What Is Black Mold
Stachybotrys chartarum, or Black Mold, as we all know it, is a variety of fungus that has a dark green or black appearance. This mold is found sometimes in soil and it’s also found in water-damaged building materials, such as wood, paper, carpet, and other porous materials. Black mold thrives in warm and damp environments, which means that it has many places in your home to flourish, for example in the bathrooms or the kitchen.
Although black mold is unsightly, that is not the main reason we don’t want it in our homes. Black mold releases toxins that can cause some serious health risks to the home dwellers and pets. Some of the symptoms of exposure to black mold are nasal and sinus congestion; runny nose, eye irritation; itchy, red, watery eyes, respiratory problems, chest tightness, cough, throat irritation, skin irritation, headache, and persistent sneezing.
How Do You Know If You Have Black Mold In Your Home?
Unfortunately, it’s very easy for black mold to make it into your home, it can attach itself to a person that brings it into the house or it can even blow in on the wind. Once it’s in if it finds itself in a nice warm and damp environment and it will very quickly start to spread. Most times you will know that you have mold growing in your home because the black fungus is visible to the eye. You may also notice water damage in your home and this might be a sign of “hidden mold”, which you can sometimes smell but it is growing in places that are not visible, for example, in your walls or pipes. If you notice mold growing in your home or someone in the house has symptoms of black mold exposure, it is best to hire a professional mold remediation company to inspect your home and remove the mold.
How To Prevent Black Mold From Growing In Your Home
As mentioned it is very easy for mold to enter your home and it is not much you can do to prevent it from entering. But, what you can do is:
- Keep your home clean and vacuum regularly.
- Keep your home well ventilated at all times, especially the bathrooms and kitchen where it tends to get warm and damp.
- Don’t put carpets in warm and damp rooms (i.e. Kitchen, bathrooms, basement).
- Don’t leave materials that mold grows on in piles for a long time (books, magazines, wood).
- Use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity in your home lower than 50%.
- Make sure your rain gutters are in good condition and not blocked before rainfall.
- Inspect your home regularly and if you notice any leaking pipes or water damage make sure that it is taken care of immediately.
- Hire a mold remediation company to inspect your home.