Toxic mold can cause some serious health problems. Before pulling out a natural cleaner to tackle that black mold you found in your home, it’s important to consider a few things first.
There are different kinds of indoor mold, some more harmful than others. You need to learn how to tell if mold is toxic and what to do if it is. Plus, it’s important to know the health risks of living in a house that is plagued with a mold problem.
Mold is a type of fungi that grows on surfaces, whether it’s the food at the back of your fridge or that damp wall in your basement. Mold grows in response to humidity and temperature, as a natural part of decay. There are thousands of varieties of mold on the planet.
Some types of mold can facilitate the natural breakdown of material, while other types can be harmful to human health. What makes the difference between “normal” mold and the kind that results in mold toxicity? Harmful molds can cause mold allergy, toxicity, or pathogenic infections.
Some kinds of harmful molds you might find in your home include:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that it’s not necessary to determine the kind or type of mold that’s found in your home. If you have any mold, you should take care of it with proper precautions and understanding that exposure may lead to health risks.
There are always small amounts of mold everywhere. It exists in the air and on normal surfaces. Mold growth that takes off is caused by moisture.
Leaky sinks, damaged window seals, and cracked shower seals are common ways for mold to develop—and it happens quickly. It only takes a few days of the right conditions (often moisture and humidity) for mold to grow.
Here are some of the most common places that mold can be found in a home:
Not all mold from these sources will be toxic, but all mold can lead to allergies or irritation to some degree if it is breathed in.
You can’t control the type of mold that grows in a specific area, and whether it is toxic, allergenic, or pathogenic, it’s all bad for health. Ensuring that there is no situation ripe for potential is the best way to prevent toxic mold.
Toxic black mold is incredibly common, and more of a problem than most realize. In the 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency ran a study that tested 100 office buildings for water damage. The results found that 43 percent had current water damage and 85 percent had water damage in the past. Any past or present water damage can lead to perfect conditions for mold replication.
Although scientific research is plentiful and increasing, mold-induced symptoms are often misdiagnosed. The most frequent mold-related symptoms are respiratory, particularly allergies and asthma.
The symptoms of mold exposure vary greatly because your individual genetics play a role in how you’ll react if exposed.
The exact symptoms depend on the person, length of exposure, and types of mold. Because everyone is genetically unique, and other chemical or toxin exposures may be present along with black mold (such as other fungi or bacteria, formaldehyde, ozone, and so on), it’s difficult to attribute every symptom to black mold alone.
Mycotoxins and black mold can cause issues on their own, or they can worsen existing conditions that you may have. This is why it can be challenging to get a diagnosis.
However, research has found some potential links between the following symptoms and black mold exposure.
Keep in mind that these symptoms can be attributed to numerous other conditions or health problems, so it’s important to work with your medical provider to find answers unique to your situation. But if you have symptoms that repeatedly have no explanation, it’s time to dig deeper.
If you suspect that your home or workplace may have current or previous water damage or mold exposure, it’s important to mention this to your doctor. The longer you live or work around toxic mold, the more serious your symptoms can become.
You can’t tell if mold is toxic just by looking at it. The best way to test depends on how much mold is visible and how much you’re concerned that mold could be impacting yours or your family’s health.
Mold spores can be on surfaces, in the air, or both, and getting answers is the only way to know what you’re dealing with. Here are a few tests you can do yourself:
If the problem is really bad, hiring a professional mold inspector to do a comprehensive review is the best way to ensure your family’s safety.
If you get the bad news that you have black mold in your home, don’t panic! While it’s not the answer anyone wants, the best thing to do is to get the situation handled by a mold remediation professional.
While hiring a professional is certainly more expensive than DIY mold removal, you don’t want to skimp on this. Having a professional remediate your mold is important because all porous materials need to be removed from the area and properly disposed of. If not, you’ll have another mold problem before long.
Experienced remediators should handle mold infestations and mold removal. Not all certifications and training are equal. Hire remediators with an IICRC certification.
Professionals should wear sufficient protective equipment and isolate the contaminated area. If someone shows up in a paper mask with a bottle of bleach, those are big red flags!
Most mold cleaners sold in stores only bleach the mold so that it’s no longer visible. But the mold roots are still there and spreading underneath the surface. This is why it’s important to follow this advice when it comes to mold in your home:
If non-porous items have been in contact with mold, be sure to use a cleaner that will destroy the mold and mycotoxins, under professional advice.
Reading about toxic mold can suddenly make you think it’s everywhere. But you can be proactive about keeping mold out of your living space. However, these will only work if you don’t currently have a mold problem. They won’t work to remove current moldy situations.
Air purifiers help keep the air clean in your home to limit toxin exposure. Look for an air purifier that’s able to filter out mycotoxins, which range from 0.3 to 0.03 microns in size. In comparison, a single human hair is between 50 to 75 microns across.
Air purifying plants, like gerbera daisy and peace lily, can also help. Be careful with indoor plants though, since damp indoor soil is prone to mold and mildew growth. The top 10 best air purifying plants, according to Environmental Health Perspectives, are:
Areas that are more prone to mold and mildew should be cleaned more often. Bathrooms, kitchens, and anywhere else in the home where water could collect are the important spots to watch.
If you’re like me, you don’t love cleaning the bathroom, but the right cleaners can make all the difference. Natural antifungal cleaners like tea tree oil and clove oil work well without toxic fumes.
Homebiotic, which is a probiotic for the home, also helps create an environment hostile to harmful microbes. Use these products regularly to prevent mold growth, not to clean a mold infestation!
High moisture levels are mold’s best friend. Here are some ways to prevent dampness in the home.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Robert Galamaga, whois a board-certified internal medicine physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor or work with a doctor at SteadyMD.