Health And Mold: What Is The Real Threat?

From the bread in the kitchen to the ground underfoot, mold pervades the world we live in. Most molds are benign and even vital to the ecological balance of the environment, but some molds invade our homes and our lives causing serious and often irreversible maladies.

Usually it isn't the mold itself that causes serious health problems to those within its vicinity. Actually, it's the gases produced by molds that cause issues when ingested. Molds release noxious particles into the air known as mycotoxins, which can cause a spate of medical and mental health problems. The most threatening mold that commonly grows in homes is Stachybotrys Chartarum, or black mold.

Black mold releases many mycotoxins that all fit into one of three denominations: Macrocyclic Trichothecenes, Phenylspirodrimanes and Cyclesprine, and Stachylysin. Macrocyclic Trichothecenes inhibit protein synthesis, destroying our ability to generate new cells and making us less resilient. Phenylspirodrimanes and Cyclesprine are immunosuppressive and make us more susceptible to diseases and infections. Finally, Stachylysin destroys red blood cells, making us feel anemic and lethargic.

Often people feel sick when they are in the vicinity of mold but then feel better once in a clean environment. For symptoms that are dependent on location, preventing and eradicating mold from your home and surroundings should be given serious consideration. If symptoms don't exist, even in the presence of mold, it is possible that the mold is a remote threat and no action may be required.

If you are unsure as to the toxicity or danger of mold in a living area, please contact a professional to examine the mold and assess risk factors. Feel free to contact FoamSource for more information at http://www.foamsource.com or by calling 800-255-0181.

Mold in the Home

Mold exists all around us. In some forms it's harmless, and in others, mold can be very dangerous. Gaining a better understanding of mold can help us coexist safely with this organism and avoid unfortunate and costly health and material issues.

It doesn't take much for mold to live and proliferate: just moisture, oxygen, and some form of sustenance. It can grow on wood, fabric, leather, gypsum, fiberboard, dry-wall, and many other surfaces and materials in the home. The amount of moisture necessary to host mold is dependent on the type of mold. Some need a lot of moisture while others require a relatively small amount. Mold can find ways to extract nutrients from many surfaces. No matter where you live or what kind of house you have, your home is susceptible to mold, and owners should be wary.

In the home, mold grows in warm moist areas such as closets, bathrooms, basements, laundry rooms, and humidifiers. It can also grow in upholstery, house plants, and even inside walls and under flooring. Another place, often overlooked, where mold can grow is inside mattresses. You could be spending every night near some form of mold, harmful or otherwise, without even knowing it.

Mattresses often form an ideal environment for the incubation of a mold. Mold can subsist on the materials of the mattress, both off of the foam and the fabric. Mattresses often soak up a body's moisture and retain it for long periods of time. Polyurethane foam, from which many mattresses are made, can be broken down by mold into VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which are toxic inhalants.

For infants, the gas produced by molds can contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is one reason crib pads made of polyurethane foam are covered by a protective plastic. For adults with healthy immune systems, the toxin most likely wouldn't do any permanent or severe damage, but it would cause a malaise when in bed. The effects of the mold may be keeping you awake and uncomfortable or even lessening the quality of your sleep, leaving you fatigued and irritable during the day. For adults, it is impractical to have a plastic sheet, so it is best to avoid polyurethane mattresses in favor of something resistant and not hospitable to mold.

A latex mattress or memory foam mattress can be the best alternative to the traditional mattress. Latex and memory foam mattresses are naturally resistant to molds. In addition, they provide numerous other benefits to you in terms of comfort, weight distribution and more. To learn more about a latex mattress or a memory foam mattress and to discuss which might be right for you, visit http://www.FoamSource.com or call 800-255-0181.

Keeping Your Home & Bed Free of Mold

When your home is beset with malignant mold, not only is health adversely affected, but the removal is often expensive. Eradicating mold can sometimes require major renovations of infected rooms or walls, sometimes even exceeding the worth of the structure. Because of the health and financial impact of mold, it is critical to take measures preventing mold's development.

In the structure and rooms of your home, it is important to keep carpets, rugs, and mats dry and to not keep, or be careful with, carpet in basements where the floors can be perpetually damp. To protect the building itself, make sure that no pipes leak, which could cause moisture to get into the drywall. Additionally, you'll want to make sure that no leaks exist in your home's outer walls or shingles.

For a mold-free mattress, there is no better choice than a latex mattress. A latex mattress provides an extraordinary sleep system. It is all natural, supportive, and will not retain moisture long enough for mold to grow and proliferate. Latex will not break down into noxious vapors or VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Also, a latex mattress will last longer than any other mattress on the market.