Have you ever just bought a loaf of bread and the next day it has little fuzzy dots? Well that is Microbial Growth also known as mold. Mold is a living organism associated with Fungi that strives on moisture. People have been known to cover up mold instead of stopping it at the source and mold can be very toxic to other living organisms. Mold comes in many forms; black, brown, yellow, pink, green, smelly, fuzzy, and the list goes on but regardless of how it looks; it can harm your health, the structural integrity of your buildings, and severely affect your quality of life.
Humans can be exposed to the toxic and allergenic components of mold in several ways. The most common are:
- Inhalation – by breathing in mold spores (primary type of exposure)
- Ingestion – usually by poor hygiene (not washing hands) or by eating where mold is on or near
- Dermal – absorption through the skin, nose, eyes, mouth, or skin abrasions
Fungi that is actively growing will produce and release fungal spores. Spores carry allergens and toxins that carry many health concerns. One colony of mold can produce millions of spores and you are breathing all of that in when you do not take the necessary steps to get rid of it. Covering up the issue does not help; spores have been known to stay alive for over 20 years.
With all of that being said, mold can cause illness. A very severe type of toxin is Mycotoxins. They are inside certain types of mold spores and are very toxic, cancer causing, and can even suppress our immune system. The most common side effects of mold are developing cold or flu like symptoms, asthma, and sinus infections.
A very common misconception is that mold only happens in low income, low hygienic homes. It can happen to anyone in any type of home. CBS News posted a story about a mansion being infested with black mold. “Ballard and Allison abandoned their home; they were forced to move out when their house was invaded by a mold that they say made everyone in their family sick. The couple’s son Reese was the first to become ill at age 4. He was coughing up blood. His equilibrium was completely shot; very bad stomach problems; diarrhea; vomiting – it just spanned the whole globe in terms of symptoms. Soon Ballard became sick; she says she had trouble staying on her feet. Then Allison, an investment banker, began having trouble breathing. He started coughing up blood. Experts say the family was being poisoned by a black toxic mold, called Stachybotrys. The mold, which has been found in all 50 states, in homes, businesses and schools, had invaded their house.”
The full story is available on the website: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/an-insidious-mold-31-01-2002/
If you were to google “mold survivor stories” you would get so many different people that went through such a terrible time because mold was around them but not all mold is bad. This statement might seem contradicting since the last 400 words were about how awful it is but there is good mold. One of the best antibiotics on the market, penicillium, is made from mold. Also, that lovely blue cheese you put on your salad is molded.
Here at CEO Restoration we will not inspect your moldy cheese but if you happen to move your dishwasher and see mold growing up the wall, we can help with that. Take care of yourself and your property, mold strives on moisture so if you have a leak; watch for mold. If you see mold on a very large scale, order an air quality test from an Indoor Environmental Professional. Once you have those test results, CEO Restoration can handle the rest.
Not knowing why you are sick is terrifying, if you suspect mold in your home or business is making you sick; let us take the worry away from you. CEO Restoration is a 24/7 company and will react within 2 hours for any emergency you may have. Take all the steps you can to protect your friends and family. We are here for you.
Call us at (407) 584-7779 for all your restoration needs, we are here to help.