How Mold Can Harm Your Health? How to Prevent It?

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Do you have a damp environment at home? Do you often smell a persistent musty odor? Are there specks of white, green, brown, or black on your wall?

It means that there is mold in your house. Mold is basically a fungus that can grow in moisture. While mold plays important role in the decomposition of organic materials such as leaves, it can risk the health of the human being. It can lead to health issues such as allergies, headaches, and respiratory problems. If your home has humidity and damp areas, chances are high that your house has mold.

Don’t worry. Here we will go through the preventative measures to stop the growth of mold in your house.

But first of all, let’s go through the types and health risks associated with mold. 

The Most Dangerous Mold Types for Human

· Blue mold affects wooden window frames, parquet floors, and natural wood furniture;

· Green thrives on spoiled food;

· White mold grows in pots of houseplants, it is also found on baked goods;

· Black mold is the most dangerous for humans; it appears at high humidity levels everywhere – from tiles in the bathroom to wallpaper in the bedroom or children’s room.

Moreover, black mold often causes a strong allergic reaction, which eventually develops into attacks of bronchial asthma.

Health Issues Caused by Mold

With a low concentration of mold spores in the air, its negative impact is not immediately felt. However, with prolonged contact with the body, they cause:

  • Dizziness and persistent headaches;
  • Diseases of the upper respiratory tract in acute and chronic form – pneumonia, asthma, sinusitis, sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis;
  • Nausea and gastrointestinal disorders;
  • Skin diseases of allergic origin 
  • Severe exhaustion
  • Liver and kidney disease
  • Problems in lungs.

Elderly people, children, and those undergoing long-term chemotherapy or antibiotics are especially susceptible to the effects of mold.

Its spores are very dangerous when they directly enter the organs of the digestive tract. They cause unpleasant stomach symptoms and abdominal pain. Moreover, active and dead fungi can cause health problems.

Long-term living in a room with mold contributes to the development of complicated pathologies, namely, diseases of the articular-rheumatic complex. With them, headaches, severe drowsiness, weakness, and general deterioration of health are possible.

Long-term contact with the fungus provokes the active growth of malignant neoplasm cells in adults and children, the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system, and deterioration in the overall quality of life.

Factors That Trigger Mold Growth in Your House

  • Warm and humid environments in your home. 
  • Damp or wet corners in the home
  • Poor ventilation system (as humid air is not removed)
  • Damp conditions in the bathroom
  • Thermal insulation of the outer walls 

How to Prevent Mold Growth

Improve the Ventilation of Your Home:

Make sure to open up a window or two for nearly 20 minutes to provide your home some fresh air. It will not only freshen up your mind but also help prevent mold growth. This is because it dries out damp areas. 

Stop Water Infiltration:

Given that mold thrives in damp areas, make sure water is directed away from your home. Besides, it is important to fix plumbing leaks.

Address Wet or Damp Areas Immediately:

Mold needs moisture to grow, so deal with wet areas right away. Make sure to dry your basement after a heavy rainfall or leaky pipe burst. In fact, a spill on the carpet should be dried out within 24-48 hours. Dry your water-drenched items immediately. Avoid leaving your wet clothes in the washing machine, where mold can thrive. Instead, hand them outside. 

Always Check the Humidity Levels:

Make sure to keep indoor humidity between 30 and 60 percent. Well, you can detect humidity levels using a moisture meter being available at your local hardware store or online. Or you can check the level of humidity by taking note of prospective problem areas in your home. If you note excessive condensation on walls, pipes, and windows, dry the surface immediately.  

Take Care of Your Roof Gutters:

A mold issue might be a simple matter of a leaking roof, thanks to overwhelming or damaged gutters. Therefore, keep your gutters cleaned and check them for damage as well. 

Pay Attention to Your Bathroom:

Nothing can be a suitable place for molds than a bathroom. After all, it is the place where they can find an abundance of dampness and moisture. While it is a breeding ground for molds, it can cause a range of health problems for you if not taken care of.

Here are some tips to prevent mold growth in your bathroom:

  • Try to keep the windows opened when bathing to vent out the moisture
  • Wipe the walls after taking your bath
  • Turn on the bathroom ventilation fan
  • Avoid keeping bottles of shower gel, toys, shampoo, or loofahs in the shower as they can be a place to grow and hide for molds. 
  • Clean your bathroom with mold-killing products such as vinegar, bleach, or hydrogen peroxides. However, avoid mixing them as they can cause toxic reactions. 

Use a Dehumidifier:

A dehumidifier helps remove any moisture caused by air. Make sure to install a dehumidifier in damp areas such as the basement and crawl spaces. Large homes can have two dehumidifiers in different parts of a home. 

Prevent the Condensation on Metal Pipes:

Cold surfaces such as pipes, tanks, and walls are vulnerable to having condensation occur on them. Therefore, cover them with insulating sleeves or insulation blankets. 

Let the Light Come In:

Mold also likes to live in dark areas, so letting natural light into your house can check their growth. You can open all your curtains to let natural light in. 

The Bottom Line:

The formation of mold can lead to many health problems. Therefore, it is important to check their growth with proper ventilation, cleaning, fixing of leaks, and drying out the wet areas. It is one of the common problems to be found in the house; it is also one of the simplest to prevent—as long as it hasn’t gone beyond your control. 

What do you think? Let us know by commenting below! 

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