Indoor Air Quality

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Even though mold may be microscopic and not be seen by the naked eye, it can make toxins that are harmful to your health and repertory system. When they are inhaled mold toxins can cause irritating skin rashes and mucus membrane inflammation, liver and central nervous problems, problems with your immune system, and even cancer and can even make humans sterile if exposed to large amounts of mold. While common side effects of mold inhalation are a runny nose, allergies, and asthma, mold can cause more severe problems like the ones listed above.

Mold breaks down and damages everything it settles and develops on. Perfect conditions for mold to cultivate are damp places like your kitchen, bathroom, cellar, around sliding glass doors, wood that is water logged, and other rooms and items where conditions may become damp and humid.

The size of fungus spores can range from two to twenty microns. This is fascinating because more than twenty million spores can assemble on a regular stamp. That just shows you how miniscule these spores really are. A good appliance to control mold spores is a HEPA air filter. HEPA filters catch tiny pieces as small as 0.3 microns and they really do help prevent fungus from growing in your home. Although the HEPA filter is very effective, sometimes it is necessary to do more. Mold spores are caught by the filter but they still can reproduce. To stop this you can use an ultraviolet light which will put an end to the mold spores altogether. De-humidifiers are a great addition to reduce humid conditions in our homes and environments. Ensure that the de-humidifiers are emptied on a regular basis and cleaned in accordance with the instruction manual.

Filter systems with UV light can also help manage things like viruses, animal dander, dust, insects, and pollen. Measles, TB, flu, and staph are also airborne. If they go through a filter system with UV light the DNA is destroyed and the virus can’t reproduce. Remember, you must use the ultraviolet light if you want to totally remove these contaminants from your environment. Also, look for products containing natural ingredients to eliminate mold from your home.

Remember that mold and fungi are everywhere in the environment. Mold and fungi are nature’s very special way of digesting organics and composts returning it to its original state. The key to living with mold is to always pay attention to your surroundings where mold is a concern. Inspect areas of your home most susceptible to the formation of mold such as basements, under wash basins and sinks. Water pipes that service and come into your house are prone to sweat and cause condensation to form in hidden, tucked away places. Mold remediation can cost a property owner thousands in mold removal alone, not to mention the coast of replacing new sheetrock, spackle and paint. New flooring can cost a property owner a small fortune. Where mold is concerned it pays to be alerts and smart stopping mold in its tracks.

By: Bradley Skierkowski