Clean up the mold in your house and repair any water leaks.

Mold can impose various health issues on your health. Some of them are listed below:

  1. Respiratory disease:

Excessive exposure to molds can lead to major respiratory and breathing problems. The mold bacteria can get into your lungs, causing irritation in mucus membranes and leading to malfunction of the lungs. This can lead to chronic asthma or allery attack, coughing with blood and bronchitis.

  1. Gastrointestinal illness:

Apart from the lungs, molds can also infect the mucus membranes of the stomach. Mold infections can also lead to gastrointestinal problems, including nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. This may also cause sudden lost in appetite and weight.

  1. Skin problems:

A mold bacterium that touches your skin may cause various skin problems like skin rashes, skin irritation, etc. The major signs of mold infection include red skin, itchiness, patches and irritation. Thus, you should make every effort to treat the mold the right way and avoid open sores to the skin.

  1. Toxic effects:

Excessive amount of mold bacteria when inhaled or ingested can be dangerous to your health. There are various types of mold. The greenish-black mold growing on wood, tiles and paper produce a large amount of mycotoxins, causing dangers to your health. Mold can also grow on food, especially the vegetables, cheese, breads, etc. that haven’t been consumed for days. Any food, with signs of molds growing, should be thrown with immediate effect. Any accidental eating of such food might lead into nausea, headache and in some cases, even diarrhoea and vomiting.

The best thing to prevent such dangers to your health is to keep your home mold free. As soon as you see the mold growing, clean it immediately so as to avoid any further spread of molds. It’s not just about maintaining the cleanliness of your home but for your family’s protection as well.

What Makes the Home a Great Place for Mold Growth?

It is often said that home is the best place for molds to grow. While the presence of mold is sometimes beneficial, it may turn out to be hazardous most of the times. Cleanliness is one of the major factors the lack of which leads to the growth of molds.

Places at Home That Are Likely to See Mold Growth – How to Avoid?

Kitchens, bathrooms, and areas outside homes are more prone to mold growth. So far as the kitchen is concerned, do not forget to empty garbage cans every day. Do not put old food frequently or for a long time in refrigerators. Remember turning on the exhaust fan while you cook in the kitchen.

If you notice, dotted molds in your bathroom, you must take care of the sink faucets and make sure they are working well. Ensure that the plumbing on and under the sink counters are sealed properly. You also need to make sure that your toilet bowl and bathtub have no leakage. There is no moisture allowed on the bathroom walls or around the bathtub. Like your kitchen, your bathroom’s exhaust fan must be running while you take a hot shower.

To avoid mold growth outside your home, ensure cleaning the gutters at regular intervals. Do not allow leaves to accumulate in your outer surrounding. There should be no leakage in faucets around exterior walls of your place.

Types of Mold Found in Homes

There are three types of molds that are found in homes. The first one is Aspergergillus. These are allergenic molds that you notice on food items as well as air conditioning machines.  The second one is the Cladosporium, which appear as black or green “pepper.” These are normally found on the back of toilets, and painted surfaces.

The third most commonly found molds are Stachybotrys, which are popularly called black molds. These are quite hazardous for health. However, the process of removing black molds is quite expensive but necessary.

How to Suspect Mold Growth at Home?

Molds don’t grow secretly. They indicate their presence in different ways, which property owners fail to identify most of the times. First of all, people living the mold-affected area suffer frequent allergies, including sore eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion, and others. Molds, if present in your home, will let you feel their presence through the odor they release.

The easiest and most reliable sign of mold growth is when a person sees it with his/her own eyes. Don’t ignore the signs if you seriously want to go for mold removal and make your home safe and healthy. You might also suffer from neurological issues, including headaches, lack of memory span, and dizziness because of the presence of toxic molds inside your house.

Some other signs of mold growth will include water leaks, past flooding, and condensation to name a few.

Though homes are the great places for mold growth, there are experts who deal with them efficiently. There are various mold removal professionals who not only helps homeowners to kill the molds but also make sure they remove them properly to avoid their regrowth. Hence, property owners are advised to get assistance from experts who will ensure there are no molds after the treatment.

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5 Common Mold Myths: What You Believe May Not Be True

There is a huge difference between beliefs and facts. People often believe that the littlest of the information can provide them with enough knowledge on the subject, but they are so wrong in believing so! Unfortunately, one such area with various common myths is Molds!

Yes, we often find the growth of molds in our surroundings, in our property and always have an opinion on how to deal with them. But in reality, there have been a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about molds that can ruin property owners completely.

Hence, here is a list of common myths associated with Molds. Having a closer look at each of them can assist property owners in deciding if and when they seriously need to focus on Mold removal:

Common Mold Myth 1: All Molds are Harmful

If you belong to the category of people who believe that all molds are harmful, you must know the fact. Not all molds are dangerous or hazardous to health. In fact, you might have consumed blue cheese or penicillin, which is made from molds.

Moreover, mold spores are an important part of the natural environment. These are present almost everywhere in the surrounding. It is tough to remove mold spores completely from your home or property. However, these are not dangerous until molds reach a concentration level that is considerably large and visible.

Common Mold Myth 2: Black Molds, Dead Molds Are Not Dangerous

If you believe this myth, don’t do that. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that black molds cause allergic reactions and also enhances the risks for infections. In fact, black molds are a cause of several other health issues.

Similarly, dead molds are also harmful. Once the molds are dormant, people believe they won’t regrow. However, it is not the right fact. Molds are inactive until they get favorable conditions to grow again. As soon as they are in the right growing environment, dead molds start releasing spores.

Common Mold Myth 3: Bleach Can Kill Molds

Yes, bleach can kill molds but not always. You might feel that your bleach activity is killing molds but the fact is that most of the bleach products merely decolorizes them and do not kill them. In addition, it is recommended not to use such products on porous and semi-porous surfaces made with wood, ceiling tile, and carpet.

In such surfaces, mold roots might come in contact with the cleaning retail product and increase the chances of the return of those molds. Hence, the mold removal experts should be consulted rather than using your own mold removal strategies.

Common Mold Myth 4: Mold Shouldn’t Be There Inside

As already discussed above, not all molds are hazardous to health. The mold spores those are present in the atmosphere helps in breathing. Thus, having molds inside is quite helpful for the easy respiration process.

Common Mold Myth 5: Killing Mold Is Enough

Not at all! Only killing mold is not enough. As a property owner, you must ensure proper removal of molds after they receive kill treatment. It has already been mentioned above that molds regrow as soon as they are exposed to favorable conditions for growth. Hence, you can only be assured of a harmful mold-free environment when the hazardous molds are completely removed.

 

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