How do molds affect people? Who is most at risk for health problems associated with exposure to mold? How do you keep mold out of buildings and homes? Inside your home you can control mold growth by: Controlling humidity levels; Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes; Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding; Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.
An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months. Be sure your home has enough ventilation. Use exhaust fans which vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home. Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture.
How do you get the molds out of buildings, including homes, schools, and places of employment? Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried promptly. If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold: Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes. Open windows and doors to provide fresh air. Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear. Small areas such as a shower, or an area the size of a door can often be cleaned by residents, but larger areas might need more professional help.
Are there any circumstances where people should vacate a home or other building because of mold? I found mold growing in my home; how do I test the mold? A qualified environmental lab took samples of the mold in my home and gave me the results.
Can CDC interpret these results? Should I be concerned about a serious health risk to me and my family? There is always a little mold everywhere — in the air and on many surfaces. Quick Links. So, when you inhale spores, your body reacts by triggering sneezing or nasal congestion. This can happen immediately or after exposure, depending on your body. Generally, large amounts of mold are more likely to cause negative health effects.
Therefore, the more mold is present, the more likely you are to develop symptoms quickly. However, this also depends on your body. But for people who are sensitive to mold, even a small amount can quickly trigger symptoms.
Similarly, the duration of the one-time mold exposure matters. This increases your overall exposure. If exposure only lasts a few seconds or minutes, you may not have symptoms.
Again, it comes down to your level of sensitivity. It also depends on how close you are to the mold. This can happen during activities like cleaning or touching moldy items. The side effects of short-term mold exposure are different for each person. Black mold , or Stachybotrys atra , has a reputation for being fatal.
This is due to reports that black mold was related to infant deaths in the s. Black mold, and mold in general, is not deadly. Still, black mold can cause unwanted side effects, especially those in people who are sensitive to mold.
This includes people who are young, old, or have compromised immune systems. Sometimes, it can be difficult to know if mold is causing your symptoms. Many side effects of mold exposure are similar to other conditions, like seasonal allergies. Molds are organisms that grow indoors as well as outdoors. Indoors, they can be problematic.
More than a cosmetic problem, mold can damage your home and contribute to health issues. Outside, molds help to break down plant and animal matter. As part of the fungi family, they release tiny spores that float through the air. These spores can enter your home via:. The spores can latch on to a variety of materials, including fabrics, carpet, paper, and wood.
Mold prefers spaces with lots of moisture and little light, such as:. The most common indoor molds are:. Mold starts out as a little spot but expands quickly.
Mold can be black, white, spotted, or just about any color, and may appear powdery, cottony, or velvety. But it does have the potential to cause certain health issues. Touching or inhaling mold spores can cause allergy-type symptoms such as:. You may be a higher risk for complications like infection if you have conditions such as:. In people with asthma, an allergic reaction to mold can trigger an attack. Again, in some people, mold poisoning might be asymptomatic with no obvious symptoms , while in others, it might cause a variety of problems.
By the way, your pets are also affected by mold poisoning. As we mentioned before, people with allergies are more susceptible to mold exposure than others. Living in a house with unhealthy mold conditions, being exposed to it at work or at school might cause the following symptoms:. The symptoms might be more severe if the mold exposure continues.
It could also make current health issues worse if not addressed, which includes asthma and lung diseases. But, a person may become more susceptible to mold infections if the immune system is suppressed by medications, diseases, tobacco, or alcohol.
People with lung problems or previous conditions are more likely to develop an infection. The infection might not cause symptoms in the beginning. With time, it might progress and cause symptoms like:. If you notice these symptoms, talk with your doctor and follow his advice closely to stop the inflammation.
The thought of eating something moldy likely makes you want to gag. If you are aware of mold growth in your home and you feel sick — let the doctor know that right away. Because mold allergy or mold exposure symptoms can resemble that of other allergies, the doctor will typically start by asking about your medical and family medical history. Additionally, doctors usually run tests for mold exposure which may include one or more of the following:.
Just like the diagnosis, the treatment of mold exposure differs from doctor to doctor. One thing most doctors will advise you to do is to test for and, if needed, remove any unhealthy mold conditions from your home.
In more severe cases of allergies, doctors prescribe immunotherapy to provide relief from symptoms. Airborne mold is all around us — in both the outdoors and indoors. The types and amount of mold is what determines the potential health risk. Most of us are typically accustomed to the varieties and amounts of mold present in our outdoor environments.
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