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A common question that gets asked is, what are the side effects of breathing in mold and mildew? The answer isn’t as straight forward as you’d think, because it’s not just your health that’s at stake, it’s also the health of your family.
Mildew has a very long list of adverse side effects. One of the most common is that of allergies. Allergies are caused by an allergic reaction to any component of mold or mildew and could show itself as asthma in most individuals. Symptoms of asthma are wheezing, chest congestion, coughing, and other respiratory illness. They can be quite serious and even life-threatening, and if you are allergic to mold or mildew then you should take steps immediately to get rid of it. In many cases, the best way to treat it is to kill it.
Mold is an incredibly dangerous substance and could very easily be inhaled by children, and can also cause serious illnesses in people of all ages. These illnesses include chronic sinusitis, asthma, bronchial asthma, and even pneumonia. In some severe cases, lung disease has been reported. Even if you do not have lung disease you should take precautions against it. The fungus itself can lead to serious respiratory infections if not removed and if left untreated, can lead to more serious problems. Inhalation of the fungus can cause problems in people with lung diseases such as emphysema. The fungi can grow on the lungs, causing problems in people who smoke or breathe it in when they sleep.
It’s extremely important for you to keep your home free of mold and mildew. The more mold and mildew you have around the home the more likely you are to have allergic reactions to it.
To keep your home free of mold and mildew, you need to regularly vacuum and clean your carpets, walls, floors, etc. Regular vacuuming will keep mold spores from building up in the air and allowing them to become airborne to be inhaled. You should also check the vents to make sure there aren’t any leaks where moisture can collect. These areas need to be cleaned as well because they will prevent the build-up of mold spores and can help to make sure you don’t end up breathing them in. While you are at it, you should also remove all sources of moisture. This includes basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, and other areas that are damp and have a lot of moisture.
Make sure that you are properly hydrated, drink plenty of water and use vapor rub alcohol vapor rubs and sprays. When you are cleaning your home be sure that you are wearing a mask and goggles to help prevent inhalation. When you sleep, make sure that the room is ventilated and have your breathing tube ready if needed.
Make sure that you don’t have any pets in the home. Pets carry toxins with them which can be inhaled and cause serious health issues in humans. You should also get a mold testing kit from a local company because each kit will allow you to test a small sample of your home for mold and determine if you have an excessive amount or not. Mold testing kits can give you a very good idea of what’s going on in your home. You can also get a mold inspection report to see if you do have mold in your home.
Now that you know the dangers of breathing mold you should also consider all of the different things you can do to reduce your exposure to mold.
