The health effects of mold on young children can vary greatly.
Realistically, it is easy to assume that you have a cold or flu. Yet, the true source of your symptoms could be mold. Especially in children, it is important that the true source of the symptoms is addressed as soon as possible. If your children are experiencing new symptoms for no apparent reason, or if you are aware of any mold in your home, it’s time to take action. What exactly are these health effects, and what can be done? Read on to learn more. Pinpointing the Health Effects of Mold - What Symptoms Do Children Experience?Health effects of mold ultimately depend on the type of mold and can differ from individual to individual. As mold grows in your home, it produces lightweight, tiny spores that are present in the air. These spores, when inhaled by an individual, can spur an allergic reaction resulting in these symptoms. Children, in particular, are extremely susceptible to mold-based reactions. That’s why, at County Action Restoration, we recommend regular mold tests in your home. These tests can give you peace of mind and allow you to tackle any mold present that is hidden from view. What are some of the reactions that your children could experience? Health Effects of Mold in Children - Neurological Symptoms Ultimately, different types of mold can result in different reactions. However, black mold mycotoxins present the greatest health risk to your home, especially when it comes to severe symptoms. When inhaling these spores, children could experience neurological symptoms such as:
Hence, it is important that the mold is addressed as soon as possible. Children experiencing these symptoms point to a more dangerous type of mold present in your home. Connect with a mold restoration team to address these problems early! Health Effects of Mold in Children - Respiratory Symptoms Children can experience a number of respiratory symptoms as a result of mold growth in the home. As the mold spores decrease air quality and cause varying allergic reactions, these symptoms can be persisting and either mild or serious. Some of the most common respiratory symptoms from mold found in children include:
Fundamentally, it is important to address these symptoms as soon as possible. As they can be long-lasting, the earlier the better when it comes to taking care of mold in the home. Children are susceptible and often more sensitive to these mold spores in the home. If they don’t usually experience allergies, and have these symptoms, it may be time for a mold test. Health Effects of Mold in Children - Skin & Eye-centered Symptoms Children can experience intense health effects of mold around their skin and eyes. Because their skin and eyes are often more sensitive, these symptoms can be especially present for our younger ones. Some of the skin and eye-focused symptoms that children may experience from mold include:
Because of these symptoms, it is imperative to rid your home of mold as soon as possible. If any of these symptoms are present, it is time to take action. Responding to the Health Effects of Mold on Children - What Moves to Make?When it comes to the health effects of mold, it is not to be taken lightly. Hence, it is best to reach out to a team of professional and certified mold removal technicians.
First of all, these certified technicians can conduct tests in your home to identify the presence of mold in your home. If found, they can begin the process of mold removal and mold remediation. Although it may seem easy to ‘get rid of mold’, it is a much more daunting task than it may seem. With a team of professionals, it is possible to ensure that all effects areas are removed and taken care of. If not done carefully, it is possible to leave spots of mold behind. Or, in the removal process, mold can get dispersed to different areas of the home. In order to protect your children in the best way possible, reach out to our team at County Action Restoration. The peace of mind is worth it. Don’t let these symptoms affect your children when preemptive or early action could change lives.
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However, there’s no need to fear; mold is actually much more common than most people think. Although there can be mold anywhere in your home, crawl space mold is one of the most common. According to a Washington State University Energy Program Report, the humid air in crawl spaces significantly increases mold and moisture problems. The spores of different types of mold often settle in these dark, moist areas, and can grow exponentially if not addressed. Before you go diving in your crawl space on the hunt for crawl space mold, take a few moments to read about the types, potential dangers, and possible solutions regarding crawl space mold. Why should crawl space mold be a concern for me or my family?Crawl space mold can be extremely variable in terms of what kind of mold is growing in the area, which ultimately impacts the potential dangers. Hence, the crawl space mold should be addressed as soon as possible. Some of the potential causes of crawl space mold include:
If any of these issues arise, and they do in Chester County, there is a chance that you have crawl space mold. If not addressed, this crawl space mold can travel through the air via vents or cracks. Especially if asthma or allergies are present, many types of crawl space mold spores can lead to increased respiratory difficulties for you or members of your family. Crawl space mold can range in type, including:
Furthermore, excess moisture or crawl space mold can lead to a decrease in the structural integrity of your home. Plus, moisture and crawl space mold, if not taken care of, can compromise the integrity of wood structures or lead to cracks in structures. In many cases, it is recommended to reach out to a team of professionals to conduct a mold inspection and testing to ensure that your home is free of crawl space mold. If crawl space mold is found, it is strongly recommended to have a professional team take care of the mold damage and removal. Now that you are aware of the potential dangers of crawl space mold, let’s discuss what you can do to make sure that your home and family are safe from these dangers. Does crawl space mold have any preventative action that I can take?Crawl space mold can often be difficult to address due to the naturally dark, humid, and moist nature of crawl spaces. However, there are measures that can be taken to hedge your bets against the crawl space mold invading your home, including:
As mentioned, these measures can lessen the likelihood of crawl space mold entering your home. Does crawl space mold have any preventative action that I can take?As soon as crawl space mold is discovered, you should reach out to a mold specialist ASAP.
Ultimately, mold removal can be a lengthy and complex process for individuals with no prior experience in mold removal, especially with crawl space mold. If attempted without a professional, the crawl space mold could be inadvertently spread to other areas, not entirely eliminated, or cause health problems for the individual attempting removal. By reaching out to a mold specialist, it is more likely that:
If these steps are taken, your home will be safe from crawl space mold and back on the track towards health and peace of mind for you and your family! And What If I Have A Crawl Space? If you smell an earthy musty odor, it’s not a good sign. If you cannot see mold develop on surfaces in your crawl space, connect with specialists to test and investigate. Remember, if crawl space mold is spotted in your home, reach out to mold remediation experts to take care of the problem as soon as you can.
Especially if you have experienced some form of water damage, have old or brand new piping that hasn’t been tested, or have had recent remediation, the possibility of mold in your home is real, and you may not even be aware. If you’re interested in protecting the health of those in your home, read on to discover three ways to tell if you have mold. Experiencing allergy-like symptoms out of the blue? Maybe you thought, “Here it is again! Another cold!”...but, it could be much more than a common cold. One of the tell-tale signs of mold would be some form of allergic reactions. These vary depending on the type of mold, but the most common include:
In extreme cases, toxic mold could be present in your home or space. This mold could lead to symptoms such as memory loss, dizziness, and headaches. These mycotoxins, toxins from toxic molds, can take a real toll on individuals and must be addressed immediately. In addition, the CDC has reported that recent studies suggest a potential link between early mold exposure to the development of asthma in children. This is not an issue to be taken lightly. In practice, one way to test whether or not these symptoms are the result of mold would be to try to recognize how your symptoms change when you are outside or inside. If only experiencing the symptoms indoors, it could certainly point to mold as the culprit. Certain sights and smells can point back to mold It’s true; sometimes, it’s as easy as following your nose. When left untreated, mold can begin to have a really distinct odor. However, depending on the type of mold, the odor could vary. Really, it is anything from ‘musty’ to ‘downright vile’. Apart from smells, mold can be visible as well. This might seem obvious, but many people are liable to overlook small amounts of mold growth in their homes as ‘dirt’ or ‘dust’. Ultimately, the appearance of mold can vary greatly. Mold can take many different forms, whether it be:
Even these small amounts of mold, whether noticed through sight or smell, must be treated immediately. Allowing small amounts of mold to grow can lead to greater complications later, requiring more extensive treatment methods. Extra moisture can lead to mold - find the source!
The last of three ways to tell if you have mold damage would be to look for signs of potential water damage, leaks, or other complications. If you have experienced any of these problems in the past, chances are there are some remnants of mold growth. The potential impact of water damage lasts long before the water has been taken care of. Without proper treatment of the water damage by a certified team, mold is likely to develop in these areas. Some signs of water damage, and potential mold growth, include:
Importantly, if the water damage was hidden behind walls or under the floors, the mold is likely there, too. That’s why it is vital to have a team of certified professionals to take care of any mold damage ‘under the hood’. Take Mold Issues Seriously The next time you start to experience some new symptoms, see or smell something distasteful in your home or space, or observe or suspect water damage, keep in mind that mold may be developing. If there are suspicions of mold in your home, the best way to confirm is talk to a specialist or ask for mold inspection & testing.
Mold can enter your home through open doorways, vents, windows, HVAC systems and carriers like shoes and clothes. Mold is not always visible, or perceptible through odors, but if you can smell a musty odor, there are great chances that there’s mold at your workplace or home. In the case of suspicions, mold testing is the best way to determine the type of mold contamination and its severity. So, if you smell a musty odor in your home or workspace, read on. Why That Musty Smell?Mold is microbial contamination growing in buildings and houses across the country. One of the easiest ways to determine if a building has a microbial contamination problem is by odor. This odor, released by microbial growth, represented by those musty or earthy odors, are referred to as Microbiological Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOC.). The musty odor is triggered during mold growth and indicates the presence of an uncontrolled moisture source. Usually, when you can distinctively smell that musty odor, it means that the microbial activity has already happened. The bad thing about MVOC? They pass naturally through building material, such as concrete, drywall, and flooring. Hence, if you can smell that musty odor it indicates that you may have a water damage problem that triggered a mold problem. As your mold problem may not be visible, it is recommended to promptly investigate and address the root cause. If mold testing will inform you of the type of mold and its severity, a thorough inspection will identify the area of concern. Why Should I Worry About Mold?Prolonged exposure to moldy and damp environments may cause a variety of health issues, especially for people with conditions like asthma, or are more sensitive to upper respiratory tract infections, or are more vulnerable, like children. Among the long list of symptoms, mold can cause:
Mold can cause structural damage to your property since it penetrates materials and plays a major role in the decomposition of organic materials. When mold spores land on organic materials, they absorb their nutrients by breaking them down into a digestible food source. How to Prevent Mold & Musty Smells?Mold grows if specific conditions are reached in the environment. These conditions are:
Identifying the moisture source is the first step to prevent mold and musty odors. If sources are not obvious, a thorough mold inspection will help determine what’s hidden behind the carpet and the walls. Not only will the inspection report help determine the root cause, but it also indicates the remediation steps that you may need to consider going forward. What to Do in Case of Confirmed Mold Issues?A restoration company specialized in mold and water remediations, can help execute the remediation plan established during the investigation process to fix the problem.
Get in touch today to book your inspection or fix your mold issue.
A new toilet etiquette? Pre-moistened or “wet” wipes have long been used for babies and potty-training toddlers but have recently become widely marketed and popular for adults looking for a more, ahem, thorough cleaning. While this “one-two” process of using wipes and toilet paper is solving one problem it is creating another, potentially significant one for your plumbing system as well as municipal sewer treatment utilities. No Marketing Material Concerning Potential Sewer Back-up Issues?Industry giants are marketing the use of “flushable” wipes with the goal of encouraging the open display of wet wipes on toilet tanks as a way of encouraging ever more widespread use of what, for most consumers, is a somewhat embarrassing product. In fact, sales of wet wipes for adult use is a booming business and this is creating massive problems for homeowners and municipal utilities. Plumbers and sewer treatment utilities will tell you that wipes are not the only product found in clogged pipes:
All cause serious problems for your home as well as community and municipal plumbing systems. In fact, there are only three things that should be flushed down your toilet known as the three “Ps”; pee, poop and (toilet) paper. Are You Creating The Conditions For A Sewer Back-Up at Home?So-called “flushable” items may go down the toilet just fine. But the problem may happen in your sewer pipes “down line”. The reason is that tree roots are able to penetrate many sewer pipes at the joints. Once inside, roots spread out and create a net that catches the materials going through the pipe. For standard toilet paper this isn’t much of an issue as it dissolves in just a few minutes. Some of the new super- thick toilet paper requires as much as 24 hours to dissolve. But many items such as wipes, paper towels and the like may not dissolve for weeks, months or even longer. Clogs like this can cause sewage to back up into your home and most homeowners are not insured for this kind of damage. You should definitely talk to your insurance agent about adding sump-pump failure and sewer back-up coverage to your policy if you don’t have it. It is typically quite affordable and is coverage you do not want to be without! And even if you dodge the bullet of a sewer back- up you could easily spend hundreds of dollars to have your plumber remove the blockage. Sewer utilities are spending hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars to service or replace pumps that get clogged by these items and then overheat and burn up. Some are installing screens and/or heavy duty grinders to chew up wipes and other “flushables” before they hit the pump. Many crews are diverted from regular and necessary maintenance work performing “de-ragging” maintenance to clear pumps of these items. Needless to say, all of these actions are expensive and those costs are borne by the taxpayers in the form of increased taxes and fees. Many communities and waste water agencies are now conducting campaigns to educate citizens about what should, and shouldn’t, go down their toilets. What to Do in Case of Sewer Back-Up?In the event of a sewer & sceptic back-up, or toilet overflow, contact certified specialists able to deal with any water damage category including black water flooding.
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AuthorMike McCullough is the owner of County Action Restoration Archives
March 2020
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