There are a lot of contaminants that can have a negative impact on indoor air quality, including dust, pollen, pet dander, and cigarette smoke. However, one of the biggest threats to the quality of the air in your home or business is one you may not have thought of, mold.
Is Mold a Health Hazard?
Mold forms when there is excessive humidity or moisture in a building for a prolonged period of time. It could be due to a burst pipe, a particularly humid stretch of weather or a leaky roof. It can form anywhere but is often found in damp basements or attics that are not well-ventilated. If you spot mold on a painted wall, chances are good that there is even more mold on the other side, especially since the environment inside walls can often be quite different from the exterior.
If there is mold in your home or business, it can cause serious health problems for people and even pets. One of the most toxic forms of mold is stachybotrys, typically referred to as black mold, because it produces harmful toxins. If spores from black mold are inhaled, it can cause chronic coughing and sneezing; irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat; rashes, headaches. It has also been linked to neurological disorders. People with asthma and other pre-existing lung issues are particularly prone to mold-related health problems.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is sufficient evidence to link mold exposure to upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing, in people who are otherwise healthy. Evidence was also found linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.
Getting Rid of Harmful Mold
Trying to clean up an area that has been affected by mold can be overwhelming, challenging, and dangerous. While there are chemicals you can use to kill it, the spores are still dangerous to a building’s inhabitants even if the mold is dead. The only way to protect the health of everyone involved is by completely containing and removing the mold.
But even that can be tough if you try to do it yourself. The trouble with mold is that not only does it make you sick, trying to remove it yourself can make things worse. Not only could you potentially release additional harmful spores into the air while attempting to clean it, but you also risk getting sick if you are not wearing protective clothing.
The safest, most effective way to deal with a mold affecting an area is to hire professional mold remediation experts like the team at Octagon Cleaning & Restoration. As trained professionals, our technicians know the proper techniques to fully neutralize and remove mold, including:
- Sealing off any areas with mold present so that spores can’t spread and contaminate other parts of the building.
- Removing and safely disposing of all materials that have been infested with mold.
- Thoroughly cleaning all areas infected with mold.
- Identifying and fixing the issues that allowed the mold to form in the first place.
If your building has mold, or you suspect that it could, contact the team at Octagon Cleaning & Restoration to learn about our mold mediation services.