Did you know that there are many different things that you can do to prevent mold allergy as well as to get relief or control it? Mold spores and mold are something that is found in the environment all year. This is the case both outdoors as well as indoors. However you should know that they are more common in the humid warm climates. It does exist all over the globe though. Pollen grains typically contain less mold spores than “fresh” air does.
The reproductive parts of fungus or mold that cause reactions that are allergic are the mold spores. Mold produces filament-like clusters in order to grow. It also fees off of the decomposing animal and plant matter. The way that plants go about releasing pollen is similar to the way that fungi and mold reproduce from giving off mold spores in large numbers into our air. The mold spores will settle on matter that is organic when it is airborne, from here new clusters of mold are then grown. A reaction that is allergic might be set off by mold spores being inhaled.
It is common to find and notice mildew and mold growth when it grows in your bathroom along the shower stall or in the tile grout. However, it is less likely to be noticed in the below places:
* Foam pillows
* Door gaskets of refrigerators
* Storerooms or closets
* Water pans from refrigerators that are self-defrosting
* Under you sink cabinets
* Cooling coils of refrigerators
* Washing machines
* Air units in rooms
* Basements
* Carpets
* Vents for your Dryer
* Garbage cans
* Wallboard and sheetrock
What are the symptoms of allergies from mold?
If you are having mold allergies then you might notice some or all of these symptoms. You might have a runny nose, chronic cough, nasal congestion, skin rashes, hives, sneezing, red or itchy eyes, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, lung capacity that is reduced, and even sinus headaches.
One of the types of mold is called Stachybotys or otherwise known as toxic mold or black mold. Toxic mold and black mold contamination is something that has been going around on the news for a few years now. The black mold can not only be toxic but it can actually even be deadly. This is especially true in children that have mold allergies. In homes that have foam board being used for wall insulation that has no space for air to allow the walls to breath in the southern part of the U.S., the toxic mold has almost become an epidemic. You will find that cellulose, sheetrock, and wallboard will actually act like a sponge if any water leaks are left unrepaired or if you have a flood. Once this mold has started in buildings or homes the mold spores then are released continuously from the clusters of mold. These mold spores that are microscopic very quickly start to become airborne then travel in your heating systems and air conditioning throughout your home. If you home becomes mold infested it will create an environment that is lethal for anyone that has a predisposition to allergies especially someone with a mold allergy. Often times the only way that you can get rid of the mold from a structure is to use a bulldozer to tear it down and take away the debris. This toxic mold is not the mold that you find on cheese or bread that is green. It will not be of an odor that is musty.
Symptoms of the toxic mold are nose bleeds, coughing blood up, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, dizziness, anemia, chest congestion, skin rashes, difficulty breathing, memory loss, forgetfulness, death, or a pulmonary hemorrhage.
If you are looking to know how this toxic mold can be detected then you can look into having a professional test to see if you have contamination from toxic mold. You should know however that this can get quite costly. Some labs will offer inexpensive and even affordable testing that homeowners can use. If you think that you see any mold on your vent or sheetrock then you should get a piece of tape that is clear and try to use it to lift off the mold. Then you will want to put your tap in a plastic bag like a zip-lock and have the tape stick to the bags inside. If you are taking more than just one sample then you will want to mark the bags so you know the different places in your home or building that the mold was taken from. Then you can try and contact a lab to see if they can perform a test on your samples.
If you are looking for a way to control your mold allergies then there are some different ways that you can go about this. One of the things that you can do is to decrease the amount of exposure that you are getting from the mold spores and mold. You can also used the exhaust fans that are found in many bathrooms to help to low the levels of humidity. You can use solutions for killing mold in your shower stalls and bathrooms. This can be used on shower curtains, around your tub, the toilet tank, and also on the bathroom tiles. You can get a mold inhibitor pain or you can add the mold inhibitor to any paint that is standard that you buy and use this in your bathrooms. If you have carpet in your bathroom then it is best to try and replace it with either linoleum or tile. If you are going to be using wood for your fireplace at home or for a stove that is wood burning then you will need to make sure that the tree bark is free of mold first. You can get a moisture chemical remover for your closets.
Be sure that you don’t put away and clothing or shoes that are wet. If you have an exhaust fan in your kitchen then you will want to use this for the removal of any food vapors or cooking steam. If you notice a water leak then you should fix it as soon as possible. You can get a dehumidifier and use it to help keep the humidity at below forty percent. This will help in deterring growth of mold. You can get an electrostatic high-performance filter to place in the air conditioning should you have a central unit. This will help to inhibit or trap any mold spores. Be sure that you don’t put any clothing that is damp in your drawers or closet. All of these will help reduce your chance of a mold allergy as well as keep mold to a minimum in your home and reduce the chances for new mold to form.
