Do You Know Black Mold?

Every homeowner worries about black mold, but what is it? Also called Stachybotrys, black mold grows in damp areas and is most commonly seen around condensation or where there’s been water damage. Spores come into your home through windows, other openings or brought in on shoes and coats. While most molds in your home are harmless, black mold causes illness if neglected.

Risks Behind Black Mold Exposure

Black mold is a poisonous species of fungus with airborne toxins. Typically symptoms include chronic coughing, irritation to the eyes, mucus membranes of the nose and throat as well as skin rashes. Other symptoms include chronic fatigue and persistent headaches. Nausea, vomiting and bleeding in the lungs and nose occur in the most severe cases of long term exposure.

About Mold

Mold doesn’t take long to permeate walls, floors and ceilings. Whenever your home experiences water damage, you should have a Paul Davis technician check the walls for mold infestations. They can go unseen for weeks, and then spring up virtually overnight.

Once mold produces colonies in your living space, it quickly breeds and discharges toxins that make life unpleasant for inhabitants:

  • Mold releases a strong, musty scent that stops rooms from smelling clean.
  • Mold wreaks havoc on allergy-sensitive individuals, as well as those with asthma, making symptoms flare up.
  • A black mold infestation can cause coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.
  • Mold toxins can trigger chronic inflammation and constant cold-like symptoms.
  • Individuals with compromised immune systems can get systemic infections of the lungs, skin, or digestive tract.
  • In rare cases, mold toxins can cause neurological concerns or even death.
  • The more prolonged the exposure, the more severe the danger.

Unusually humid homes and offices can be vulnerable to mold infestations even if no water damage has happened. If you see or smell something that could be mold, get an expert opinion immediately.

To get rid of mold, the environment where it flourishes must first be removed. Water sources have to be handled, and any residual moisture must be thoroughly dried out. Only then can mold removal and remediation start.

Whether a leaky roof, burst pipe, or other opening, it isn’t enough to stem the tide. Moisture can drench out-of-sight portions of your home. Without proper cleanup methods, mold will keep coming back to these spots.

If you are worried that your home may contain black mold, speak with Paul Davis today. Our team inspects for existence of black mold before treatment. Depend on our contractors to eliminate black mold effectively. Keep your family safe, call for an inspection for black mold today.