How Much Mold Exposure Is Dangerous?

Exposure to any kind of noxious agent inside the homes and buildings can have overwhelming effects on human health. There is always some mold present everywhere which grows where ever there is moisture.

Outdoors, molds play a critical role in decaying organic matter. But indoor molds are best at wreaking havoc in our lives. This gives panic attacks to householders and proprietors.

Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys Chartarum are the most common types of molds one can encounter at home. If you have humid conditions in your homes, you are the culprit to provide the molds a ripe environment to grow and thrive.

In such environments, you’re unguarded and liable to develop respiratory problems, allergies, or asthma. Also, mold can have a profound effect on your immune system.

You might be wondering if having molds is an insidious problem, what can one do to deal with these lurking organisms? How much mold exposure is dangerous? What is it about them that weighs heavily on the minds of home and business owners?

Let’s find out the answer to all these questions!

How Much Mold Exposure is Dangerous?

The mold itself is not dangerous; these are the mold spores and toxins that can make you sick. For most of the people, it is, in fact, the mold allergy that makes one miserable. But such mold-given allergic reactions vary from mold to mold as well as from person-to-person.

Extensive exposure to elevated levels of indoor dampness can most likely reduce your lung function which is detrimental to human health. Some of you may experience no symptoms at all. While others will be at a higher risk for developing chronic conditions like asthma.

Mold Allergy – The Most Common Problem Of Mold Exposure

Mold allergy can be tough to outstrip. It occurs due to breathing in mold spores excessively which causes your immune system to overreact. Your health begins to deteriorate upon mold exposure and as a result, your body manifests signs of allergies.

You experience nasal congestion, coughing, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, and skin rashes. Additionally, it may increase the onset of asthma in otherwise healthy individuals.

Those with pre-existing conditions are at a great disadvantage to these mold exposures as these molds work to exacerbate their condition. They face intense symptoms such as chest stiffness, breathing difficulty, fever, chest colds, or even pneumonia.

Not only these molds cause allergies but also make you susceptible to mold poisoning.

Mold Poisoning:

It is the black mold (Stachybotrys Chartarum) which is notorious for imperiling the health status of the individuals. Black molds usually grow on the properties affected by water damage and produce toxic substances known as mycotoxins.

Accumulation of mycotoxins in the body puts you at a risk for developing mold poisoning. Some of the symptoms are: nose stuffiness, itchy skin, irritating eyes, coughing, headache, exhaustion, fever, chest colds and stiffness, sinusitis, muscle cramps, gain in weight, numbness, etc.

What are the Risk Groups?

Dampness and humid conditions are expected more in overcrowded houses and buildings that possess poor heating and ventilation systems. Thus, it is anticipated that the prevalence of indoor mold problems in low-income communities and cheap rental accommodation can be considerable.

The following are comparatively at high risk for becoming medically unfit upon exposure to any kind of molds.

1. Infants who are poor at immunity.
2. Immuno-compromised individuals (such as people suffering from AIDS or undergoing chemotherapies).
3. People with advanced ages – older ones.
4. People who are already living through any chronic condition, particularly that of lungs.

Recommended Read: Can You Die From Mold?

When to See a Doctor?

If you display any of the above symptoms, do not delay to schedule a meeting with your health professional. Apart from the apparent signs and symptoms, your doctor will diagnose your condition through blood and skin tests to measure the mold load and to check whether you are allergic or not.

If you are at a risk, your doctor will prescribe some anti-histamines, decongestants, and nasal sprays to treat you for the apparent symptoms.

How to Remove Mold?

You can manage sneaking molds in your homes by keeping in mind the given below do’s and don’ts.

Do’s

1. Keep the doors and windows open for the proper passage of air.
2. Use dehumidifiers inside the homes to significantly reduce the relative humidity.
3. Fit a high-efficiency particulate air filter in your furnaces or ventilation systems to capture mold spores.
4. Make sure that there is no problem with water drainage.
5. Clean and vacuum your place routinely.
6. Clean bathrooms with anti-fungal agents.
7. Fit exhaust fans in damp areas.
8. Replace or cut-out sections of mold-eaten drywalls.
9. Immerse the affected non-porous surfaces with a bleach solution or other fungicidal agents.
10. Clean the air conditioner filters periodically.
11. Keep air-conditioning drip pans clean.
12. Remove leaves and vegetation from your home vicinity.

Don’ts

1. Avoid carpet floorings as molds hide in them for longer periods.
2. Never ignore water leaks or damages.
3. Don’t leave old newspapers and books untouched for long.

The Takeaway:

Molds are the most annoying organisms as they just require moisture to multiply, which is easily available to them in our homes. Prolonged exposure to molds is injurious to health and you’re likely to develop mold allergies and mold poisoning symptoms.

Mold is not something that cannot be dealt with. By just getting control over moisture you can manage these molds in homes. If you suspect high mold count, do call a mold remediation team for inspection and mold removal.