Black Mold: The Toxic House Guest

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

You are in your basement when something catches your eye - a black streak on the wall. You look closer. Oh no! Is that mold growing? You begin moving boxes and notice that there is more - a lot more. You remember hearing something on the news about toxic mold causing all kinds of health problems.

You panic. Is your family at risk?

You can't escape mold. It is everywhere.

"I don't even know what black mold is!" So it's a good thing you're here. What is mold? Mold is a fungus, which grows in humid and warm places. As mold grows, it releases spores into the air. It is these spores that you do not want to be breathing in. In fact, some types of mold can be downright dangerous.

Black mold (known as Stachybotrys Chartarum), is one type of toxic mold that grows in warm dark places. It is most commonly found in homes where water leakage is an ongoing problem. In some cases, even condensation due to temperature differences or lack of ventilation can create a good habitat for mold growth.

The Danger of Mycotoxins

Black mold itself is not poisonous. It is the chemicals (called mycotoxins) that it releases into the air that cause all the trouble. As mold grows it produces more and more of these mycotoxins which your family is breathing in.

Once inside of the body, these toxins can cause all sorts of havoc.

Ranging from a slight allergic reaction to a very serious health problem, mold can be the cause of these mild to life threatening conditions:

skin inflammation
rashes
lethargy
memory loss
respiratory issues
immune system suppression
hemorrhage... and even death

What You Can Do About Black Mold

No matter what type of mold is discovered in your home, it is important to get rid of it right away. Even harmless molds can become a breeding ground for black mold.

While many people use chlorine bleach to clean mold, it is not very effective. It can even make the situation worse by introducing more moisture into the affected area. Another effect of the cleaning is that the spores spread further, which may cause illnesses, as well as spread the mold to other areas of the home.

Mold is a serious issue and needs to be taken care of. But that is no reason to panic. Trained mold specialists have a variety of mold-killing chemicals at their disposal. Trained in cleaning and killing mold and their spores, mold specialists are great at handling mold problems, leaving you with little worry about mold's ongoing effects on your family's health.