Dealing With Toxic Mold in Your House

It's not always possible to completely avoid toxic mold. Mold, a type of fungus that grows best in dark, moist environments, attaches itself to many materials commonly found in houses, such as drywall, the material that forms the walls inside the house, paper, wood and cellulose. Not all molds are toxic, but all can cause respiratory problems if you're allergic or sensitive to fungi.

Health Issues and Stachybotrys Chartarum

Toxic mold releases mycotoxins that can cause numerous health problems, even in healthy people The most common toxic-mold found in houses is Stachybotrys chartarum, a greenish-black, slimy mold. This mold needs constant moisture to grow. It's the mycotoxins, not the mold, that actually causes health problems.

While toxic-molds are blamed for numerous health conditions on the internet, mycotoxins mostly affect the lungs. Respiratory problems such as cough or wheezing can develop even in healthy people, while mold can worsen asthma or cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an immune-mediated condition. Hypersensitivity to molds can also cause allergic reactions such as running nose, eye irritation and skin rashes.

A connection between acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in infants and toxic-mold has not been conclusively proven. This disorder causes pulmonary hemorrhage, or bleeding into the lungs and can be fatal.

Removing Mold From Your House

If you have toxic-mold in your house that's making you sick, removing the mold is your best solution. Small amounts of visible mold can be removed by scrubbing the area with a bleach solution of 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water or with commercial cleaning products. Always wear gloves and eye protection and dry the area thoroughly after removing the mold, or it could grow back. Porous areas like drywall or ceiling tiles may absorb mold that can't be easily removed. Replacing the offending materials may be necessary.

If your house contains large amounts of mold, hiring a professional mold removal company is the safest way to remove it. This can be an expensive and difficult job, especially if you have toxic-mold growing between the walls.

Preventing Mold from Returning

The best way to keep molds from returning once your remove it is to eliminate all source of moisture that can cause mold to grow again. The most common areas for moisture to cause toxic-mold grow is in basements, in roofs that leak or in bathrooms or kitchen with leaky plumbing. Don't carpet bathrooms, since carpets can trap moisture. Use exhaust fans in bathrooms to remove excess moisture. When you paint walls, especially in areas prone to mold, add mold inhibitors to paint. Keep the humidity in your house between 40 and 60 percent.