The Dangers of Household Molds
There are a number of potential dangers lurking in a house that could cause you or your loved ones harm, some of which are more obvious than others. One specific danger that is not always easy to see or detect is the growth of mold. There are tens of thousands of different types of molds, some which are more common to indoor areas, and some which are more common in outdoor areas. When molds grow indoors, they can cause a number of problems to people, including those with mold allergies and those without. Because of the problems associated with indoor mold exposure, it is important to be able to prevent, identify, and control mold growth as much as possible.
Mold is a fungus that can survive in a number of environments, but does best in damp, humid areas. Indoors, these tend to be the following areas of the house:
- Basements
- Laundry Facilities
- Kitchens
- Showers / Bathrooms
In these areas of a home, there are a number of types of mold that are likely to be found, including:
- Cladosporium
- Aspergillus
- Alternaria
- Penicillium
Symptoms of Indoor Mold Exposure
Being exposed to mold in a home can have a number of different effects on an individual, and these effects can range in severity depending on how sensitive a given person is to mold exposure. In fact, research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has connected indoor mold exposure to respiratory problems in healthy individuals with no noted mold sensitivities, so individuals who do have sensitivities are likely to experience much more serious effects. Commonly, victims of indoor mold exposure complain of:
- Itchy or Watery Eyes
- Difficulty Breathing
- Coughing
- Wheezing
In the most serious instances, mold exposure has been cited as causing severe respiratory reactions, and even mold infections in the lungs.
Preventing Mold in Your Home
Because of the devastating effects that mold exposure can have for individuals, you should do everything you can to prevent yourself and your family from suffering this type of exposure. One of the best things you can do to prevent mold grown in your home is to control the humidity, especially in rooms that are prone to accumulating moisture, such as bathrooms. You can do this by properly ventilating the rooms or by using an air conditioner or humidifier to control the humidity.
Additionally, you can prevent mold from quickly expanding if you do find mold by getting rid of it as quickly as possible. To do this, you should mix one cup of bleach with one gallon of water and apply this to the affected area. Next, you should identify what allowed mold to grow in the first place, whether poor ventilation or a water leak, and fix that problem immediately.
Additionally, there are many commercial mold-killing products available that you can have stored in your home at all times in case you notice a problem, or you can apply them to high-risk areas, like showers or kitchens, on a regular basis as a preventative measure.
When You Need a Professional
Despite the dangers that mold exposure can pose, you don’t need to panic if you notice mold growing in your home or if you or someone in your home begins experiencing symptoms of mold exposure. In fact, if you notice either of these things, you should first try and take care of the problem by yourself. Using the above cleaning tips and discussing potential allergies with a general practitioner may be all that you need to do to get your mold problem under control.
However, if cleaning and preventing mold in your house is not helping, and you or someone else in your family is continuing to suffer because of mold-exposure, you might have mold in hard to reach or identify places, making it necessary to bring in professional help. In situations such as these, you will likely need to contact a mold tester to help you look for mold in hard to find places, such as inside of walls, and then you will likely need a cleaning professional, like a team of Toronto cleaning experts, to help you make sure the mold is effectively and thoroughly taken care of.
