Mold has the potential to cause health
problems. Mold produces allergens (substances that can cause
allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially
toxic substances (mycotoxins). Over 25 million Americans suffer
from some sort of allergic reaction to mold related toxins known
as mycotoxins. An undetermined number of sufferers will die from
over exposure. Mycotoxins are toxins that can be produced by
certain species of mold. There are over 300 species of mold that
can produce mycotoxins. Exposure to mycotoxins can come from
ingestion, dermal exposure or inhalation. Mold has the potential
to be extremely dangerous and various types of fungi have been
proven to cause the following health issues:
•
Respiratory
Illness Mold can cause serious respiratory problems in
people who are exposed to it. Mold is responsible for
several different breathing disorders. A person who is
affected by mold may begin to cough up blood or black
debris. They can be prone to sudden asthma attacks, chronic
sneezing, and bronchitis. This is caused by the mold spores
entering your lungs, which will begin to irritate the mucus
membranes, keeping your lungs from working properly.
•
Gastrointestinal Illness Mold also affects the mucus membranes in the
stomach. A person with mold sickness may experience several
issues related to their gastrointestinal system. One of the
most common gastrointestinal symptoms is horrible nausea.
The nausea can be followed by vomiting and diarrhea.
Finally, mold may cause a person to have a loss of appetite
and rapid weight loss.
Chest Radiograph of a person
with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: an inflammation of the
lung (usually of the very small airways) caused by the
body's immune reaction to small air-borne particles.
•
Skin Issues When mold spores land on your skin, they can cause
massive problems. The first sign of any mold irritation is itchy
and red skin. If exposure to the mold spores continues, the skin
redness may turn into a serious rash. If left untreated, open
sores may begin to show up on the skin.
•
Other Illness There are a host of other illnesses which come from
exposure to mold. With short exposure, you may begin to develop
eye issues such as red or watery eyes. Also, you may begin to
experience headaches. Further exposure to mold will cause your
headaches to get more frequent and increase in intensity. You
may begin to get nosebleeds. Mold also causes a feeling of
fatigue, hair loss, short-term memory loss, and muscle pain.
There have also been several neurological and nervous disorders,
which stem from prolonged exposure to the spores.
•
Serious Illness
If you are in presence of mold for an
extremely long period of time, you may be affected with very
serious health problems. The watery and red eyes can continue to
get worse which can lead to blindness. Your respiratory issues
can begin to cause your lungs to bleed. Your short term memory
loss can become long term memory loss accompanied with brain
damage. Finally, mold spores can cause cancer and, in some
cases, death.
If you feel you may have any symptoms related to
mold exposure, you should see your doctor. If you think you may have
a mold or moisture problem it is important you contact a
professional such as I.C.E.R. to properly remove the mold. If the
mold is not properly removed by a trained professional, you run the
risk of spreading the mold spores and causing further damage to
yourself as well as your property.
Mold is a group of about 200,000 species of
fungi. Fungi/Molds occur in both the indoor and outdoor environment.
Mold does have a purpose in nature and that is to breakdown or
digest dead or decaying organic matter such as dry leaves.
Reproduction of mold occurs with the release of
mold spores into the air. When a mold spore lands on a surface or
substrate the spore releases enzymes to digest the surface or food
source. The mold spore then germinates and produces filaments called
hyphae.
The hyphae are the basic cellular unit of the
fungi. The hyphae form a protective mat called the mycelium. The
mycelia mat keeps the substrate moist even if the surrounding air is
dry. Conidia then generate and release mold spores into the air and
the process starts over.
The growth cycle of mold can be as little as four
(4) to twelve (12) hours. If it is left
undisturbed, fungi can spread in 24 to 72 hours. When disturbed,
fungi can spread faster.
Mold requires three (3) elements to grow: a food
source, moisture, and oxygen. A food source can be any organic or
cellulose based material from dead leaves to dust, wood and paper
drywall backing. Unfortunately, there are plenty of organic
materials used to construct our homes and offices such as, drywall,
wood, and carpet with organic fibers. Mold can even grow on
synthetic material if there is enough organic debris on it such as,
dust, dead skin, and oils.
The only element that is not ever-present in our
homes and offices is moisture. Moisture is the key element in mold
growth. Fungi, like humans, are made up of mostly water, which is
why they thrive in moisture rich environments.
This is also why it is dangerous to assume that a
mixture of bleach and water will remove mold. Applying bleach will
kill the mold but will not remove it. According to the EPA “Dead
mold may still cause allergic reactions in some people, so it is not
enough to simply kill the mold, it must also be removed”.
Some of the ways water infiltrates a structure
and allows mold to grow is through leaky roofs, high humidity, wet
basements, plumbing leaks, as well as improperly sealed windows or
doors. This is why it is important to inspect your home regularly,
especially after rainfall and wind storms. If mold is found, contact
a restoration professional such as I.C.E.R. to avoid spreading mold
spores to other unaffected areas.
