What is Mold - How Mold Affects People - Mold Removal
Introduction To Mold
Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed. There is no practical way to eliminate all molds and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
Health Related Issues
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to black molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs. Molds can trigger asthma episodes in sensitive individuals with asthma. People with asthma should avoid contact with or exposure to molds. Even in Mold Cleaning and Mold Removal people can experience symptoms.
How to Control Mold
Water in your home can come from many sources. Water can enter your home by leaking or by seeping through basement floors. Showers or even cooking can add moisture to the air in your home. The amount of moisture that the air in your home can hold depends on the temperature of the air. As the temperature goes down, the air is able to hold less moisture. This is why, in cold weather, moisture condenses on cold surfaces (for example, drops of water form on the inside of a window). This moisture can encourage biological pollutants to grow.
Moisture Control is a Must when it comes to mold
There are Many Ways to Control Moisture in Your Home:
Fix leaks and seepage. If water is entering the house from the outside, your options range from simple landscaping to extensive excavation and waterproofing. (The ground should slope away from the house.) Water in the basement can result from the lack of gutters or a water flow toward the house. Water leaks in pipes or around tubs and sinks can provide a place for biological pollutants to grow.
- Put a plastic cover over dirt in crawlspaces to prevent moisture from coming in from the ground. Be sure crawlspaces are well-ventilated.
- Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to remove moisture to the outside (not into the attic). Vent your clothes dryer to the outside.
- Turn off certain appliances (such as humidifiers or kerosene heaters) if you notice moisture on windows and other surfaces.
- Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners, especially in hot, humid climates, to reduce moisture in the air, but be sure that the appliances themselves don't become sources of biological pollutants.
- Raise the temperature of cold surfaces where moisture condenses. Use insulation or storm windows. (A storm window installed on the inside works better than one installed on the outside.) Open doors between rooms (especially doors to closets which may be colder than the rooms) to increase circulation. Circulation carries heat to the cold surfaces. Increase air circulation by using fans and by moving furniture from wall corners to promote air and heat circulation. Be sure that your house has a source of fresh air and can expel excessive moisture from the home.
- Pay special attention to carpet on concrete floors. Carpet can absorb moisture and serve as a place for biological pollutants to grow. Use area rugs which can be taken up and washed often. In certain climates, if carpet is to be installed over a concrete floor, it may be necessary to use a vapor barrier (plastic sheeting) over the concrete and cover that with sub-flooring (insulation covered with plywood) to prevent a moisture problem.
Take Action! Your Health is Important
It is important to dry water damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. If mold is a problem in your home, clean up the mold and get rid of the excess water or moisture. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water. Wash mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles & carpet) that become moldy may have to be replaced.
If you believe your mold problem is bigger than you then take the steps to control the moisture and contact a professional because you or your family's health could be at risk.
10 Things you need to know about mold
- Exposure to elevated levels of molds can cause health problems in sensitive individuals, such as respiratory problems and sinus problems, cold and flu-like symptoms, headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and memory loss. Those most susceptible include young children, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, and persons with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
- There are many molds that have the potential to cause health problems including Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys. (Just because you can’t pronounce it doesn’t mean it can’t cause problems.)
- Mold spores can cause health problems even if the spores are dead.
- Mold requires an organic food source, such as cloth, sheet rock, or wood, and a moisture source to grow. Mold can begin to grow if any organic material remains wet for more than 48 hours. The way to control mold growth indoors is to control moisture indoors.
- Mold spores are very common outdoors and there is no practical way to eliminate all mold spores indoors.
- Molds can grow undetected inside wall spaces, under carpet, and inside HVAC systems.
- Mold growth can often be the visible sign of a structural defect that allows moisture to intrude into a building.
- When doing mold abatement, it is first necessary to find and eliminate the moisture source. If the moisture problem is not resolved, the mold growth will return.
- Cleanup of large areas of mold growth can cause airborne levels of spores to increase up to 10,000 times that of background levels resulting in acute exposure to those doing the cleanup if personal protective equipment is not worn.
- The best way to abate mold growth indoors is to remove the impacted materials. Cleaning the surface of a material with mold growth may not always kill the mold, especially if mold is growing on porous materials like sheet rock or carpeting.
