Mold can not only reduce the value of your home but contribute to serious health problems. Does someone in your home suffer from allergies, asthma or eye irritations? These are only a few of the issues that can be caused by or exacerbated by certain types of mold growth. Addressing mold growth professionally can reduce the severity of existing symptoms and help sufferers breathe and see easily. What should you know about mold and your health?

Your health is important. Mold can contribute to serious health conditions that can reduce your quality of life. Understand more about mold and your health today.

Mold and Your Home

There are many different types of mold and while some forms of this unwanted fungi are simply unsightly, other forms can negatively impact human health in any home, in Carver or elsewhere. Active mold growth needs moisture. Many homeowners find mold forming in bathrooms, crawlspaces or basements. Mold development is also supported when homes are in locations with a high level of humidity. Some researchers believe that mold exposure can lead to human illness. Individuals residing in a home with mold may suffer from harmful immune responses, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, irritation from mold by-products, and exposure to toxicity. There are four types of allergies due to inhalation of mold spores. A form of sinusitis and asthma are among the allergy types.

Health Effects of Mold in Children

Mold in the household has been correlated with respiratory disorders including allergic symptoms, hay fever, wheezing and coughing at night. This was found in a review of studies involving children from ten countries. In another study, one-year-old children living in homes that had higher levels of mold were more likely to develop asthma by seven years of age when compared with other children. Mold can negatively impact a developing child’s health. This is another reason why it is important to address early signs of mold in a home.

Toxic Mold and Human Health

“Toxic molds” are mold that can produce toxins. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not believe this type of mold to be more hazardous than other types of mold in a home. Case reports of memory loss and pulmonary hemorrhage are rare. Any mold contamination should be addressed. Those with an immune suppression condition may have an increased risk for developing an infection from molds in a home.

DIY Mold Remediation

When homeowners attempt to remove mold with bleach and water or paint over an area, they do not realize that they have yet to address the root cause of the occurrence and mold often grows again. Mold can develop around leaky pipes and inside walls due to structural issues, such as improperly waterproofed exterior structures. Mold may also be a result of basement flooding and require a new basement waterproofing system to be installed within a home as part of the remediation treatment. All potential sources contributing to a mold issue need to be identified and documented.

A surface treatment is often not enough to prevent mold from developing again. It is also recommended to get documentation, such as a warranty and certification of completion, that professional mold remediation has been completed prior to selling a home. It may be necessary to show such documentation to interested parties when and if you decide to sell your home, and it’s a good idea to get a home inspection specifically to find mold when purchasing a home.

Your Plan to Treat Mold and Prevent It from Coming Back

Mold spores can attach themselves on clothes, fabric and furniture. When mold spores land on areas where flooding has occurred, the spores have the right conditions to grow. Building materials, including wet cellulose materials, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood products, insulation, drywall, fabric, carpet, and upholstery can support the growth of some mold types. Waterproofing basements and crawlspaces may help prevent some types of mold from developing. Experts in mold remediation and treatment can provide additional methods to addressing and preventing mold growth in your home.

Dry Foundation Technologies can expertly address mold issues in a home. Our team will find the cause of your mold growth and then take action to eliminate the mold and prevent it from reoccurring. Options may include the use of dehumidifiers or sump pumps. Our associates can install a crawlspace or basement waterproofing system in your home to prevent future mold growth. Dry Foundation Technologies provides you with a permanent solution to rid your home of mold.