Mold

You may be wondering if mold plays any role in your allergies. Let me tell you 'YES IT DOES'.

Molds are major contributors to seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis and most other allergic reactions. Molds are very tiny microscopic airborne particles that waft through the air we breathe. If inhaled, molds may trigger allergic reactions and cause serious health problems.

Most molds need simple things to exist and colonize. Most of them require a type of moist humidity. It can take as little as 24 hours for mold to colonize. Mold produces tiny spores to reproduce. These spores waft through the air continually. When mold spores land on damp spots (indoors) they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on. Molds can grow on:

• Wood
• Paper
• Carpet
• Foods
• Clothes
• Indoor plants
• Bathrooms
• Dry wall
• In ceilings when you have a leak in your roof
• In the kitchen and bathroom if there is a burst pipe

There is no practical way to eliminate all molds from indoor environment; the only way to control it, is to control the moisture indoors.

How to control moisture?

• Fix leaks
• Make sure crawlspaces are well-ventilated.
• Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to remove moisture from inside to outside
• Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners, especially in hot, humid  climates to reduce moisture in the air

These are the top mold symptoms that a mold victim may experience:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Breathing difficulties
• Cancer
• A cold that reoccurs
• A decreased resistance to infection
• A chronic dandruff problem (A chronic dandruff problem that does not go away despite the use of an anti-dandruff shampoo)
• A skin rash
• Diarrhea
• Vision and eye problem
• Fatigue that continues
• Flu symptoms
• Hair loss
• Headaches
• Itching of the eyes, mouth, nose and skin area
• Redness of the white of your eye (sclera)
• A runny nose
• Sinus congestion
• Sinus problems
• Chronic sinusitis
• Sneezing fit (more than 3 sneezes in a row which happens often)
• Sore throat
• Dizziness
• Vomiting

Where does mold grow best?

• In attics that have roofs that leaks
• Inadequate ventilation in attics
• In showers, bath tubs, toilets and on bathroom walls
• Carpeting
• On ceilings when you have a roof leak
• Clothing
• Paper
• Indoor house plants
• Wood
• Fiberboard
• Drywall

Potential signs of a mold problem

• Stained ceiling tiles or wall tiles
• An odor that smells of urine, musty or earthy
• Colored (black, brown, pink or orange) speckles on walls, grout and tiles
• Unexplained illness that can be mild or severe
• Walls that look swollen and or crumbling
• Humidity that is over 55%.