Black mold can cause significant damage to materials in your home or office, and it can cause serious health issues. So, it’s essential to get rid of it as soon as possible. There are a few ways you can do this. You can use natural solutions, home detergents (and some good ol’ elbow grease), or get a professional mold restoration service to help you. Let’s dive into black mold causes, risks, and how to eradicate it.
What You Need to Know About Black Mold
Black mold is a kind of fungus. There are a few different species, but the type of mold that is most commonly mentioned is Stachybotrys Chartarum. This mold is typically black, as the name states, or dark green in hue. Black mold tends to grow in wet, warm climates. So, you’ll notice it in dank places where there’s water, such as bathrooms and basements, or places where there are water leaks or even a lot of condensation. This type of mold grows well on matter that contains cellulose, such as old fruit and vegetables, paper, drywalling, and wood products. If you farm, you may also notice moldy hay in your barn. If exposed, sensitive people may experience allergic reactions or a flare-up of mold allergies. Mold spores are microscopic cells that allow mold to grow and spread. Stachybotrys Chartarum mold spores can spread via hard surfaces, soft surfaces, through the air, and by the movement of animals or people.
How to Recognize Black Mold
One of the clearest signs you have black mold is black or dark greenish moldy surfaces. You may also notice a musty smell in the air if black mold is present.
Structural Risks of Black Mold
Black mold can cause extensive damage to materials in your home or business premises. Mold can affect softer materials like carpeting, drywall, wood, or ceiling. If not caught early enough, mold-affected materials must be removed and replaced. Getting rid of molds like black mold or Stachybotrys Chartarum can be extremely costly.
Can Black Mold Exposure Make You Ill?
For many people, black mold won’t cause serious reactions or health problems. However, if you have a weakened immune system due to a health condition or if you have underlying mold allergies, then it can become a problem. Black mold exposure poses a significant health risk for sensitive individuals or long-term exposure. It produces mycotoxins, which are toxic to your body in large quantities. For people with existing health problems and thus weakened immune systems or a compromised immune system, black mold exposure may lead to several health effects. These range from mild black mold allergies to more serious allergic reactions and other issues.
Black mold exposure can have a severe impact on human health. For people with weakened immune systems, mold exposure can be more of a problem and lead to a wide range of health concerns. If you have inhaled mold spores, thus having exposure to toxic black mold, you may experience some respiratory problems. Respiratory symptoms include:
- Stuffy nose
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Red, irritated eyes
Asthma symptoms due to a mold-induced flare-up include:
- Tight chest
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
You may also experience the following:
- Memory loss or feeling like you need a reality check
- Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Fungal infections
Severe Reactions to Mold Exposure
Some people can experience extreme mold allergies if exposed to black mold. Health issues can go beyond mold allergies or a fungal infection. Toxic black mold can cause some more serious mold injury reactions, too; being exposed to mold long-term could even lead to lung disease or even cancer. The effects of mold should not be ignored. If you realize you have been exposed to toxic mold and start to experience any symptoms, you should see your healthcare provider right away. This is especially true if you have a condition or you’re on medication that suppresses your immune system.
How Soon Will Black Mold Exposure Symptoms Appear?
Sometimes people may experience allergic reactions to toxic black mold immediately. You can also notice allergy symptoms later down the line, especially if you’re consistently exposed to black mold. You’re more likely to have an adverse reaction to mold if your immune system is weak.
How Are Black Mold Allergies or Sensitivities Diagnosed and Treated?
To diagnose mold sensitivities, a doctor will conduct a skin prick test or take a blood sample to do a blood test. Depending on the results, your doctor may prescribe allergy shots. He or she will recommend you get to the source of the mold issue and remove it.
How Black Mold Develops in Homes & Buildings
Mold thrives in places where it’s moist and has high humidity levels. Mold also grows where there are water leaks. Keep interior spaces cool and dry to prevent mold growth.
Doing a black mold cleanup is especially important in occupational settings where people work and spend a lot of time.
You’ll need the right equipment and cleaning solutions to safely remove black mold from where it can affect people.
Preparing to Remove Mold
To remove mold yourself, you’ll need the following items:
- Face mask
- Rubber gloves
- Rubber boots
- Overalls
- Plastic to create a containment
- Cleaning products (Depending on the extent of the mold damage, you may need large quantities of cleaning solution.)
- Tools to remove any materials damaged by mold
- Sand paper or electric sander
- Stain remover
- High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)-filtered vacuum machine if available
- Anti-microbial fogger
Solutions You Can Use
There are a couple of natural and chemical solutions you can use for mold removal.
- Natural solutions
- Lemon juice, vinegar, or baking soda make for quite effective natural mold removal solutions. They work best of mild cases of mold.
- Home detergents
- You can use kitchen soap or over-the-counter solutions to clean mold off surfaces. However, bleach is one of the most effective solutions as it kills black mold instantly.
Instructions for Removing Toxic Black Mold:
- Find and fix the source of moisture, for example, a leaking pipe.
- Contain the area using plastic covering so mold spores cannot spread.
- Dry out the affected area and set air scrubbers
- Mix bleach or your preferred solution and disinfect the affected areas
- Remove porous materials like ceiling, ceiling tiles, drywall, engineered wood, fabrics, etc.
- HEPA vacuum non-porous materials and/or structural materials ( wood studs, concrete, block or brick)
- Sand structural materials like studs, floor joists, or subflooring
- Apply stain remover to any studs or joists
- HEPA vacuum remaining debris
- Fog with the anti-microbial disinfectant
Once you have completed your black mold (or another type of mold) restoration, it’s best to get a licensed mold assessor to test the affected area. They’ll take a sample to the laboratory and get back to with a pass or failed report on whether or not the mold as been fully removed.
Steps to Prevent Mold Growth
If you’ve got your black mold situation back under control or want to prevent a mold problem in the first place, there are a few simple ways to do this. The key way to prevent extensive mold growth is to ensure your indoor spaces are kept dry and are well-ventilated as black mold doesn’t grow well where there’s lots of fresh air. Having open windows or using an air conditioner or exhaust fans can help a lot. You can also use mold inhibitors to stop mold growth in areas that may be prone to it.It’s important to check your indoor air quality and do mold testing from time to time, too.
When You Need Professional Mold Removal
DIY solutions are fine if your black mold situation is caught early. However, if the issue has gone unnoticed for a longer period more damage may have been done and there is a greater risk to human health by the toxic mold. If this is the case, it’s better to get a mold removal and restoration specialist to handle the toxic black mold issue properly.
Have You Got a Mold Problem? Act Today
As you can see, there are a few ways to remove black mold from your home. Keep a close watch on the affected area in case the mold reappears. The best way to reduce the risk of it coming back is to call in the experts. Dry Out Daddy can help. Contact us for a mold restoration quote today.