Black Mold – What You Can’t See May Hurt You

If you have ever had to deal with mold, you probably already know what a pain it can be. Early detection can make these problems minimal. Black mold, left alone, can spread like wildfire and become deadly. It travels through the air, it can ride on your clothes to be spread elsewhere. Once it has developed a good foothold, it will spread throughout the house, infesting everything it comes into contact with.

Some people see the mold and ignore it – either not knowing about it, or not caring. Others are breathing it in their homes everyday and are not even aware. In a very short time period, mold can spread and turn deadly. Once it established itself in an area conducive to reproduction, it will only be a short time before you and your family start feeling the effects

Black mold, like every living thing strives to live. It will take any measures necessary to thrive. Once an established mold gets older, it begins to produce myotoxins. Myotoxins are like its defense mechanism against predators. It is these very same myotoxins that make you and your family sick. By breathing in the myotoxins, you are breathing toxic mold spores into your body. Most of the time the symptoms are being chalked up to cold or flu.

To keep this from happening, simply go to your local hardware store and purchase a good mold cleaner/remover. Most brands do the same job equally well- read instructions and decide which is right for your needs. Straight bleach can be used to kill the mold, but it will not prevent the mold from coming back as does the mold cleaners. Also, bleach may not be the right way to go if the mold s in your carpets, couch, drapes etc. You will also find that most of the mold cleaners have a pleasant smell, quite unlike bleach.

Obviously the ideal way to prevent mold is to stop the causes. This can be excess humidity a damp dark basement. Purchase a dehumidifier or run a small baseboard heater to dry up any damp areas. One good dehumidifier can dry out an entire basement over time. Whatever the cause, just remember that you want to get rid of it fast, because if you catch it quick it will not spread. If you discover your house is completely infested, please do not hesitate to consult a professional as waiting could be costly to your health.