Inhalation exposure to mold indoors can cause serious health effects in some people. Molds produce allergens, irritants, and, in some cases, toxic substances known as mycotoxins. These are microscopic and travel through the air. They can land on almost anything such as humans, pets, food furniture, and plants of clothing. When these spores are in contact with moisture they begin to grow and have the potential to form large colonies which can not only impact your health but the structure of your property.
Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals and the mold does not have to be alive to cause an allergic reaction. This is why it is important to minimize people’s exposure to mold, even after it is no longer alive. The severity of the reaction depends on many factors such as the type of mold, the spore count, and the length of exposure and the health of the individual.
Breathing in mold may also cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a disease that resembles bacterial pneumonia. In addition, exposure to certain types of mold, such as Aspergillus, may result in opportunistic infections in persons who are at high risk with immune systems that are weakened or suppressed, the elderly, children or pregnant women. These can be quite sever and in some cases life threating.
If you have a recent water intrusion, discovered a slow leaking pipe, discoloration of your wall or ceilings, or a musty foul smelling odor or someone is sick without explanation and is just not getting better you should consider having a certified mold tester or industrial hygienist visit your property for an indoor air quality assessment. Visit moldremoval.net where you will find over 200 articles and videos relating to your indoor air quality.
A mold inspection is quite extensive as it should identify conditions around your property that could support growth such as water damage, cracks in foundation, lack of proper ventilation, leaks behinds walls that are not visible to the human eye. Once the visual inspection is completed they will check moisture levels in various rooms. They will use special thermal imaging cameras to look for mold and moisture. Today the thermal imaging camera has become an important tool for diagnosis in the mold industry. It helps the mold contractor to find the hidden mold .
Both air and surface mold samples will be taken and sent to a certified lab for analysis. In most cases you should take at least two air samples one being from the outside and the other being from the inside area that is of concern for you. This will tell you the spore count in relationship to the control sample which is the outside sample. If the inside sample is much higher that the outside this could mean you have toxic mold and it should be removed.
Once the lab results are reviewed by certified professional they will interpret the results and make recommendations on how to restore your indoor air quality. Once you have the diagnosis of toxic mold you should make this a high priority to have it removed by a certified remediation specialist. Make no mistake toxic mold spores are harmful and should be removed to protect you and your pets.
