What is Black Mold?

Every homeowner worries about black mold, but what is it? Also called Stachybotrys, black mold likes to grow in damp environments and is usually seen around condensation or pools or standing water inside. Spores enter the home by windows, other entrances or brought in on personal items and coats. Although most fungus in your home are nothing to worry about, black mold can cause health problems after years of exposure.

Signs of Black Mold Exposure

Black mold is a poisonous fungus that releases airborne toxins. Typically symptoms include chronic coughing, eye, nose and throat irritation as well as skin rashes. Other symptoms include chronic fatigue and persistent headaches. Especially serious cases of long-term contact to black mold can be more life threatening. Paired with an allergic reaction to the black mold spores, these symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, and bleeding in the lungs and nose.

About Mold

Mold doesn’t take long to permeate walls, floors and ceilings. Whenever your home suffers water damage, you should have a Paul Davis technician check the walls for mold infestations. They can go unnoticed for weeks, and then appear virtually overnight.

Once mold forms colonies in your living space, it immediately breeds and releases toxins that make life miserable for occcupants:

  • Mold emanates a pungent, mildewed smell that stops rooms from smelling clean.
  • Mold causes serious problems for allergy-sensitive individuals, as well as those with asthma, causing a physical reaction.
  • Mold can cause coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.
  • Mold toxins can cause long-lasting inflammation and constant cold-like symptoms.
  • Individuals with weakened immune systems can get systemic infections of the lungs, skin, or digestive tract.
  • In rare cases, mold toxins can cause neurological issues or even death.
  • The more prolonged the exposure, the more severe the danger.

Exceptionally humid homes and offices can be subject to mold invasions even if no water damage has happened. If you see or smell something that could be mold, get an expert opinion right away.

If you want to eradicate mold, the setting where it prospers must first be eliminated. Water sources have to be handled, and any residual moisture must be thoroughly dried out. Only then can mold removal and remediation start.

Whether a leaky roof, burst pipe, or other entry point, it isn’t enough to curtail the tide. Moisture can drench hidden portions of your home. Without proper cleanup methods, mold will keep coming back to these areas.

Contact Paul Davis now if your home is infested with black mold. Our team analyzes for existence of black mold before removal. Depend on our contractors to eliminate black mold quickly. Keep your family safe, schedule a black mold inspection now.