Has your home recently experienced water damage? Have you started seeing black or dark green spots in the corners of your home? If so, you might have a black mold problem that you should take care of as soon as possible.
Do you want to know what the common risks associated with black mold are? Do you want to learn how to prevent black mold from growing in your home? If the answer to both of these questions is yes — keep on reading.
What Is Black Mold?
Stachybotrys chartarum, or black mold, as it’s commonly known, is a type of fungi that can grow in dark and damp areas of your home. On its own, mold isn’t a real threat to a person’s health. If mold starts producing mycotoxins, it can be pretty harmful, especially for people with a compromised immune system or children.
The only way you can determine if your mold is producing mycotoxins is by hiring a professional to come and run tests. But, even though this type of mold might not always have mycotoxins, you should still remove it from your home as soon as possible.
Health Risks
The initial reaction to mold exposure tends to be quite similar to that of allergies. Also, like allergies, multiple people can be in the same room or house and only one might be impacted as everyone’s immune system is different. Now, there are a couple of health symptoms you should be on the lookout for if you suspect you have toxic black mold:
- Respiratory issues
- Skin problems and irritation
- Mental and neurological symptoms
- Problems with your circulatory system
Respiratory Issues
Most often, if you have toxic black mold growing in your home, you or your kids can start experiencing respiratory issues. You might start coughing, wheezing, or having a runny nose. Also, if you are allergic to mold or have asthma, you might even experience intense reactions.
Skin Problems and Irritation
The next thing you should keep an eye out for is skin irritation. If you’ve been exposed to toxic black mold for a longer period of time, you might develop dermatitis. The condition can cause a rash, skin inflammation or even blisters.
Problems with Your Circulatory System
If the black mold came into contact with your eyes or skin, you might even have circulatory problems. Now, these are usually pretty severe reactions that might not happen to everyone. Nevertheless, you should always be on the lookout for these symptoms.
Mental and Neurological Symptoms
A study from 2018 shows that 93% of people who were exposed to toxic black mold for a longer period of time had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Not only that but in some severe cases, people can experience feelings of anxiety or depression.
How to Prevent Black Mold
First, if you want to prevent black mold from growing in your home, you need to prevent extreme moisture. For example, wipe down your sinks and showers with a dry cloth immediately after using them. Also, if you have a water leak in your home, take care of it right away.
Next, you can try to prevent black mold from forming by reducing humidity. The best way to do so is by installing a good ventilation system that will cycle the air outside of the home. But, if you don’t have one, you can also use your air conditioner or a humidifier to help you fix the problem. It’s important to remember to make sure you don’t turn a humidifier on high in the winter as you don’t want the interior of your windows to be covered in condensation.
What’s more, another great way to prevent mold is to check and clean your gutters at least twice a year. Replacing old gutters can be pretty expensive, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and clean them often. Cleaning your gutters and downspouts regularly prevents rain from backing up and leaking into the walls and foundation of your home.
Bottom Line
There you have it — all of the health risks associated with toxic black mold and tips on how to stop it from growing. Since black mold can cause so many health problems, it’s better to try and prevent it before it forms, but treating it quickly can reduce the likelihood of health repercussions.
If you’ve noticed black mold anywhere in your home, make sure it’s removed by professionals. If you need some more advice, you can contact Mold Solutions here to get an evaluation as soon as possible.
