Call Paul Davis: What is Black Mold?

No homeowner wants black mold, but what is it? Black mold (also known as Stachybotrys) likes to grow in wet places and is usually found around condensation or pools or stagnant water inside. These spores enter the house by windows, other entrances and can also be brought in on shoes and coats. While most molds around your house are nothing to worry about, this species leads to illness if neglected.

How Black Mold affects Health

Black mold is a poisonous species of mold with airborne toxins. Symptoms include chronic sneezing, eye, nose and throat irritation and rashes. Other symptoms include chronic fatigue and persistent headaches. Nausea, vomiting and bleeding in the lungs and nose occur in the most serious cases of long term exposure.

Information about Mold

Mold quickly spread across 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 unseen for weeks, and then appear virtually overnight.

Once mold forms colonies in your living space, it quickly breeds and releases toxins that make life difficult for occupants:

  • Mold emits a pungent, musty scent that stops rooms from smelling fresh.
  • Mold wreaks havoc on 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 trigger long-lasting inflammation and constant cold-like symptoms.
  • People with weakened immune systems can get systemic infections of the lungs, skin, or digestive tract.
  • In rare instances, mold toxins can cause neurological issues or even death.
  • The more lengthy the exposure, the greater the danger.

Unusually damp homes and offices can be vulnerable to mold infestations even if no water damage has happened. If you see or smell something that could be mold, get an expert opinion immediately.

To get rid of mold, the setting where it flourishes must first be eliminated. Water sources have to be dealt with, and any residual moisture must be carefully 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 stem the tide. Moisture can drench out-of-sight areas of your home. Without proper cleanup processes, mold will keep coming back to these areas.

If you think your house may contain black mold, call Paul Davis now. Our team analyzes for existence of black mold before treatment. Depend on our contractors to remove black mold quickly. Keep your family safe, schedule a black mold inspection now.