MOLD:
IS YOUR HEALTH AT RISK?

Mold can cause serious health risks to you and your pets

March 7, 2022

Black Mold

MOLD… Those unsightly black dots on walls and ceilings seem to appear overnight. The truth is mold grows incredibly fast when the right conditions occur, primarily moisture.

Why is mold dangerous?

Mold cannot grow without some moisture to get the enzymes activated and a surface to incubate the spores. Unfortunately, the sheet rock in most homes is a perfect medium for growing mold. It also likes to grow in carpets, around bathroom fixtures, basement walls and ceiling vents. Mold can quickly damage paint and wallpaper, actually growing right through the paint and the paper. Wiping it off will not work once the paint or paper is compromised, the mold will just keep on growing.

Even worse, mold is very dangerous to your health. Breathing in mold spores can create a lot of respiratory issues, especially if you already suffer from asthma, allergies, COPD, or other respiratory problems. With even slight exposure to molds and spores, sensitive people may experience headaches, runny noses, skin rashes, nausea, sinus problems, memory loss and coughs. You may feel listless for extended periods of time or feel as though you have a perpetual case of the flu. Newborns, the elderly, the sick, and those with compromised immune systems can be affected severely, even fatally. Babies and toddlers, who love to crawl around on possibly moldy carpets and stick possibly moldy things in their mouths, also are highly vulnerable to mold-induced illnesses. Mold should be taken very seriously.

Where does the moisture in my home come from?

There are many normal daily activities that release moisture into your home, cooking, showering, laundry and washing and cleaning household surfaces. A certain amount of moisture in your home is good. Your lungs like the relative humidity to be approximately 50%. If the air is too dry it dries out your lungs and your skin, then you become dehydrated. However too much moisture is not healthy, and this is where mold likes to grow.

 

Roof and foundation cracks, leaks around through the wall air conditioners, clogged gutters and leaders, and poorly insulated crawl spaces allow water into your home. Improperly vented bathroom fans and kitchen exhausts can push excess moisture into your home. Leaking central air conditioner units in the attic are also another big source of excessive moisture.

 

What can you do?

There are several very important things to do to get rid of mold. The first is, don’t ignore it, it will not go away on its own. Second, don’t just start scrubbing away at it, unless you know what you are doing, you will be releasing all those mold spores into the air to circulate and land on other surfaces to grow. Under no circumstances should you use bleach on mold! Chlorine bleach cannot penetrate the roots of the mold where it grows. Bleach is dangerous to humans and pets and produces fumes that pollute the air in your home. The black coloring disappears for a little while, the mold will come back with a vengeance. The last thing is to find the sources of the excess moisture in your home and fix them. This is one of those times where it makes good sense to hire a firm that knows how to properly encapsulate the mold and get rid of it.

Need home damage advice?

For more information about mold abatement and restoration or to schedule a home damage assessment on Long Island, NY and the surrounding areas, contact Madison Ave Construction for 24/7 emergency service at 844-760-9303 or tips@madisonaveconstruction.com

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