If you ask the average person on the street, “Does mold make you sick?”, they would likely tell you YES. And many “mold” companies will use scare tactics and elevate the severity of your infestation to raise the cost of remediation.
But it’s actually the airborne spores in the mold that your body inhales, and as your body begins to fight off these fungi cells this lowers your immune system, and this is what can actually make you ill. So it is not necessarily the mold that is making you sick, but your body’s reaction to it.
The black mold in your basement or attic may look frightening, but it may just be unsightly, and it is not necessarily toxic mold. All black mold is not toxic mold!
That’s why it is so important to have mold testing done. Testing will determine what type of mold you actually have and the count of mold spores, so that you can take the proper course of action to remove it.
There are over 100,000 different types of mold. Most can aggravate your allergies and cause upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, and wheezing in otherwise healthy people. Those with immune suppression or underlying lung disease are more susceptible to fungal infections caused by mold. However, if you have been exposed to toxic mold for an extended period of time you could suffer from a myriad of serious symptoms and illnesses such as:
- chronic bronchitis
- learning disabilities
- mental deficiencies
- heart problems
- cancer
- multiple sclerosis
- chronic fatigue
- lupus
- fibromyalgia
- rheumatoid arthritis
- multiple chemical sensitivity
- bleeding lungs
Mold grows in moist humid conditions when water soaks wood, paper, cotton and other products, usually as a result of water damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation, water infiltration, or flooding. Organic materials such as these make for perfect “food” for the mold to grow.
While toxic mold can bring on serious health problems, all mold can cause health issues in healthy people who suffer from allergies.
So if you suspect that there could be mold in your home or business that is exacerbating your allergy symptoms, the best thing to do is to have it checked out by a professional licensed mold assessment company like us to determine the severity of your problem through air sampling, and then devise a plan for clean up that meets your needs.