How Does Mold Affect Your Health
Mold is a type of fungi that grows best in damp and poorly ventilated areas. Airborne mold spores can be found outdoors and indoor environments. When these spores land on damp indoor spots, they may start to grow and spread.
Fortunately, it is easy to recognize molds because they tend to have unappealing patches of black, yellow, green, pink, brown fuzzy growths. Although mold and its spores are literally everywhere, active mold growth requires moisture. They can grow on visible surfaces, behind drywall, under carpets, or in the attic. Indoor mold grows well in damp areas or areas with excessive water.
How does mold affect your health?
The quality of the air that you breathe is vital for your general well-being. Sometimes touching or inhaling mold or mildew may have hazardous health effects.
However, this does not mean that everyone can be adversely affected by the exposure to molds. It is essential to point out that mold exposure may lead to infections, allergies, and toxin-related conditions.
Allergies
Exposure to molds can sometimes cause allergic reactions. For example, you may start having itchy eyes, sneezing, sore throat, coughing, and even a running nose. To extreme cases, you may experience headaches or constant fatigue. You may also experience skin irritations or rashes.
Allergic asthma
In sensitive individuals, exposure to fungal allergens can cause asthma or asthmatic attacks. Research shows that there is a relationship between severity of asthma and mold growth or total dampness. This means that if you are suffering from asthma, you should avoid coming into contact with mold as this may aggravate the condition.
Infections
Individuals who are immuno-compromised tend to be victims of fungal infections. An example of mold instigated infection is the pulmonary aspergillosis, an infection that occurs in the lung cavities.
Its symptoms include headaches, pneumonia, bone pain and if not addressed it may cause weight loss. In other words, mould weakens your immune system and may cause or aggravate already existing health conditions.
How to clean and control mold growth
If you see or smell mold, it is essential to clean it and remove the mold as soon as possible. This is because it can damage the surface it grows on. You need to fix leaky plumbing faults, vent clothe dryers outside, open windows in the kitchen when cooking and bathroom when showering, use a vacuum cleaner when cleaning the house and hire a professional cleaner to do the job for you.
At Nordland Cleaning Service we understand how to get rid of molds and fungi efficiently using the right equipment.
If you’re noticing the growth of mould in home, please give a call and we’ll provide a free site inspection.
Don’t wait until mold becomes a serious issue for your house. Have it cleaned early and correctly by calling Nordland Cleaning Service in Northern Virginia.
Proudly serving: Alexandria, Arlington, Ballston, Clarendon, Crystal City, Del Ray, Falls Church, McLean, Old Town, Shirlington
Recent Comments