What are the Health Risks of Mold?

Posted by : fetzcleaning - 7 Mar 2011 [No comments]

Health Effects if Mold is Left or Removed Improperly

If mold is disturbed or removed incorrectly, the spores may filter into the HVAC system redistributing mold throughout the structure.  HVAC systems can create all three conditions for significant mold growth.  What are the concerns of health effects of mold exposure? Is mold more than an allergen? The risks of indoor mold growth once are continually grabbing headlines.  Understanding the health effects of mold are important for you to make the best educated decision on how to keep your home safe & free of mold.
Some molds and mold byproducts can be very dangerous to some people. However, exposure does not mean that people will get sick and die. The people most at risk have severely compromised immune systems such as those undergoing chemotherapy, those with HIV/AIDS or those who have had bone marrow or organ transplants.

 
Various molds can produce mycotoxins and cause problems if people are exposed to high levels of these compounds. Health effects include eye, nose and throat irritations, headache, dizziness, dermatitis, diarrhea and impaired or altered immune function.  Inhaling large concentrations of dust with mold spores may cause lung irritation and in some instances a serious lung condition.  By far the most common health impacts from mold are those associated with allergies and asthma. Researchers estimate that about 10% of the US is allergic to mold spores. Symptoms can range from watery eyes, throat irritation, coughing and sneezing to more serious conditions such as sinusitis and asthma.
 
One of the most important avenues of mold research focuses on damp buildings. There is solid evidence that damp buildings and exposure to resultant indoor mold growth are risk factors for developing asthma and not just in making asthma symptoms worse. The results from these studies indicate that the risk for developing asthma appears higher, but is not limited to, people who are sensitive to mold allergens or those who have parents with asthma. Children are at a greater risk than adults. These studies emphasize the importance of cleaning up and preventing indoor mold growth by eliminating moisture intrusion and reducing indoor humidity to reduce the number of people who develop asthma and the frequency and severity of attacks for those who do have asthma.
 

Where Can Mold Grow?  Most Common Areas Mold is Found

Molds are found everywhere inside and outside, and can grow on almost any substance when moisture is present. Mold is normally found indoors at levels that do not affect most healthy individuals.  However, in conditions were large amounts of moisture are trapped, this can produce unhealthy mold spores.  Because common building materials are capable of sustaining mold growth, and mold spores are ubiquitous, mold growth in an indoor environment is typically related to water or moisture indoors. Mold growth may also be caused by incomplete drying of flooring materials such as concrete.  Flooding, leaky roofs, building maintenance problems, or indoor plumbing problems can lead to mold growth inside homes, schools, or office buildings.
 

How Does Mold Grow?

Posted by : fetzcleaning - 1 Mar 2011 [4 comments]
1. Materials that can absorb moisture
2. Trapped Moisture
3. Time
 
For mold growth to occur, there must be a source of water or moisture (which could even be trapped humidity), getting a substance or material wet that is capable of sustaining mold growth. Common building materials, such as wood, drywall, insulation, carpets and carpet padding are the most common building materials where we find mold damage.  In carpet, after a single incident of water damage occurs in a building, getting the carpet & pad dry are not the only concern, as most people assume.
 
Water many times is trapped behind baseboards, and if not pulled, can become a big breeding ground for mold.  The biggest concern is the unseen damage of floods…trapped moisture!  Even if you have a flood on the surface, large amounts of humidity can cause all suitable material in an area to become a breeding ground for mold.  Getting air movement under the carpet & behind walls is of the greatest importance.  Placement of adequate dehumidifiers to properly remove the moisture from the air and materials is essential for maintaining a healthy mold free environment.  Mold grows inside walls and then becomes inactive until a subsequent incident of high humidity; this illustrates how mold can appear to be a sudden problem, long after a previous flood or water incident that did not produce such a problem. The right conditions reactivate mold.
 
Because common building materials are capable of sustaining mold growth, and mold spores are ubiquitous, mold growth in an indoor environment is typically related to water or moisture indoors. Mold growth may also be caused by incomplete drying of flooring materials such as concrete.  Flooding, leaky roofs, building maintenance problems, or indoor plumbing problems can lead to mold growth inside homes, schools, or office buildings.
 
Conditions Needed for Mold Growth:
·Substance: a material capable of absorbing moisture.
·Moisture: Moisture is required to begin the decaying process caused by the mold.
·Time: Mold growth begins between 24 hours and 72 hours from time of exposure.