Mold refers to a type of fungus that characteristically reproduce with spores that are passed through the air. Mold is actually more common than you think. It can easily grow both indoors and outdoors, as long as the environment is damp and warm. There are many different types of mold. Some are harmless but some can pose as threats to our health. Here at Iris Environmental Laboratories, we provide the best mold remediation and inspection services in the country.
What Kind of Mold Should You Look Out for?
Mold that is found in your home can be an expensive and dangerous problem. However, as mentioned above, not all species of mold should be a cause for concern. Some of the more common types of indoor mold include Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. The type of mold that you should be afraid of is Stachybotrys chartarum. More colloquially known as black mold, it is not as common as the harmless types of mold because it usually grows on surfaces that are high in cellulose. This is why you would expect to find black mold on materials such as wood and paper. This blog post will cover the various ways that toxic mold can affect our bodies, and the things to look out for to prevent further mold exposure.
How is Mold Spread?
Mold is essentially spread through their spores. These spores are microscopic and extremely hard to detect. They are responsible for causing health problems in many people around the world because it can be hard to dislodge the spores from our respiratory systems.
How Dangerous is Toxic Mold?
It is commonly believed that black mold exposure can lead to many serious health issues because of how toxic it is. It has been shown to release mycotoxins, which can be extremely harmful to us. Studies have also shown that these mycotoxins are associated to the bad health of people who have been exposed to black mold and cause mycotoxicosis.
Mycotoxicosis is a form of mold poisoning that can result in acute poisoning and immune deficiencies or even cancer in the long term. Black mold exposure has also been shown to cause unexplained aches and body pains, unnatural changes in moods, short term memory loss, and headaches.
Although toxic mold can affect anyone, people with pre-existing mold allergies might be more susceptible to mold exposure. As such, when they are in contact in mold, they might experience some symptoms like:
- Irritation to the nose or having a blocked and runny nose
- Watery eyes
- Severe skin rashes
- Throat pains
- Difficulty in breathing
Mold exposure can also worsen any pre-existing respiratory problems or the condition of people with lung problems. It is important that you conduct a mold inspection in your home should you experience these symptoms. Mold can affect you and your family, especially loved ones who are young and those who might have weaker immune systems. A study showed that infants and toddlers who are exposed to mold at that young age actually increase their risk of developing asthma.