What Are the Dangers of Mold in a Basement?
- Respiratory Conditions. Prolonged exposure to indoor molds such as those found in a basement may lead to upper respiratory tract infections such as coughs, wheezing and asthma symptoms.
- Fungal Infection. ...
- Cold-Flu Symptoms. ...
- Pulmonary Hemosiderosis. ...
What are the dangers of mold in a basement?
What Are the Dangers of Mold in a Basement?
- Respiratory Conditions. Prolonged exposure to indoor molds such as those found in a basement may lead to upper respiratory tract infections such as coughs, wheezing and asthma symptoms.
- Fungal Infection. ...
- Cold-Flu Symptoms. ...
- Pulmonary Hemosiderosis. ...
What is white mold and is it dangerous?
White molds ruin the structural integrity by interfering with the foundation, just like the fungal termites. White molds can cause many health complications such as dizziness, allergic relations, and respiratory infections, just like other molds. Molds, in particular, are dangerous to those who have asthma.
How to identify and treat mold in your basement?
- Essential Oils: a number of different essential oils have antimicrobial properties. ...
- Vinegar: White vinegar is another natural multi-purpose cleanser that can be used to treat mold outbreaks. ...
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Another low-toxicity cleanser, hydrogen peroxide can be mixed with equal parts water and sprayed onto the area with a mold outbreak. ...
How do you clean mold in the basement?
Part 2 Part 2 of 3: Removing the Mold Download Article
- Ensure proper working conditions. Ventilate your working area as much as possible. ...
- Remove contaminated items. Take any moveable items from the area outside to inspect them. ...
- Clean or replace carpeting, if applicable. ...
- Choose a cleaning agent. ...
- Apply the cleaning agent and allow it to sit. ...
- Scrub the area with the cleaning agent. ...
Is white mold in a basement toxic?
If you've spotted white mold in basement, or any type of basement mold, you may be wondering what it is and what to do about it. Any type of mold, regardless of color, is cause for concern because inhaling the microscopic mold spores can cause health problems, including respiratory problems and allergic reactions.
What happens if you breathe in white mold?
For people sensitive to mold, inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. People with serious mold allergies may have more severe reactions, including shortness of breath.
Is white mold common in basements?
White mold or efflorescence? Sometimes people can mistake efflorescence, or salt deposits left after water has passed through a surface, for white mold. Both are common in humid environments like basements, but efflorescence poses no health risk.
Can white mold make you sick?
Even milder forms can endanger your health. Since some people don't realize that white mold is mold, it may put them at risk for extended periods. The symptoms induced by white mold include allergic reactions, respiratory infections, eye irritations, dizziness, nausea, headaches, and even depression.
What are signs of mold sickness?
Mold may cause:skin irritation.sporotrichosis, a skin infection that starts out as a small pink, red, or purple bump on the skin.itchy, red eyes.runny or stuffy nose.postnasal drip.headache.dizziness.asthmatic symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest.
How long does it take to get sick from mold exposure?
These symptoms usually first appear 2 to 9 hours after exposure and last for 1 to 3 days. Other affected persons have progressive shortness of breath and cough, as well as weight loss. Work-relatedness may only become apparent over long holidays if symptoms resolve and then recur on return to work.
What do you do if you have white mold in your basement?
The first option is white vinegar, which can be diluted with water to create an effective cleaning spray, or left undiluted to treat mold. Just remember never to use vinegar with bleach. It's also a poor choice for concrete surfaces because it may degrade the concrete.
How do you treat white mold in a basement?
Use baking soda. Mixing baking soda with water and applying it to the white mold is another effective removal method. Pour baking soda and water into a spray bottle and let the powder dissolve. Spray the solution onto the moldy surface, then scrub with a soft brush or soft cloth.
What kills white mold?
How can you get rid of white mold?Bleach it away with a mixture of bleach and water applied with a brush to the affected areas. ... Duct tape over the area affected, then peel it off to remove all traces of white mold after one or two days.More items...•
Is white mold worse than black mold?
Black mold is considered highly toxic mold and poses terrible health risks. On the other hand, white mold is a powdery, stringy, flakey, or filmy substance that can change colour or remain white, making it difficult to identify. Generally speaking, white molds present less health risks than black mold.
What do white mold spores look like?
When white molds are first developing they are very hard to detect since the spores are minsicule. Once the colonies form, white molds will appear as white spots on a surface. The spots can be powdery, fuzzy and filmy in nature.
Does homeowners insurance cover mold?
As a starting point, most insurance policies do not cover mould. That is, most insurance policies expressly state that they do not cover damage if the primary cause of it is mould; eg rising damp. However, most policies will pay if the mould damage is secondary to an insured event.
How do you get rid of mold in your lungs?
Antifungal drugs: These medications are generally used to treat invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Voriconazole is currently the drug of choice because it causes fewer side effects and appears to be more effective than other medications. Amphotericin B or itraconazole are also effective in treating infection.
Can mold grow in your lungs?
It's also possible for mold to form a ball in your lungs. This condition is called aspergilloma when caused by an Aspergillus mold. The ball most often stays in your lungs but can lead to tissue damage. Symptoms commonly include shortness of breath, cough, or coughing up blood.
What to do if you were exposed to mold?
A solution of warm, distilled water and saline can also help rinse your nasal passages of mold spores and remove congestion. OTC medications. Antihistamines, like cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine (Claritin), reduce your immune system response, minimizing airway inflammation.
How do you know if you're breathing in mold?
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin. Some people, such as those with allergies to molds or with asthma, may have more intense reactions.
How to tell if it's white mold in basement?
It’s easy to confuse white mold in a basement with a substance known as crystalline efflorescence. Both substances grow in high humidity areas, but efflorescence isn’t a type of mold. Efflorescence is a salt deposit left behind when moisture makes its way through concrete. In order to tell if it is white mold or efflorescence mist the affected area with water. If it’s efflorescence the salt with dissolve away. If you’re still unsure, you should have a mold inspection, because mold can spread inside the walls and floor joists.
Why is mold growing in my basement?
White mold in basements frequently grows on concrete walls, wooden floor joists and possessions stored there such as clothing. Water often seeps through basement walls to create a moist environment that is beneficial to mold growth. Cold outside air that comes in contact with warm indoor air in basements can also cause condensation making it a perfect breeding ground for white mold.
Why is there white mold in my attic?
Below is a photo of white mold growing on wood rafters in an attic. What causes white mold. The cause of white mold is the same as all types of mold. Mold needs two things to thrive – a moist environment and a food source. Many times, the moisture is caused by leaks or poorly ventilated spaces.
What is the best place to grow white mold?
Attics . Attics provide an ideal environment for white mold since they contain plenty of food sources such as wood and insulation. Leaky roofs, condensation from fluctuating temperatures, leaky pipes, and/or poor ventilation can provide mold with the moisture it needs to grow.
What are the sources of mold in a house?
Dust, cardboard, paper and other organic materials are all used as a food source for mold. Unless the mold problem in your home is very minimal, we recommend hiring a professional mold remediation service. Mold remediators can find mold in spots that aren’t visible to the eye, such as in between walls.
How to get rid of white mold in clothes?
If your clothing smells musty or has signs of white mold, use vinegar and hot water to help kill the mold spores. How to prevent white mold.
What can a mold professional do?
A mold professional can do an audit of your home to see where the moisture problem originates. Along with keeping your home free of excess moisture, it’s also important to keep a clean home. Mold needs a food source to flourish. Dust, cardboard, paper and other organic materials are all used as a food source for mold.
What is white mold?
White resembles many other molds and thrives in wet or musty environments. Many homeowners don’t realize that they have a white mold problem because of its colour, which makes it difficult to detect. It can grow on plants, fabric, food and other organic materials like drywall, wood and carpeting. This makes it a threat not only to your health, but to the structural safety of your home.
What causes white mold?
Like other molds, white mold grows due to high moisture levels combined with the presence of a food source, and the right temperature. Common food sources for white mold include wood, drywall, carpeting, laminate, insulation and any other organic, carbon-rich material.
How to remove white mold?
While some types of mold and mildew are easy to remove with household products like vinegar, white mold is much more difficult (and dangerous) to remove on your own. It may have penetrated deep below the surface of the contaminated material or it may be growing in places you aren’t even aware of.
What is the white mold that is a fungus?
This is a type of mold with a white, fuzzy appearance caused by the airborne spores of the fungus. The mold is also known as powdery mildew due to its powdery look and texture.
Why does mold grow on walls?
White mold grows on your walls or drywall in the presence of moisture and low lights that breed its food. It can develop anywhere on your building walls, including the basement, bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, and other poorly ventilated rooms. Surprisingly, you can also find white mold growing on your tiled walls.
What is the difference between white mold and efflorescence?
Tips for distinguishing between white mold and efflorescence: Efflorescence dissolves in water–mold does not. Efflorescence is typically found on concrete and brick while mold grows on organic materials like wood and drywall. White mold is a living organism (fungus) while efflorescence is simply salt deposits.
How to tell if you have white mold on your door?
white mold on door. When they first develop, white molds are very hard to detect since the spores are so tiny that they can only be seen under a microscope . Once colonies form, however, white molds appear as spots on a surface. They can be flaky, powdery, stringy or filmy at first glance.
Why is there white mold in my basement?
Any type of mold, regardless of color, is cause for concern because inhaling the microscopic mold spores can cause health problems, including respiratory problems and allergic reactions. Some types of mold are of more concern than others, though, because they produce harmful substances called mycotoxins that can cause a number of medical problems, some quite serious.
Why is it important to clean up white mold in basement?
If you’ve noticed white mold in basement, it’s important to get it cleaned up as soon as possible to prevent mold-related illness and to prevent mold from spreading to other areas of the home.
What is the color of mold?
Many types of mold can appear white in color, depending on the type of material on which they are growing, including aspergillus, cladosporium, and penicillium (penicillium is often blue or bluish-green and white). Mildew, a type of fungus similar to mold, may also appear white and powdery.
Can you remove mold from a basement?
For Help with Basement Mold Removal. If removing mold from your basement sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. It must be done carefully in order to avoid spreading mold spores to other areas of the house and to avoid the inhalation of mold spores, which can cause serious health problems as described above.
Can you use Foster 40 80 to remove mold?
You can purchase mold removal products at most home improvement stores, such as Foster 40-80, that will remove mold from non-porous surfaces like metal and porcelain. It can be difficult to remove mold from semi-porous surfaces like concrete, though, and it’s often impossible to remove mold from porous surfaces like drywall and carpeting.
Why is there white mold in my basement?
Whether it is due to water damage or the lack of airflow, the high level of humidity creates the perfect environment for the growth of white mold in your basement.
What is white mold?
Although commonly called ‘white mold’, it is not actually a specific type of mold. Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium are all types of mold that appear white. One of the causes is that some spores lack pigmentation due to the material they grow on. Another cause is that some molds look white in the early stage of development and change their color later on, as they produce more spores.
How does white mold look like?
Most of the time, white mold might look very similar to efflorescence and it is important to tell them apart. Efflorescence develops when water evaporates from brick or concrete, leaving a salty residue. While it looks unappealing, efflorescence will not cause any damage to your health or the structure of your home.
How long does it take for mold to grow in a basement?
Mold can grow within 48 hours from the water damage incident, so you have to act fast. You should call the water damage restoration professionals, as they use advanced equipment and techniques to make sure your basement is completely dry and sanitized.
What is the white fungus on organic items?
If you have experienced a flood or any other type of water damage, you will notice the white cottony fungus growing on the organic items that have been affected by the water damage .
Is white mold dangerous?
White looking molds are not as well known as black molds or other types of mold, but it is just as dangerous, You can recognize the ‘white mold’ by its powdery and stringy texture. However, that is just the outside look, as white mold grows deep within organic materials.
What are the symptoms of mold in a basement?
A person exposed to mold spores originating from a basement may experience cold or flu-like symptoms that may include a stuffy nose, skin irritations, shortness of breath and eye irritation.
What to do if you have mold in your basement?
If you think you have mold growing in your basement, educate yourself on the risks of mold in your environment and the best way to eradicate it. While most molds are not toxic in and of themselves, some molds may produce components called mycotoxins that may affect individuals with compromised respiratory or other health issues, ...
Why does my basement bleed?
The bleeding is caused by an accumulation of iron in the blood that may cause symptoms of anemia and even lung damage, kidney damage and connective tissue damage, depending on the type of hemosiderosis that is diagnosed. Some basement mold may be more toxic than others, including black molds, according to Better Health USA 2.
Is a fungal infection contagious?
Individuals diagnosed with immune-deficiency conditions such as AIDS, or those recuperating from cancer treatments may be more susceptible to fungal infections than healthy persons. Most fungal infections originate on the skin or inside the lungs but are not usually contagious from person to person.
Can mold in a basement be contagious?
Most fungal infections originate on the skin or inside the lungs but are not usually contagious from person to person. Those with catheters, artificial joints and heart replacement valves may be at a higher risk of symptoms and illness due to fungal infection.
Can mold in basement cause asthma?
Prolonged exposure to indoor molds such as those found in a basement may lead to upper respiratory tract infections such as coughs, wheezing and asthma symptoms.
Is black mold in basement dangerous?
Some basement mold may be more toxic than others, including black molds, according to Better Health USA 2. Individuals who have been exposed to such molds may develop a rare lung disease called pulmonary hemosiderosis, which is a type of lung disorder that may cause bleeding in the lungs, according to PulmonaryHemosiderosis.com. The bleeding is caused by an accumulation of iron in the blood that may cause symptoms of anemia and even lung damage, kidney damage and connective tissue damage, depending on the type of hemosiderosis that is diagnosed.