Understanding the Health Risks of Living with Black Mold
Get rid of an unwanted house guest with mold remediation in Mississauga! Mold is a prevalent issue among many homes in your city, regardless of whether they are new builds or heritage properties. MoldTech is one of the most highly regarded black mold removal companies in the GTA and has helped thousands of people eliminate mold throughout their homes. There are many risks to living alongside mold, from the health effects of spores to the damage it can cause to your home’s structure.
Why Has My House Grown Mold?
Mold can grow indoors for many reasons, but there always need to be three conditions present: moisture, an even temperature, and organic materials.
Moisture enters our home in many different ways, both purposely and accidentally. We need water for eating, cooking, bathing, and washing, and it can sometimes leak, drip, or spill out of these places. Moisture is also an atmospheric condition, with warm air holding more moisture (creating humidity) and cooler air being dryer. Water can also come into our homes by accident, such as by a flood or exterior damage.
Even temperatures are a vital feature of indoor living. After all, we want to be comfortable indoors, stay warm during the cold Canadian winters, and cool down during the humid summers. Unfortunately, mold also likes conditioned air — most molds can grow in temperatures as low as 3-5 degrees.
Lastly, organic materials are present throughout the home and are what mold eats and grows on. Wood, paper, and textiles are some of the materials most frequently affected by mold, and they can be found in every single room of the house.
How Mold Travels Around the Home
Once mold has arrived in your home, it’s going to start wanting to grow larger and spread. Mold spreads by creating spores, airborne particles that act like seeds. Spores are light enough to float through the air but may also be picked up on sponges, clothing, hands, feet, or paws. Once these spores find a new growing environment, they set down roots and start a new colony.
The Health Risks of Mold
It’s essential to eliminate mold as soon as possible because it has many health risks and effects that can cause you and your family to feel unwell. Some of the most common symptoms MoldTech clients report include:
- Coughing.
- Headaches.
- Nasal congestion and sneezing.
- Itchy eyes.
- Dry skin or hair.
While these symptoms don’t sound too sinister, over time, they can be profoundly disruptive to your daily life, and it can feel like you have a never-ending cold or flu. Feeling constantly run down affects your immune system and cognitive abilities, and over time, the long-term cumulative effect of mold is hard to quantify. Research suggests exposure to mold may contribute to chronic conditions and increase hospital visits. There is a great deal of evidence that it’s particularly harmful to children, leading to a greater likelihood of asthma attacks. Some types of mold, particularly black mold, may also create toxic byproducts that act on the central nervous system and cause more severe, life-threatening problems.
What To Do If You Find Mold
If you find mold at home, having it safely and professionally removed should happen sooner rather than later. The longer it grows unchecked, the harder it is to remove, and the greater the effect it will have on your family and health. At MoldTech, black mold removal has three steps:
- We secure the area to prevent cross-contamination with containment strategies and HEPA filtration.
- We remediate using hard media or biocides that are non-toxic for humans and pets. All affected materials are removed and disposed of safely.
- We clean, clean, and then clean some more, ensuring that every last spore has been removed.
Included in every MoldTech mold removal is also expert advice on how and why mold was growing in the first place so that you can prevent it from returning. There are no good reasons to let mold grow unchecked when mold remediation in Mississauga is safe and affordable. To learn more about mold, what happens during mold removal, or book a free visual inspection, contact MoldTech today.
