How Does Mold Affect Your Health?

Damp walls and dripping ceilings are a nightmare. They don’t just ruin an expensive paint job but can also cause severe damage to your health.

Fungi, such as mold, can develop on damp surfaces in less than 48 hours and can contaminate the air quality inside your home.

In the US, individuals spend 90% of their time indoors, which means that the indoor air quality has a huge impact on your lungs and overall health.

Health problems such as allergies, shortness of breath, headache, and sinus congestion have also been associated with the accumulation of mold.

Here’s how the mold in your home can affect you and your family’s health.

Allergies and Asthma

Nearly 25% of Us citizens with allergies are allergic to mold.

Mold has tiny spores that can travel in the air. When you inhale these spores, your body may react by creating antibodies to fight what it perceives as ‘foreign invaders.’

Some symptoms of mold allergies are sneezing, runny nose, itchy or/and watery eyes, and dry skin. But these may vary from person to person.

Mold spores can also travel to your lungs and trigger asthma if you have an underlying mold allergy.

Allergies can’t be cured, but you can protect yourself from allergic reactions and asthma attacks by reducing your exposure to mold spores. Make sure that there are no damp surfaces in the buildings that you live in and those that you frequently visit.

If you have a mold problem at your house, hire professional cleaners such as ServiceMaster to clean and disinfect your place thoroughly.

Infections

Prolonged exposure to mold can cause fungal infections or mycosis.

If your house has mold, you’re at a higher risk of developing lung infections and bronchitis. People with underlying lung diseases are also more susceptible to fungal infections.

Mycotoxin toxicity

Mycotoxins are toxic substances that are naturally produced by mold.

Depending on the period of exposure, mycotoxins can produce many adverse effects in humans, from acute poisoning to immune deficiency, and in some cases, even cancer.

Protect yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of molds by hiring professional cleaners to clean and sanitize your house.

At ServiceMaster, we use efficient techniques such as crawl space encapsulation to protect your home from mold and mildew. We also offer mold removal and water damage restoration services at affordable rates. Connect with us today at 970-871-4974 for more information.