What Is Black Mold?

Mold damage found in the home can be a costly and dangerous issue. If that infestation is Stachybotrys chartarum, commonly known as black mold, then the risk of health issues is even more severe. You need to take steps to rid the property of unsightly mold and protect your health.

First, you should know a little about black mold. When you hear the term ‘black mold,’ you likely imagine an abandoned property infested with mold. Black mold can actually infect any household, even a clean inhabited one. As it spreads, your black mold problem will lead to dangerous exposure and potential mold poisoning.

Black mold, like most types of mold, is likely to appear in areas that are warm, humid, and damp (in a basement or a crawlspace , for instance). If you have a slow plumbing leak, the chances of mold growth are exponentially worse. As the mold spores grow, they begin to reproduce and spread aimlessly through the air. Then, you and your family inhale these spores, leading to severe illness and mold poisoning.

How does mold get indoors? Well, there are mold spores everywhere – in the air you are breathing right now. The spores inside your home are often minor, but outdoors in the right conditions, mold will flourish. Then, the spores attach themselves to your clothing, shoes, or pets and are tracked indoors and released into the environment. They settle where there is moisture, such as a nearby plumbing leak or roof leak.

Black mold can cause a wide array of symptoms and allergic reactions. In many cases, depending on a person’s exposure and the number of spores inhaled, these symptoms can vary between family members.

Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Fever
• Irritation
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Rashes

In prolonged cases of mold exposure, you may suffer from extreme symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and bleeding from both the lungs and nose.

To properly combat black mold infestations, you need to call a certified restoration team. The average homeowner is certainly not equipped or trained to handle serious mold remediation.

First, we must treat the source. If it’s a plumbing leak causing the mold problem, then the hole must be stopped and the pipe repaired. Then, dehumidifiers are brought in to reduce the humidity and moisture content in the air. Only then can the restoration team begin eradicating the visible growth from your furniture, walls, and floorboards.

Black mold, which you have likely heard referred to as ‘toxic mold,’ isn’t impossible to deal with. Like any other type of mold, a local restoration teamcan eradicate the problem for you quickly and safely. Just be sure to call as soon as you spot the mold; it will only worsen with time.

For 24-hour mold remediation and inspection services, call Restoration 1 of Summit Countyat 973-250-4306!