Tag: mold

High mold spore levels have become a serious problem for many homeowners, causing a variety of health issues ranging from mild allergic reactions to life threatening illnesses and infections. Mold will grow in any moist area, such as damp basement floors or around leaky pipes. As the mold grows, it releases mold spores into the air of the house that are then inhaled by its occupants. Any mold found in the home must be removed thoroughly to put an end to such contamination, and damp areas must be dried to prevent a recurrence of mold growth.

For those with mold sensitivity, mold spore contamination can be very irritating, causing sneezing, congestion, and even skin rashes. Asthma sufferers often react to mold spores, making breathing more difficult and attacks more frequent. A few mold varieties can cause health issues even in people who are not allergic, releasing toxins into the air as they begin to grow and multiply. Some mold varieties are capable of producing toxins that are extremely harmful, causing chronic bronchitis, heart related problems, hearing loss, and bleeding in the lungs.

A homeowner who is confronted with a small area of mold growing in the home can often remove it safely with common household detergents and chlorine bleach. Hard surfaces can be thoroughly scrubbed and dried, effectively putting an end to the mold spore contamination. Often, moldy wallboard or ceiling tiles will need to be discarded and replaced. A protective mask should be worn while removing mold to prevent the inhalation of spores, and rubber gloves should be used.

Mold can grow in areas that are not accessible for cleaning, such as inside walls or under cabinets or flooring materials. Generally, a musty odor will become apparent in the home as these hidden problems develop. This type of problem can be the source of significant mold spore contamination within the home, and may require the assistance of a mold removal specialist to resolve.

While serious mold problems can be quite a chore to handle, getting rid of this fungus in your home is essential. Avoiding the health risks that can be the result of high mold spore levels in the home are well worth the investment of your time and money.

Mold spores tend to form in areas that tend to be humid and damp and they are formed from dead and decaying vegetation and other natural plant materials and soil. Once a mold spore forms they can travel through the air until they find nice wet and warm place to land and begin to form mold. Mold is one of the leading causes of allergies and certain molds can even make some people extremely sick if they are very sensitive. Usually mold spores do not get into people’s houses but they can if you have open windows and somewhere wet for them to begin breeding. Once mold spores are found it is important to remove them immediately to avoid becoming sick and some things will probably even need to be thrown out if they become covered in mold or mildew. A lot of times you might be able to get rid of it fairly easily but sometimes it might be best to hire a mold specialist, especially if the mold keeps coming back.

Indoor mold can also have a really bad effect on people with asthma and it can also cause many other health problems. When mold spores and mildew begin to grow indoors you can usually smell the strange odor it gives off and you can usually see it unless it is hidden behind a couch or in a closet. One thing you can do to help battle against mold and mildew in your home is using a HEPA vacuum cleaner when cleaning your rugs and also make sure you always put dry clothing in your closet, because damp clothing can attract mildew as well. Mold is a natural occurrence though and it is quite common for mold to find a breeding ground in your home, whether it gets on damp clothing or furniture as just mildew or if it starts to get on your bathroom walls due to the humidity. Bleach and water can take care of the walls but many times the furniture and clothing can be totally ruined, unless you catch it immediately. Most of the time you are not going to have to worry about your carpeting and furniture getting soaked, unless you live in a high flood area and if that is the case you want to be sure to have flood insurance.

Mold is one of the most common causes of allergy. In fact, mold allergy is prevalent, however without proper testing it may go undiagnosed.    Mold is a fungus that thrives on decomposing organisms.  It breeds by sending spores through the air and relies on moist conditions.  Therefore, any area that is damp, warm, humid, or muggy is a potential breeding ground for mold.  Unfortunately, many of these areas are located in homes and office buildings.  Mold could be growing in your home and you may not realize it.  Many people suffer from a mold allergy, without ever knowing that mold is present in their homes.

Mold can grow in places where it is clearly seen, such as in tub or tile grout or on basement walls, however it can also grow in areas where it cannot be detected.  This can contribute greatly to a mold allergy.  For instance, mold may be present in walls, air conditioning vents and ducts, or even in pillows.  This is why if you suspect that you may be allergic to mold, you should have your home tested.  In addition, you will need to have your health care provider give you a test to make certain that you have a mold allergy.

The symptoms of mold allergy include having a runny nose, sinus headache, sneezing, watery eyes, rashes, sinus pain, pressure, and headaches, difficulty breathing, and constantly coughing.  Since these signs are very similar to the common cold or flu, it is imperative that you have a test performed to determine whether or not you are allergic to mold.

If you are allergic to mold, you will need to take certain steps to remove mold from you home. Some of these steps include removing moisture, preventing more mold from occurring, and removing the mold that is already present.  A great way to remove moisture is to use a dehumidifier.  Make sure to keep the dehumidifier set at or below 40% to prevent mold growth.

Serious mold problems in the home require that the mold be eliminated entirely. Black mold can cause severe health problems for your family, and can do a great amount of damage to your home. Mold spores that are allowed to dry and become airborne are an irritant to skin, lungs and eyes. Because of this you will want to find an effective mold killer to eradicate the threat.

Mold killers come in a variety of forms. Vinegar is a natural and effective mold killer. Use undiluted white distilled vinegar applied with a spray bottle, applied directly to the affected area. Do not rinse immediately, allow the vinegar to penetrate and do its work for a few days, and then clean the dead mold with soap and water, and dry the area completely. Failure to dry may allow the mold to grow again. 

Another effective mold killer is an ozone-generating machine. You need to shock the area with a very high application of ozone. The ozone concentration levels needed to be an effective mold killer are so high; that it is not safe for humans to be present while the room is being treated. If multiple areas of your home are affected, begin in the basement, and work your way up. Allow the treatment to go for several hours, then return, shut down the machine, ventilate the area, and vacuum up the dead spores using a HEPA vacuum. It is recommended you repeat the process the following day. This method is also effective removing the odor associated with mold.

Another natural, and effective mold killer is hydrogen peroxide. This mold killer works almost immediately by depriving the mold spores of the basics need to grow. As with the other mold killers, apply directly to the area, and allow it to work for several days. Clean the mold spores with soap and water rinse and thoroughly dry the area. Large or stubborn areas may require a second treatment.

If you look carefully, you’ll find mold both indoors and out.  This is why mold allergies are a large threat to some people.  All of us are exposed to small amounts of mold each day with no ill consequences. We may breathe the spores that exist in household air or eat foods where mold is just beginning to grow.  Mold is very common and can be found nearly everywhere.

Some people, those with strong mold allergies, are more vulnerable to becoming ill from mold than others. This means that for certain people more susceptible to mold spores just breathing the air around them could spur their mold allergies and they would than begin to feel symptoms of the allergy.  Likewise, eating food could cause mold allergies to flair if it contains mold spores.  Some foods; for example mushrooms and yogurt, are more likely to contain the spores, and those with serious mold allergies should avoid eating these foods. 

Mold allergies have a stronger effect in the warmer months of the year and have many symptoms.  These symptoms have a range and can include headaches, congestion, runny nose, itching watery eyes, wheezing and others.  Mold allergies can be avoided however by taking precautions and preventative action.  In order to avoid them in eating, research foods to discover which foods contain high levels of mold spores and remove these from your diet.

Around your home actively search your home for mold growing, which is usually in bathrooms and near water pipes, and disinfect and remove the mold.  And in the air listen to the mold allergies forecast on the news or web.  If taking the proper precautions to avoid being around excessive amounts of mold, even those with severe mold allergies can greatly dampen the blow dealt by their Mold allergies.

Mold can be a toxic visitor in your home that you may not even now is there. Home inspections are one way of combating against mold and keeping your home clean and healthy for everyone who lives in it. Some people may not even realize the connection between toxic mold and health. However, in the case of toxic mold and health, the connection could not be more important.

There are some forms of mold, like toxic black mold, that can be very dangerous to the health of the people inhabiting the home. You may not even realize you have a toxic mold such as black mold in your house. If black mold infestation gets too severe, the home may need to be evacuated for a period of time. It can be detrimental to one’s health to be exposed to certain types of mold like black mold for too long. Homes with young children and animals who may be more likely to directly ingest mold because they are more likely to put things in their mouths. This creates problems from toxic mold to health.

Home inspections are a way to find mold and other harmful bacteria that may be found in your home. Home inspections will lead to the removal of toxic mold for your health. Professional mold removal companies perform home inspections. Once a home inspection is done you must have the mold removed if it has been found. There are a number of mold removal companies in areas across the country. Mold removal companies will come into your home and remove the mold from the infested areas.

An alternative to home inspection is a mold testing kit. Mold testing kits can be purchased in stores and online. Mold testing kits will cost less than hiring a professional mold removal company. This allows you to test your own home for toxic mold such as black mold. However, since there are many types of mold that can be extremely harmful, you must approach mold testing with the greatest of care.

The question of when to get a toxic mold attorney is a question that a lot of people would rather not answer. To reach a point in time or to be in a situation where one is faced with having to answer this question has very serious implications.

First of all, there is the matter of determining if there is indeed mold growth present in your place of residence. Have any members of your family experienced symptoms related to molds, or been sick at any point the cause of which has been determined by a reputable health professional to be molds in your home? To further support this claim, you should take the next step by having a certified mold inspector test your home. If the evidence presents itself to be correct then you should set up a meeting with a toxic mold attorney to know what your options are.

Litigations, as everyone knows of course, are expensive and stressful. A toxic mold attorney should not only be good, but sympathetic. He should be able to offer you options and solutions that should make the issue simpler and not more complicated. Depending on the seriousness of the case especially with prior health problems, the toxic mold attorney should be able to define the case around the needs of your family in such a way that your financial needs are not compromised, or the welfare of your children be put at further risk.

In most litigations involving toxic molds, the situation is far often better in cases when a large group is involved and not just a single family. Should you happen to live in tenement housing, an apartment duplex or condominium with such problems and with other affected residents, filing a collective lawsuit can be easier to deal with.

The fact is, molds can grow anywhere and other places to be on the look-out for are your work-place and your children’s school. Nobody really wants to be involved in a lawsuit and yet once you’ve thought about the situation at least ten times and taken the necessary steps to determine the validity of your claims by legal means, then there’s no reason why you should pick up the phone for an appointment with a toxic mold attorney.

Ultimately, the lesson here is to be better safe than sorry.

Mold can infect your home and you might not even know it is there.  Mold can be toxic and deadly in extreme situations, and the longer it is allowed to sit, the worse it can become.  Since it spreads rapidly, the mold removal process must be followed as carefully as possible.  There are several steps involved in mold removal.  First, it’s essential to contain the mold to one area in order to keep it from spreading to other areas of the home (or building).  Next, you obviously want to kill the mold.  This can be done by using a variety of different chemicals, and it will depend on what strain of mold you are facing.  Third, once the mold has been killed, you will want to remove the dead mold from all areas.  Finally, prevention is the key to ensuring that you will not have a recurrence of this nasty pest in the future.  For those who would like to perform the mold removal themselves, you can purchase a home mold testing kit from most large home improvement stores.  This kit will help to identify what kind of mold you have growing in your home. 

It is important when conducting mold removal to remember that some molds are highly toxic, particularly when you breathe in the spores.  That being said, be sure you wear protective gloves and a mask so you are not touching or breathing in the mold.  Also, wear clothing you will most likely be able to dispose of when you’re finished with the mold removal.  This will help prevent it from re-spreading later on.  Some people think they can simply paint over mold, but this is not the case.  Mold must be killed before it can be controlled and removed.  Using the proper treatments can help ensure that this nasty element is effectively and permanently taken out of your home.

Mold can be a very serious health risk to people, especially those sensitive to allergies. Mold can grow on just about any natural surface that is allowed to get wet, and is exposed to oxygen.  These surfaces include wood, carpet, or insulating products. If these are allowed to get damp, and are left unaddressed then mold can grow. Once mold starts it is important to begin a mold abatement program.

The first thing you need to do is stop the source of the moisture. If you see or suspect that water is present, find the source and eliminate it. You then must dry the area as soon as possible. Modern buildings that are tightly sealed, but don’t have sufficient ventilation, may allow moisture to accumulate, especially behind drywall. If you have a leaky roof, a damaged gutter, leaky plumbing fixture, or cracked foundation this could lead to the growth of mold. A dehumidifier in your basement could be an easy mold abatement solution.

There are a variety of mold abatement methods you can undertake to rid yourself of this risk. In some cases the material such as dry wall or carpet may just need to be replaced. The mold-damaged materials should be double bagged and sealed with contractor grade plastic bags, and discarded with construction waste. Always use protective clothing, including respirators, gloves and eye protection when doing mold abatement work. HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuums should be used when cleaning up salvageable areas. If mold spores are allowed to become to escape into the air, then the risk of respiratory exposure increases.

In many cases the use of a professional mold abatement crew should be used. The risk to health, and difficulty of the work may dictate bringing in a company specializing in diagnosing the risk, and removing the mold.

Mold, whether the standard strain or the toxic kind, tends to like certain environments more than others, such as moist, dark places.  Since mold can often be very difficult to detect, it’s important to practice mold remediation so you can avoid it from happening in the first place.  Luckily there are several things you can do in order to be sure that mold does not grow in your home or office.  First, you can find mold preventatives that are added right into paints.  Use a paint that states it contains a mold inhibitor.  This is particularly important for the bathroom, since moisture lingers there.  If you ever experience a water leak in your home, particularly in the basement, it’s imperative that you get it fixed as soon as possible.  This is a good way to promote mold remediation, since it loves dampness.  By fixing the leak you are making sure the mold does not have an environment to grow in.

Another way to practice mold remediation is to use common sense, such as never put away wet shoes or clothing in a closet until they are completely dry.  Use moisture absorbing air fresheners or even a chemical moisture remover in dark closets.  You can also help practice mold remediation by washing your bathroom carpets frequently and not having carpeted bathroom floors, since mold thrives on damp materials.  Using dehumidifiers is also a good idea.  As long as moisture in the house is kept under control, mold should be left with nowhere to grow.  For areas such as basements that tend to stay constantly moist, it’s very important to pay special attention so you are aware if mold does happen to form.  By being conscious of the possibility of mold and what it takes to grow, you can also help to prevent it and keep your family safe.