These days, it’s no secret that exposure to mold is not healthy and can cause a host of problems both to your health and to your house.
Toxic mold exposure is a common culprit in a wide range of health problems including:
- asthma
- frequent lung and sinus infections
- eye irritation
- throat irritation
- skin issues
- coughing
- wheezing
- allergies
If the mold is left untreated for long periods of time, it could lead to even more dangerous health issues such as cancer and lung disease.
The symptoms of mold are quite vague and could indicate other problems so it’s important to get to the root of the problem as soon as possible. Before you start tearing your house apart looking for mold that may or may not be present, pay a visit to your doctor to see what can be found. A series of tests will be done. If nothing is found by your doctor and your symptoms match that of toxic mold exposure, the next step if to check for mold in your home.
If you suspect there is mold in your home, you can do some checks yourself to find signs of its presence. Mold is usually found in damp or wet areas so the bathroom and basement are the two places you should check first. Bathtubs, under mats and flooring, near ceilings where they may be leaks, around doors and windows and under sinks are places where mold is often found. Mold has an odor but you may not be able to notice it as you are living in the house and are used to it. Have a friend or neighbor come into your home and see if they can detect and moldy smells.
If your search doesn’t turn up any mold, you may have to call in a professional to inspect your home. Various methods are used to any mold and recommendations will be made in terms of how you should go about dealing with any problem that may be present.
If mold is found in your home, there are steps you need to immediately take to get rid of it. You may only have a small amount which would require cleaning it up and taking preventative measures to prevent it from happening again.
If a lot of mold is found, more invasive steps may need to be taken to remove it and this could result in time-consuming and costly renovations to your home. Floors may need to be tore up and replaced after mold is removed, items in storage may need to be thrown out, walls may need to be cleaned and repainted and any furniture that has mold that cannot be removed may need to be replaced.
Once you find out there is mold in your home and take care of the issue, you and your family will notice a huge difference in your overall health and overall quality of life. It may take time to get back to normal but you will notice that you are breathing easier and don’t feel as tired and sick as you did before.
