Your home may be making you sick. Identify the health effects of mold exposure.
Where to look for mold in your home and how to identify health effects of mold exposure.
You will find the presence of mold in every home. Mold is commonly found anywhere there is moisture, for example:
- Rooms with leaky faucets
- Rooms impacted by roof leaks
- Bathrooms or laundry rooms without proper ventilation
- Condensation behind walls due to poor insulation
- Humid basements
- Basements or crawl spaces with improper exterior grading
Take this Interactive Mold House Tour to room-by-room to learn about common mold issues and how to address them.
How Mold Can Affect Your Health
While mold may grow in small amounts and is generally not dangerous to your health, long term and excessive mold exposure can cause symptoms like:
- Nasal stuffiness
- Sneezing
- Eye, nose or throat irritation
- Skin irritation
For people with sensitivity and mold allergies, more severe reactions may develop:
- Affected upper respiratory functions
- Coughing and wheezing
- Asthma or emphysema
- Chronic lung illness
Mold spores are microscopic and, once airborne, can easily be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Children and the elderly are most at risk for developing health effects from mold exposure.
In 2004, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.
In 2009, the World Health Organization issued additional guidance, the WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Dampness and Mould.
If you’re a new home buyer, or have owned your home for many years, knowing if there’s a mold problem in your home can make all the difference to the health of your family.
If you believe your health has been affected due to mold exposure in your home or work environment, especially if your health improves when you leave the home, you should seek advice from your doctor or a health care provider.
Stock Environmental is a mold, asbestos, and lead-based paint inspection specialist servicing all of New Jersey and New York. If you have questions, or would like to schedule an inspection, give us a call at 732-383-5190 or e-mail info@stockenvironmental.com.
Image credit www.epa.gov