Combating Black Mold

Every homeowner worries about black mold, but do you know what it is? Black mold (also known as Stachybotrys) likes to grow in damp spots and is usually found around condensation or near untreated puddles inside. Spores come into your home via windows, small entrances or tracked on shoes and clothing. Although most fungus in your home are nothing to worry about, black mold leads to illness after years of exposure.

How Black Mold affects Health

The spores black mold produces are the reason behind black mold poisoning. Typically symptoms include chronic sneezing, eye, nose and throat irritation as well as skin rashes. Other symptoms include chronic fatigue and persistent headaches. Nausea, vomiting and bleeding in the lungs and nose occur in the most severe cases of long term exposure.

About Mold

Mold quickly spread across walls, floors and ceilings. Whenever your home suffers water damage, you should have a professional check the walls for mold infestations. They can go unseen for weeks, and then appear essentially overnight.

Once mold creates colonies in your living space, it immediately breeds and discharges toxins that make life miserable for residents:

  • Mold emits a strong, musty smell that prevents rooms from smelling clean.
  • Mold wreaks havoc on allergy-sensitive individuals, as well as those with asthma, making symptoms flare up.
  • A black mold infestation can cause coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing.
  • Mold toxins can activate long-lasting inflammation and continuous cold-like symptoms.
  • People with weakened immune systems can get systemic infections of the lungs, skin, or digestive tract.
  • In rare cases, mold toxins can cause neurological problems or even death.
  • The more prolonged the exposure, the greater the danger.

Unusually humid homes and offices can be subject to mold infestations even if no water damage has happened. If you see or smell something that could be mold, get an expert opinion right away.

If you want to eradicate mold, the atmosphere where it flourishes must first be eliminated. Water sources have to be handled, and any remaining moisture must be efficiently dried out. Only then can mold elimination and remediation start.

Whether a dripping roof, burst pipe, or other opening, it isn’t enough to stem the tide. Moisture can drench hidden portions of your home. Without proper cleanup processes, mold will keep returning to these areas.

Call Paul Davis today if you suspect your home has black mold. Our team analyzes for presence of black mold before remediation. Depend on our professionals to remove black mold quickly. Keep your family safe, get a black mold inspection today.