"A blog about the symptoms of mold, how they can affect your health and a Mold Remediation and Water Damage company in South Florida including but not limited to Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano and Coral Springs"
Respiratory Issues Basically no fresh air = a full load of accumulating indoor pollutants. Fresh air purges indoor pollutants and renews oxygen. You have a lot of potential for indoor for indoor quality improvement with an air change of fresh air every 5-6 hours.
After water damage many issues arise from inhaling mold spores. The best defense against this is investing in an air purifier. They filter mold spores and other allergens to help stop asthma or allergies. Air purifiers also prevent mold growth in the future. The best type of filter for an air purifier typically has a HEPA filter as well as an activated carbon filter that both work to remove any harmful particles or gasses from the air. the HEPA filter removes particles usually between 1-20 microns large while the activated carbon removes the mold odor by absorbing VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), which are off gassed from the mold.
Air purifiers do not kill mold that is already growing from water damage, they just filter out the spores floating around in the air which can cause damage to your lungs. This is why making sure everything is clean and free of moisture is very important. After any mold problem, there is always a little left over, this grows over time if not attended to. Spores even blow into your home from the outside which is why it is important to keep an eye everything. To limit your exposure you might also want to consider:
Removing any carpet found in bathrooms and use tile or linoleum instead.
Clean bathrooms and kitchens frequently because this is where the majority of water is in homes.
Use the exhaust fan in the bathroom when you are using the shower or in the kitchen when you are cooking.
Make sure to vent the clothes dryer outside of the house.
Be sure your clothes are dry before putting them in closets or dressers
If the humidity in your home exceeds 50%, use a dehumidifier for optimal air quality.
When painting your home, find paint which uses agents to suppress mold growth.
Check all downspouts around the home and be sure they are directing water away from the home.
Also not leaking in any cracks or pooling around the foundation
Wear protective gear when cleaning up any water damage. People are mainly exposed to mold by breathing in the spores and through skin contact. It is important to wear gloves, goggles, and a respirator when attempting to clean.
Isolate the work and ventilate to the outdoors. When you go to clean the affected area, this stirs up the mold colonies and releases huge quantities of the spores into the air. Do your best to seal off the moldy water damaged areas from the rest of the house. You can even use plastic to drape in staircases. If the power is on, it is important to put a box fan in the window to blow out and exhaust the mold filled air.
Remove all wet and fibrous insulation, even if wall board appears to be dry. Wet insulation will stay wet for far too long, leading to the growth of hidden unhealthy mold and decay fungi inside the walls. Cut the wall covering above the level that was wet, water can wick up above the flood level.
Remove all moldy, porous materials, including gypsum wallboard, processed wood products, ceiling tiles and paper products.
Clean and sanitize plaster, wood paneling, and non paper faced gypsum board walls that have dried, are in good condition, and have no insulation in the wall. It's best to remove multiple layers of paint on old plaster to aid drying. There is a risk of mold on the backside, however, that can release spores into the home through air leaks in the walls. If you choose to restore these materials, seal interior gaps with caulk.
Flush the air after cleaning the affected area and dry as soon as possible. Close the windows and run the air conditioner or heat. Run fans and use a dehumidifier. If there is no power, keep the windows open.
Keep an eye on the water damaged areas. New mold growths can grow in as little as 2-3 days if the materials stay wet. If you see more forming, repeat cleaning and use speed drying equipment.
Do not try to restore the area until all the materials have completely dried. Once it is dry, make sure to use water-resistant materials upon restoration.
Common Products Used to Clean Mold:
Bleach
Borax
Vinegar
Ammonia
Hydrogen Peroxide
Detergent
Baking Soda
Tea tree Oil
Grapefruit Seed Extract
A few things to take into consideration about water damage
1. There are possible health effects which can arise from either direct of indirect contact with mold. Respiratory problems such as asthma and allergic reactions can arise from mold spores throughout the air.
2. After water damage from flooding, you cannot get rid of all the mold by cleaning/drying the area, you must use moisture control tools such as a dehumidifier or proper ventilation.
3. If there is a water problem coming from a leak or crack, you must fix that problem first to contain the amount of water going in the room.
5. Any absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, carpet, foam, etc. must either may need to be replaced depending on how significant the damage is.
6. Add insulation to prevent any condensation or build up of wetness from pipes or windows.
7. Do not use carpeting in rooms where there are apparent moisture problems such as near sinks, water fountains, etc.
8. Molds can be found on about anything such as wood, drywall, tiles, food, or even air ducts.
Understanding mold, how it forms, and the factors contributing to its development is one of the best ways to prevent it from forming in your home or office. Molds are a diverse group of organisms that can be extremely toxic, or equally beneficial to humans in some cases.
The Good - Beneficial Molds
Mold, although generally considered a nuisance or hazard by most of us, plays an important role in our environment. What we commonly refer to as molds are generally a type of fungi with a couple exceptions (more on that later). These organisms are important because without them the formation of soil, and in turn the growth of new plant life would not be possible. They are nature's digestive system, breaking down dead organic material into nutrient rich compounds that fuel the growth of new plant life. Their powerful ability to externally digest organic matter make them potent antibacterials in same cases.Molds of the genus Penicillium produce penicillin, which is used as an antibiotic. Molds also breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide just like we do. This may work in perfectly if your goal is to grow lots of healthy plants, but too much of these molds in your home can cause a suffocating effect, further exacerbating the respiratory problems that are commonly associated with most types of mold exposure.
The Bad - Toxic Molds
There are more than 140 species of mold documented to be pathogenic or disease forming in humans. Some molds can be so bad for you that they are considered the most toxic naturally occurring substances known to man. So toxic that it has even been used in biological warfare. The concentrated T-2 trichothecene mycotoxins (the same toxins found in Stachybotrys or toxic black mold) were responsible for thousands of deaths in Laos during the Vietnam war. Symptoms can vary drastically, ranging from severe headaches to nausea, vomiting, cancer and even death.
Most Common Types of Mold
Acremonium
Soil, dead plant material. Light colored. Slow growing in moist environments. Rarely infects humans, but can when other conditions are present, or immune system is weak. If infection occurs it can be a real problem. This mold was previously known as Cephalosporium. Used to derive the class of antibiotics known as Cephalosporins.
Aspergillus
Toxic. Indoor, found in areas with high oxygen. This is a common contaminant of starchy foods such as bread and potatoes. It is known as the second most common mold to infect humans. This mold is also commonly found on damp walls. Watch for any signs of leaks or water damage.
Cladosporium
Indoor and outdoor, very common green to brown to black colonies. Found on living and dead plant material. This most commonly causes infections of the skin and toe nails.
Fusarium
plants, soils, mostly harmless, in humans w bad immune systems: nails, cornea. used as a food and has been weaponized by the soviet union.
Mucor
white to gray/beige - plants, soils, most unable to infect humans because they cant stand warm environments, but those that do can cause a kind of flesh eating condition known as zygomycosis.
Stachybotrys
Occurs indoors and can cause serious illness and even death in humans. Best known as Toxic black mold, it is frequently associated with poor indoor air quality after water damaged building materials. All the symptoms listed below but heightened are very common with this mold.
Alternaria
A major plant pathogen, Alternaria is are common allergens in humans which grow indoors. They can cause fevers and even lead to asthma. This mold is a fast spreader and is a large problem in human health. It has also been known to destroy crops.
Other Types of "Mold"
In some rare circumstances, mold isn't Fungus at all. The exceptions to the fungi rule are two types of mold previously believe to be members of the Fungi kingdom; slime mold, and water mold. Water and slime molds, as we later learned, are not fungi at all. This is important to acknowledge when identifying, and remediating these types of mold growths. These Fungi-like "molds" are classified as a diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms known as protists. These Protists can be unicellular when food is abundant, or multicellular when it isn't. Unlike Fungi, their cells do not show differentiation into tissues in their multicellular form. Instead, each cell can change its role in the organism as it sees fit. This simple cellular nature is the primary difference that excludes them from the fungi kingdom. In most other respects, their behavior is considered very fungi-like.
These water and slime protists can be dangerous pathogens, such as in the case of Plasmodium falciparum, which causes malaria in humans. You don't have to worry about this particular protist growing in your air conditioner though, as it is an exclusive parasite of animals, but it does help to illustrate how dangerous some of these organisms can be to humans.
When does mold Form?
The most common mold growths are triggered by environmental factors, such as high humidity, temperature range, oxygen levels, and the existence of organic material for the mold to consume. These conditions can be inadvertently created as a result of many common household occurrences, such as:
- Flooding, or water damage such as pipe leaks
- Malfunctioning air conditioning units
- Rodent / insect infestations
- Ground water absorption
- Keeping a steady ambient temperature for long periods of time
Some of the most common household environments perfect for mold formation are air conditioners, AC ducts, in between sheetrock or wooden walls, and basements. Even slime molds have been found to grow in air conditioners.
How can you eliminate mold in your home?
The mold remediation process can be a real challenge. Spores travel quickly and can spread throughout your home completely undetected. Even when a small mold growth is properly cleaned up, you may have new formations beginning to grow elsewhere. In some cases sections of wall or ceiling may need to be replaced entirely as the mold will not only be deep rooted and difficult to annihilate, it may even compromise the structural integrity of your home.
Floods
are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters outside of fire.
According to the Palm Beach County flood facts, Florida residents and
businesses hold more than 40% of all flood insurance policies in the nation.
Any flood, big or small, needs to be taken care of immediately because
destructive water damage travels fast.
If flooding occurs:
1. Move Furniture: Remove everything you can from a wet carpet
(dyes and stains on wood furniture may bleed onto the carpet); if you can't
move a piece of furniture, put aluminum foil or a plastic bag under the legs.
2. Lift draperies: Leave draperies in place but get them up off
the floor by putting them on clothes hangers and hooking the hanger onto the
drapery rod.
3. If water reaches a wall, pay attention: If you can spot water
in the carpet or it reaches a wall juncture, treat the problem seriously. It
may have traveled unseen four or five feet along the floor, through the carpet
pad, possibly reaching cabinets, walls, insulation, other rooms and the
subfloor, elevating the risk of mold.
4. Get help right away: A professional water restoration company that
pays attention to detail, should be contacted without
hesitation.Water Damage is a serious issue that can lead into mold growth,
which is a health hazard.
