10 Health Hazards Of Mold In Your House and How To Safely Remove It

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What are Molds?

Molds are a fungus that lives inside houses and outside. The number of species of this fungi has been put to be above four thousand. They help in the breaking down of organic materials. The colorful substance you see on your bread, or types of food when they spoil are molded. They usually grow in damp places, but would not survive in dry surroundings.  However, their spores can thrive in dry conditions. They play an important role in biodegradation.  They are also useful in the manufacture of drugs, biological materials, drinks, and food. In addition, they are capable of causing diseases in humans, in the form of allergies, and when people consume them.

Where Can Molds be Found?

They can be found everywhere there is humidity. The only thing molds need to thrive is a dampness level above fifty-five percent. They grow inside houses and outside. They grow often on spoilt food. These can range from bread, potatoes etc. They can also be found on wet roofs, and on damp rugs, chairs. In addition, they thrive in bathrooms that are not well taken care of. They often come in different colors, they can appear black, brown and sometimes greenish.

How to Reduce the Growth and Exposure to Molds?

People who are sensitive to molds should not visit places that might have mold. These include old buildings with leaking roofs, exposed refuse dump. The growth of mold can be controlled in the house by ensuring proper ventilation and keeping the dampness level low. A functional Air Conditioner will automatically keep the humidity level below 55%. This prevents the growth of molds. An efficient way the American government is also tackling this is by encouraging people to use materials that do not comprise of cellulose when building. Molds cannot thrive without cellulose. It would be a good idea to have your air conditioning system checked once a year to be sure it is functioning at top quality.

Should you notice any form of growth, protect yourself by wearing gloves, then carefully remove them, and try to eliminate whatever could have been responsible for the extra humidity. There are other methods to remove molds effectively, these include using bleach, water, and detergents.

The Benefits of Mold in the Productions of Food?

Molds have been useful in the production of food. It has been important in the making of various food products around the world for ages. As an illustration,

  1. it’s used in the breaking down of starchy food materials such as rice, yam, and potatoes. The end product of this process is alcohol.
  2. They are also important in the manufacture of different types of cheese.
  3. In addition, they are used to flavor food.
  4. Used in the production of soy sauce
  5. Also used in reducing the intensity of food.
  6. Used for ferment meat, especially in the manufacture of sausages

Importance of Mold in the Manufacture of Drugs

Some of the most important drugs that have ever been produced were made from a mold. A classic example is a penicillin, an antibiotic.  Another example is lovastatin. Statin drugs are important in the reduction of the body cholesterol.

In addition, cyclosporine, an immune suppressant, is also made from a mold. This drug is useful especially in autoimmune diseases such as Lupus, systemic sclerosis, Grave disease etc. Also used for the management of organ transplant cases.

Importance of Art

Some creatives have infused mold into their artistry. This use mold in their work to give it an old, disturbing look and feel. They do this by first creating the piece, it could be a miniature building, picture. Then they induce molds to develop on them.

What Effect do Molds Have on People?

Some people are sensitive to it, so they tend to react at the sight or smell of it. The following are the symptoms they get when they are exposed to mold

  1. Nausea
  2. Problems concentrating
  3. Pains in the joint
  4. Stiffness in the joints, especially in the morning
  5. Skin reactions, itching
  6. Some parts of the skin can become numbed
  7. Pain in the abdomen
  8. Lightheadedness and vertigo
  9. The eyes might become red, blurred vision
  10. Nasal congestion

Do you Reside Where There are Poisonous Molds?

You would know there are molds where you stay if the dampness is more than fifty-five percent.  A humidity level above this figure puts you at health risks. The most common toxic one is the Black Mold. They are usually black in color, but also have a tint of green. The black mold exists worldwide. They can be found in house materials, such as chairs, rugs, ceilings etc. The black mold is poisonous mold, and it is a major health hazard.

A Leaking Roof is Often Accompanied by the Development of Molds

This happens because of the increased moisture in the roof. As said earlier, mold thrives wherever the dampness of a place is fifty-five percent or above. When this occurs, the only solution is to replace the leaking area. You need not change the entire roof. You would know that your roof is leaking when there are water stain patterns on it.  Often times, water might trickle down from the roof, especially when it’s raining.  You might also notice some growth in your wall if the leaking zone is near it.  If you notice that your roof is leaking, it’s important to call a mold professional to come check it out. Some of these professionals often provide free consultations. It can be a bit pricey, changing the affected ceiling. However, people do rely on insurance to change the leaking area of the roof. The insurance company would send an official to gauge the level of damage done and will fund the process if they are well convinced.

A Leaking Roof is Often Accompanied by the Development of Molds

Toxic Mold Syndrome

The toxic mold syndrome has lately been a serious health concern because of the harm it’s capable of doing if not well controlled. However, many people are not aware of the diseases they can cause. Moreover, the study of molds and its health implications on a man is quite complex and complicated, which has subsequently led to a delay of our overall understanding of its toxins and the effect they have on our health.

As earlier stated, not all molds are poisonous. There are species that are poisonous, and capable of harming humans, toxic molds. They produce toxins, which trigger inflammatory reactions, especially in sensitive individuals such as skin reactions, itching, some parts of the skin can become numbed, pain in the abdomen, lightheadedness, and vertigo, the eyes might become red, blurred vision, nasal congestion.

The two main types of toxic mold are

  1. Black Mold
  2. Aspergillus

These two main examples of toxic mold are responsible for Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. This is the body’s reaction to the presence of poisonous substances in the body, that it cannot eliminate, and subsequently causes inflammatory reactions and diseases in the body. However, this doesn’t happen to everyone, only some sensitive people, who are genetically susceptible to mold toxins, and can’t detoxify them efficiently.

Black Mold

This is the most common variant of toxic mold. It appears black in color, sometimes with a tint of green. It produces a toxin called “trichothecenes”.  This toxin is one the most lethal fungal toxins. They are, however, more dangerous when they are inhaled, that swallowed.

Below are some of the effects of this toxin on human health;

  1. Nausea
  2. Problems concentrating
  3. Pains in the joint
  4. Stiffness in the joints, especially in the morning
  5. Skin reactions, itching
  6. Some parts of the skin can become numbed
  7. Pain in the abdomen
  8. Lightheadedness and vertigo
  9. The eyes might become red, blurred vision
  10. Nasal congestion
  11. Problems remembering events and activities
  12. Difficulty recalling words
  13. Difficulty in concentration
  14. Problems with focusing and learning.

Toxic mold syndrome is often times confused with mental diseases, because of the similarities in their symptoms such as difficulty recalling words, concentration, and problems with focusing and learning.

Complications of black mold toxic syndrome

Below are a few of the complications of the black mold toxic syndrome;

  1. Reduction in the synthesis of protein
  2. Immune suppression, this also facilitates the toxicity of this poison in the body
  3. Lung diseases
  4. Pulmonary hemorrhage: This is a condition in which there is bleeding from the lungs, and also from the upper part of the respiratory system. This condition could be life-threatening, especially when it shows clinically.

Black molds grow inside houses and outside. They grow often on spoilt food. These can range from bread, potatoes etc. They can also be found on wet roofs, and on damp rugs, chairs, in offices, showers. In addition, they thrive in bathrooms that are not well taken care of. The growth of mold can be controlled in the house by ensuring proper ventilation and keeping the dampness level low. A functional Air Conditioner will automatically keep the humidity level below 55%. This prevents the growth of molds. An efficient way to tackle this is using materials that do not comprise of cellulose when building. Molds cannot thrive without cellulose.

Should you notice any form of growth, protect yourself by wearing gloves, then carefully remove them, and try to eliminate whatever could have been responsible for the extra humidity. There are other methods to remove molds effectively, these include using bleach, water, and soap, there is also some mold removal product in stores.

Aspergillus Mold

Aspergillus is another toxic species of molds. Unlike the black mold, it’s blackish grey in color. Aspergillus are mostly found indoors. They have an affinity for human lungs, however, they also affect other parts of the body, like the facial sinuses. The symptoms are quite similar to that of black molds;

  1. The eyes might become red, blurred vision
  2. Nasal congestion
  3. Problems remembering events and activities
  4. Difficulty recalling words
  5. Difficulty in concentration
  6. Pain in the abdomen
  7. Lightheadedness and vertigo
  8. Nausea
  9. Pains in the joint
  10. Stiffness in the joints, especially in the morning
  11. Skin reactions, itching
  12. Some parts of the skin can become numbed
  13. Problems concentrating
  14. Problems with focusing and learning.

Allergic aspergillosis could be a grave health condition. It occurs when individuals inhale the spores of the fungus. This trigger an immune reaction in the body, accompanied by symptoms such as coughing, fever, hematemesis etc.

A close relative of the aspergillosis is the S. chartarum, has very dangerous toxins too. Its toxins are capable of causing the following conditions

  1. Sinusitis
  2. Sepsis that can eventually lead to failure of the organs
  3. Pulmonary hemorrhage: a condition in which there is bleeding from the lungs, and also from the upper part of the respiratory system. This condition is acute and could be life-threatening, especially when it shows clinically.
  4. They the aspergillus can come together, to form a ball, which can grow in vital organs. This is called Aspergilloma.

The routes through which Aspergillus enters the body are;

  1. Nasal route: Since mold propagates through spores, their spores can be easily inhaled. This is why it’s important to get rid of them whenever you notice them in your house or environment.
  2. Oral route: Spores can be ingested. This happens when the spores are on food, and people consume them intentionally or not. It can also enter through cuts
  3. Skin: The spores produced by Aspergillus are so minute that they can easily be absorbed by the skin.
  4. They can also be passed from in utero. This means that a pregnant mother can infect the fetus with the toxin.

The above can be prevented by simply avoiding any contact with molds and removing them from your house. Should you notice any form of growth, protect yourself by wearing gloves, then carefully remove them, and try to eliminate what could be responsible for their growth. There are other methods to remove molds effectively, these include using bleach, water, and soap.

 

References

Johanning, E., Auger, P., Morey, P., Yang, C. and Olmsted, E. (2013). Review of health hazards and prevention measures for response and recovery workers and volunteers after natural disasters, flooding, and water damage: mold and dampness. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 19(2), pp.93-99.

TRUCKSESS, M., STOLOFF, L., and MISLIVEC, P. (1988). Effect of Temperature, Water Activity, and Other Toxigenic Mold Species on Growth of Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxin Production on Corn, Pinto Beans, and Soybeans. Journal of Food Protection, 51(5), pp.361-363.

Wakefield, J. (2006). A Killer Smell: Mold Toxin Destroys Olfactory Cells in Mice. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114(7), pp.A428-A428.

YOSHINAMI, M. (2014). Cause Investigation and Measures of the Mold Contamination in the Food Production Site. Japanese Journal of Food Microbiology, 31(1), pp.13-19.

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