What Are the Effects of Black Mold?

We’ve all heard of the dangers of mold growth—but if there’s one boogeyman mold out there, it’s black mold. Black mold has a reputation for being toxic and can cause some serious health issues.

Black mold exposure is known to cause respiratory issues like coughing and possibly even trouble breathing after prolonged exposure. Those who are around black mold can also develop allergy-like symptoms, including itchiness, watery eyes or a runny nose. Black mold has also been linked to severe headaches in some individuals.

This post from your mold remediation contractor will teach you everything else you should know about black mold.

Who has a greater risk of mold-related health issues?

Mold can affect anyone in your home, but some folks have to worry about it more than others. Elderly adults or those with preexisting conditions like asthma are in a higher-risk category when it comes to mold exposure. Any mold growth in the home could lead to severe breathing issues for these individuals.

Since their lungs aren’t fully developed, you’ll need to be mindful about mold if you have infants in your home. Being exposed to mold at a young age can lead to life-long respiratory problems.

Signs of black mold

Besides seeing dark mold growth, these are a few of the other signs that it’s time to call a mold remediation contractor to treat black mold:

• Musty smell: Mold often grows behind walls, so we may smell it before we even see it. A dank, musty smell typically indicates some type of mold growth. Even if it’s not black mold, you should still get it checked out.
• Water damage: Mold growth typically follows water damage in a home. If your home has water damage, we recommend calling a mold remediation specialist to check for any mold growth.

How to keep black mold out of your home

Thankfully, keeping mold at bay isn’t rocket science. Following these tips can go a long way in preventing all kinds of mold growth:

• Lower the humidity level: The more humid your home, the higher your risk of mold growth. Keeping the humidity level between 30 and 50 percent should keep you safe from mold. You can do this by running a dehumidifier or keeping the air conditioner on.
• Increase ventilation: Mold thrives in stale environments, so the more open and ventilated you can keep a room, the better. This can be tricky in the winter since you can’t open the windows, but consider running ceiling fans throughout the day to keep every room well ventilated.
• Fix leaks ASAP: As we touched on above, water damage and mold growth go hand in hand. Be sure to fix leaks as soon as you spot them, as mold doesn’t take very long to start growing.

Call our team if you find mold

If you smell or see any type of mold, be sure to hire our team at Ahold of Mold Environmental. With fair pricing and a wide range of services, we’re the number one mold remediation contractor in town. Call us today to schedule your home assessment.

Categorised in: Mold Prevention