Individuals today more than ever are concerned about mold in their home and how it can affect their health. In 2004 the Institute of Medicine found there was significant evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory track symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy individuals. Other studies have suggested a potential link of early mold exposure to development of asthma in children. You should have a professional visit your home where they will do an assessment, interview, inspect your home and collect samples which will be sent to a certified lab. The lab results will provide you with the answers regarding mold and air you are breathing
One thing that all research points to is that mold will not grow without moisture and food. You may see high moisture levels as a result of a recent flood , plumbing leak that , moisture produced by individuals living in the home, daily activities of bathing or washing clothes where you have lack of proper ventilation, or from a crack in your basement or roof.
Mould or mildew it can cause extensive damage to your property not to mention health concerns. Mold needs food for reproduction and a great food source is damp papers, carpet padding, wall paper paste, wet clothes, as time goes on the mould can cause problems with your sheetrock and the wood structures of the house. If left untreated it can cost thousands of dollars to have the mold removed or total mold abatement.
When mould is left growing inside your property there may be health concerns. Mold releases chemicals and spores. These spores are known as myotoxinc which can cause may serious health problems. Symptoms vary according to the amount of mold spores, the degree of exposure and the health conditions of individuals living in the property. We know that pregnant women, children the elderly and those with auto immune conditions are at greatest risk for developing mold related symptoms. It should be noted that if you have mold growing inside your house particularly black toxic mold anyone can have an allergic reaction which can be quite serious. If you see mold or have reason to believe your property has mold you should contact a certified professional for an evaluation of your property.
The removal of black mold is not an easy job. It must be attempted with great care. You should use a certified mold contractor. Mold can be very toxic so if the proper care is not taken it can cause serious health related problems. Black mold mainly occurs from unwanted moisture in the home. Do not try to kill mold yourself you only can make the situation worse.
After the black mold removal abatement this should leave your home free from dangerous from toxic mold spores. Once your remediation project is completed you should insist that an independent third party perform a post clearance test. This will confirm and give you peace of mind that the entire toxic mold was removed from your property and the indoor air quality in your property is back to acceptable levels. At this point the only thing you should is prevention and staying alert for any increased moisture which can cause mold growth.