Mold is among the most common concerns for homeowners in Martin County. With its humid and hot climate and winter temperatures rarely dropping below 50°F, homes in the county can become the perfect place for mold to grow. While most people fear mold in their homes, they often don’t know all the dangers of mold growth and postpone the remediation because the mold patch is not “big enough.”
Mold spores are everywhere, and if given ideal conditions for growing, they will spread quickly on all home surfaces, from clothing to shelves. Soon, the 1-inch line of mold you noticed on your shower’s tiles will cover the entire corner, compromising your family’s health and the safety of your house. Hence, you may start to see toxic mold exposure symptoms in your family.
Why should you remediate mold as soon as possible?
Even when it seems inoffensive, a small patch of green mold in your house can risk your health and safety, damaging your belongings and support structures. According to Mold Sanitized, about 25-30% of the global population has a pre-genetic disposition to mold and can be affected by it. Hence, you shouldn't underestimate the dangers of mold growth and wait until it spreads further. Reason 1: Indoor air quality risks
Mold spores compromise your home's air quality. They release allergens, pathogens, or even toxic spores that can risk your family’s well-being. Vulnerable people, such as kids and seniors, may be especially affected by prolonged toxic mold exposure symptoms.
Likewise, your air quality affects the comfort of your family. If your air becomes too polluted with mold spores, responsible for the wet and musty odors, it may disturb productivity and peace.
According to the EPA, indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Hence, if you’re worried about outdoor activities bringing pollutants into your home, you should also pay attention to indoor air quality.
Reason 2: Compromises your family's health
The health dangers of mold growth are many and they can particularly compromise those in your home with allergies, or other health conditions, such as respiratory diseases or immunosuppressive illness.
Though you may think you’re safe if no one in your household has any condition that mold could aggravate, that’s not true. Even if your immune system helps you overcome the side effects of mold, you still may deal with short-term respiratory effects. Hence, preventing home mold issues is essential for everybody. Reason 3: It affects your belongings and house safety
Another of the dangers of mold growth is property damage. Since mold feeds on organic materials, it is not unusual to damage furniture and supporting structures, especially if they’re made of wood. Though mold rarely leads to structural damage, belongings, clothes, and furniture that get infected with mold likely have to be disposed of.
Likewise, mold can enter your HVAC systems, releasing mold spores into other parts of your home, contributing to the infestation and leading to indoor air quality risks. If these systems cannot be cleaned or have an unfixable moisture problem, you’ll often have to replace the whole unit at great expense.
Common indoor molds categorized by health effects
Different types of mold can grow in your home and take various colors and textures, sometimes appearing as stains or discolorations on your surfaces. So, it’s not always easy to determine if you’re seeing the start of a mold infestation or merely dropped chlorine on something.
The first step in preventing the dangers of mold growth is to know when and what type of mold you’re dealing with.
Allergenic molds, such as Aspergillus or Penicillium, are commonly green.
Pathogenic mold: Some molds can cause certain infections or diseases. Although healthy individuals can fight off the pathogens just fine, these molds can seriously compromise the health of people with chronic conditions or those with weakened immune systems. Hence, the dangers of mold growth indoors commonly affect children, seniors, and people with immunosuppressive conditions.
Molds associated with causing diseases are often white, such as Geotrichum and some species of Trichoderma.
Toxic mold: Despite its name, toxic molds aren’t harmful by themselves, but they can produce some chemicals called mycotoxins that can affect human health. Depending on the person, toxic mold exposure symptoms will vary.
The most common type of toxic mold is black mold, which is several different types of black or dark-greenish fungus, such as Stachybotrys or Memnoniella.
However, although some molds can cause more severe effects than others, all should be removed from your home as soon as you notice them. Preventing home mold issues: 3 tips for homeowners in Martin County
Moisture is the main factor that contributes to mold growing inside your home; hence, if you want to prevent the dangers of mold and potential infestations, controlling moisture is key.
1. Decrease sources of moisture in your house
Finding and fixing moisture problems in your home is one of the most effective ways to prevent mold from growing indoors and toxic mold exposure symptoms. Some of the most common areas prone to excessive moisture are:
- Leaky pipes and faucets
- Flaws in the air conditioning system, such as duct leaks, dirty coils, or condensation.
- Poorly maintained drainage.
- Leaks in roofs, windows, and floors.
2. Prevent the flow of moisture.Moisture flowing in and out of your home can contribute to increased indoor humidity and expose you to the dangers of mold growth. To prevent the flow of moisture in your home, you can:
- Sealing air leaks around your windows, doors, plumbing fixtures, and electrical outlets.
- Seal the air ducts and return plenum leaks.
- Install a vapor barrier in the crawl space.
3. Check the temperature of your appliances.Thanks to condensation, temperature can contribute to increasing moisture levels. Condensation happens when a cold surface comes into contact with warm and humid air, forming tiny droplets of water on it. Hence, raising the temperature of these surfaces is crucial in preventing home mold issues.
- Insulate surfaces prone to cooling, such as air ducts, pipes, and freezers.
- Increase the flow of warm air through your home during the winter months.
Suspect of mold? Call SERVPRO of Martin County today
Serving all of Martin County, from Stuart, Palm City, Jupiter Island, Indiantown, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, to Hutchinson Island, we’re specialists in addressing the dangers of mold. Whether you suspect mold in your home or have already confirmed an infestation, we will be there whenever you need us.
Our qualified team will test, assess, and provide you with the best solution for your mold issues. Call us today at (772) 334-8762, and let us help you overcome the challenges mold can pose.
