Some types of mold, such as Stachybotrys chartarum, better known as black mold, is toxic and can pose a serious health threat when found in the home. Here are some of the dangers that mold can present and how you can avoid them:
Just how dangerous is mold to health?
The most common health problems caused by exposure to mold can include respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, coughing and sinus infections. Some may even experience regular headaches, sore throats and difficulty breathing, any of which can warrant a trip to the emergency room, especially if the affected person already has asthma or other allergies. It’s not unheard of for someone regularly exposed to toxic mold to develop a serious infection like pneumonia, bleeding in the lungs, digestive problems, depression, extreme fatigue or painful inflammation of the joints. Skin rashes and hives can also occur but are less common.
How can mold damage your home?
Mold can quickly break down certain materials such as wood, and when left untreated for months on end, it’s possible that a building could collapse because of this. While this may not present a huge threat to individual homes, it is possible for parts of your ceiling to cave in or for structural damage to occur. Not only could this cause a serious injury, but repairing damage to your home from mold can be costly and time consuming.
Testing for mold in your home:
If you can detect a musty odour in your home, have had significant water damage or you or other members of your household have experienced any of the health symptoms of mold exposure mentioned above, then you’d be wise to have your home tested for mold. You can purchase testing kits, but it’s recommended that you hire a professional to test your home fully.
How to clean up a home with mold:
If you see mold in one area of your home, then there’s a strong chance that you have mold elsewhere in the home, too, even if it’s not visible to the untrained eye. Mold can grow inside walls and in heating and ventilation ducts, and when it’s there, it’s hard to remove unless you know what you’re doing, and it can be dangerous as the mold spores can easily be spread all around the home during the cleaning process.
Not cleaning the mold up properly can also encourage it to spread and cause even more mold- related issues for you in the future. That’s why it’s strongly recommended to hire a professional cleaning company who can get the job done safely and thoroughly the first time, so that the problem goes away and stays away.
Mold is no laughing matter, and if you discover it in your home, it’s best to act quickly and get it cleaned up professionally before it begins to pose a very real threat to your health and your home.
