If your home or area has undergone flooding — whether mild or severe — one of your biggest fears is probably developing toxic mold or having to do mold cleanup. Checking for house mold symptoms can be absolutely disgusting, but is necessary to keep your living area clean and safe. Even if you haven’t been exposed to flooding, you still want to be on the lookout for mold and think about waterproofing, especially if you have an interior basement with high humidity or poor ventilation. Old homes with leaking pipes or roofs can also contribute to this. If you have any of these conditions, you may want to be checking regularly for house mold symptoms to make sure that you’re not harboring any toxic mold in your home. It can be especially harmful to young children or the elderly. The most likely room in your house to display signs of mold is going to be the basement, since it’s the lowest to the ground and is more exposed to dampness. They’re often not well ventilated and are at risk of high condensation, which are other factors that are especially good living conditions for mold.
Ew, GROSS! Apart From Looking Unsightly, What Other Risks are Associated With Mold?
Some people may be more affected by the presence of mold than others. For those who have a mold allergy, the usual symptoms (such as a stuffy nose, irritation in the throat, eyes, and skin, and coughing and wheezing) can be even more serious. People with damaged immune systems or chronic lung or respiratory illnesses can acquire serious infections that can develop into further health complications. General to upper respiratory tract infections can also occur from sustained exposure to mold and some studies suggest that young children who are exposed to it can even develop asthma as a result.
How Do I Keep Mold From Getting Into My Home?
Mold can come in through doors, vents, windows, and ventilating systems and can be carried inside by pets and humans, so it’s tough to keep your home 100% mold free. Look for house mold symptoms as well so you can control and eliminate the mold. Making sure your home is well ventilated and that humidity is controlled are two important steps. Any leaky pipes, roofs, or windows should be fixed promptly, to avoid water damage and ideal living conditions for mold. If your home should flood, you should immediately clean and dry the areas affected and throw out anything too damaged instead of letting it fester. High humidity or heat areas like showers, kitchens, and laundry areas should be well ventilated and properly cleaned with regularity. Under an untreated, moist environment, mold can start growing in a 24 to 48 hour time span.
How Can I Get Rid of Mold That’s Already Growing?
Given that almost 100% of basements in the U.S. are going to be impacted by some kind of water damage and that a combination of water damage and mold costs insurance companies around $2.5 billion a year, finding ways to eliminate mold swiftly and effectively is imperative. Once you’ve noticed house mold symptoms, it’s time to call in a mold removal team. If it’s not toxic mold and you’re doing it yourself, you need to make sure that you’re appropriately protected with a dust filter mask, goggles, gloves, and protective clothing that covers your entire body that’s easy to clean or that you can throw away once you’re finished. Seal off the area of the house where you’re removing the mold, to avoid having it float into other parts of the house. Moisten the mold before you start removing it to keep it from being stirred up and floating around. Bleach, borax, vinegar, and ammonia are all effective solutions to remove the mold.
Mold is a serious problem that should be taken care of immediately. If you see symptoms of mold, start taking measures to eliminate the existing mold and prevent it from coming back. If you have water damage or live in a hot or humid area, start inspecting for mold and be sure to keep an eye out even if you don’t see any right away.
