Have Mold In Your Home? Understand The Health Risks!
Posted on: 11 June 2015
Share
When your home floods, there are two problems you will need to deal with. The first is the damage to your home's structural integrity. The second is the potential health risks that everyone in the home has to deal with from mold contaminating your floors, walls, and ceiling. The best way to prevent airborne exposure to mold spores is by having a professional come in and start the remediation process.
If you ignore the problem, people in your home may suffer from the following health risks:
Asthma Complications
Having asthma can make life difficult due to the possibility of having an unexpected asthma attack. When someone has mold allergies and asthma, the mold may further complicate things by increasing asthma symptoms.
It's difficult to predict if someone that has asthma will have a bad allergic reaction to mold, which is why the safest thing to do is to remove mold from your home as soon as possible. With 10% of people being allergic to mold spores that are airborne, ignoring your problems with mold is not a risk worth taking.
Respiratory Problems
If you have mold in your home, those household members with compromised immune systems have a greater chance of experiencing increased respiratory problems. The increase can be in the form of severity or frequency, with seniors and children being more at risk than others. Long-term exposure to mold may cause issues that include:
- Breathing difficulties
- Chest tightening
- Sinus and nasal congestion
- Respiratory infection
- Coughing
- Headaches
Do not make the mistake of assuming you are immune to all the risks of being exposed to mold. While some people may experience respiratory problems immediately, other people may take a long period of time to develop the symptoms. No matter what your age, gender, or health condition is, long-term exposure to mold spores is very dangerous.
How To Resolve The Problem
It can be hard to completely remove mold from your home if you do not have the right tools and experience. That's why using a professional water damage restoration company is the best way to remove mold for good.
They will be able to find the hidden mold sources caused by flooding, and minimize the potential health risks. The CDC recommends getting a mold assessment done by a professional when your home is wet for more than 2 days due to flooding.
Don't ignore the problem. Stay safe, get professional help, and avoid the health risks. To learn more, contact a professional for additional reading.