However, the Environmental Protection Agency proclaims that due to the variety of health effects that this specific type of mold can cause, no one should ever attempt to move it on their own. If you suspect that you may have a black mold infestation, within your home, you need to ensure that you contact a professional that specializes in black mold removal as soon as possible.
In this overview, we will look at what makes this species of mold so different than the traditional species of mold that some people encounter, as well as the underlying reasons why the Environmental Protection Agency warns that, no one should attempt to remove it on their own.
Stachybotrys Chartarum
There are thousands of specifies of different molds that do not present any significant danger to humans and animals alike. However, black mold or Stachybotrys chartarum is categorized as being one of the most toxic species of mold. Many experts believe that this type of mold, thrives in businesses and homes that have a combination of high humidity and/or poor indoor air quality which facilitates fungal growth. What makes this type of mold so dangerous is the fact that its spore or essentially offspring, release mycotoxins. When these microscopic toxins which can be found on the spores are inhaled, it can cause a variety of debilitating and in some cases, life threatening effects. However, the severity of damage that mycotoxins can cause, is all dependent on the amount of contaminated spores that the individual inhaled over a period of time.
Health Problems
As mentioned before, the thing that makes this type of mold so dangerous is not the mold itself, but rather the mycotoxins that it releases. Mycotoxins are so dangerous that not only can it negatively affect the health of animals and humans, it can even affect the health of plants as well. Once the mold spores that contain mycotoxins enter the body via sinuses and lungs through normal respiration, the mycotoxins can cause a variety of adverse health effects as well as diseases. The effects of black mold are even worse for children, elderly people and individuals who have a respiratory related illness such as asthma.
Level 1 Exposure
To put things in retrospect, some of the documented symptoms that are associated with short term black mold exposure include:
* Sneezing
* Itching eyes and skin
* Watery discharge from the nose and eyes
* Redness
* Discolored tongue
Those list of symptoms are commonly associated with what experts refer to as level 1 as far as exposure goes. Meaning during the initial phase of the exposure those are some of the symptoms that an affected individual may experience.
Level 2 Exposure
As the length of exposure increases, the affected individual may experience some advanced symptoms that are categorized as level - 2. Some of the symptoms that level 2 mold exposure individuals may experience include:
* Ear infection
* Sudden asthma attacks
* Chronic bronchitis
* Coughing up of blood
* Constant fatigue
* Nose bleeds
* Constant headaches
* Skin rashes
Level 3 Exposure
Finally, at level 3 or in an instance where an individual has been exposed for an extended amount of time such as months to years. Some of the symptoms of advanced black mold exposure include:
* Death
* Internal bleeding within the lungs
* Cancer
* Long term memory loss
* Damage to the Brain
Why you Should Never Attempt To Clean Up A Suspected Black Mold Infestation
At this point, i'm pretty sure that if you firmly believe that you have a black mold infestation on your hands, you're going to close this window and attempt to clean it up as soon as possible. Don't. Due to the fact that their spores are microscopic, disturbing a black mold infestation may make the situation worse. Here are some reasons why.1) Spore Aggravation
One of the reasons why the Environmental Protection Agency warns that no one should ever to attempt black mold removal on their own is primarily due to the fact that you may aggravate the infestation and cause an unintentional disperse of its spores. This dispersal of spores will eventually go into your body via normal breathing function and will spread through your house via the normal air flow on everything from your carpets, walls, furniture, clothes and skin. And while you may assume that these microscopic spores may die off, the mycotoxins that they produce can remain in your home or office for years and worse yet, the toxicity of these mycotoxins remain consistent even after several years. Meaning black mold spores may linger in your house or office and can affect your health years after you remove it.
2) Hidden Infestation
As mentioned before, the longer the infestation remains in your home, the higher the chances that you will eventually become ill. While you may think that you can remove it on your own, mold has a tendency to grow via its spores in various sections of a home or office such as cracks in the walls and even an HVAC system. A professional that is experienced with black mold removal will evaluate your home to check the most common places that they grow and ensure that they do a thorough job of remove all instances of the infestation in places that you may not be aware of that it is growing.
3) Underlying Causes
Once the spores of a mold infestation get spread throughout your home or office via, natural air flow, it can cause the spawn of several infestation even if the original infestation has been taken cared of, if the underlying cause was not remedied. One of the underlying causes of a mold infestation is a hidden leak, in some instances, it may be the humidity and in some instances it may be poor air quality. However, you may never be able to determine this on your own. A licensed professional will evaluate all aspects of your home to determine if a hidden leak may be causing it or the air quality. Most black mold removal experts not only ensure that they remove the infestation in a way that does not cause a release of spores, they will evaluate the property to find the underlying cause to ensure that a new infestation doesn't manifest itself down the line as well as provide an individual with invaluable information pertaining to mold infestation prevention.
4) Minimizes Health Impact
As mentioned before, the more spores an individual inhales over a period of time, the higher the chance that they will become ill. Once a black mold removal expert evaluates the circumstances, they more than likely will request that you leave your home temporarily. Yes, even the Environmental Protection Agency has documented evidence that demonstrates that any structure that has black mold should be deemed as a hazardous zone and in some cases, they proclaim that severe mold infestation can cause a property to be condemned if the mold was that thoroughly eradicated. As such, by contacting a black mold removal specialist it will essentially lead to the minimization of the health and impact that the infestation may be causing right now.
