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The Effects of Mold and Mildew on Your Health

Mold and mildew are fungi that flourish in wet and moist areas inside and outside of your home. Over time, both types of fungi can cause damage to the surfaces beneath them. Thanks to rapidly-spreading spores that can quickly become colonies, it is hard to control mold growth. If you are experiencing a musty odor in your home and not sure if it is a real problem, you should know more about the effects of mold and mildew on your health.

How Does Fungus Harm Your Health?

Some children and adults are very sensitive to mold and mildew. Symptoms can range from itchy eyes to skin rashes. Those dealing with chronic lung and sinus issues can suffer serious infections after exposure to either type of fungi. One study, conducted by the Institute of Medicine, discovered a link between exposure to a damp indoor environment and respiratory symptoms in healthy people.

The symptoms of fungi exposure include:

• • Coughing and wheezing
  • Rashes
  • Watery or itchy eyes
  • Redness of the eyes
  • Hay fever-like symptoms

In rare cases, people can develop serious reactions, including fever and trouble breathing. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict whether or not someone will have a bad reaction to mold, which makes it even more important to proactively test for it and remove it.

How Is Exposure Treated?

If you are concerned that you have been exposed to mold, you should first try to determine where you were exposed and if the source can be removed. If you cannot get rid of the mold in your home or workplace immediately, you should take antihistamines. These can be purchased over the counter or prescribed by your doctor. If you have a serious reaction, your doctor may need to prescribe corticosteroids or nasal sprays to manage your symptoms.

Controlling Mold In Your Home

• • • • Monitor humidity levels
      • If you use a dehumidifier or humidifier, be sure to constantly adjust them based on the humidity level in your home, as the level should never be higher than 50%
      • Fix leaks in your home as quickly as possible
      • hire a professional remediation company to remove affected material, thoroughly dry out the area and test to ensure that all fungus is gone
      • Whenever you have flooding, even if it is a small amount in the basement, contact a water damage remediation service to assess the damage, troubleshoot the problem and dry out the area to prevent fungus growth

Protect Your Family’s Health with Flood Department

Flood Department emergency water removal can complete a wide range of mold removal, flood damage restoration and clean-up services. To learn more about our services and whether or not you have a mold problem on your hands, give us a call at 301-829-2600.