For more than a millennia, humans have lived with mold.
However, in our modern urbanized world,
where congested spaces have created problems of their own, mold can pose some
serious health hazards to the inhabitants.
From a slimy black/green spots in your bathroom to the fuzzy
patches in your basement, kitchen and food items, mold can become a threat to
your health, especially if you are already a victim of allergies or asthma.
Molds come in various colors. They often have a thin hair like fuzzy look,
which makes it an unpleasant sight to watch.
Types of indoor molds:
Mold is one of the various types of fungi that grow in
abundance and can easily reproduce by forming spores. Most common types of mold
found inhabiting in your households (indoors) are:
·
Penicilium
·
Cladosporium
·
Alternaria
·
Aspergillus
·
Black mold
In small amounts, mold is not dangerous, but when they
settle on damp areas of your homes, the mold spores can spread to grow in large
amounts. Therefore, when mold is growing on any surface, the enzymes are
released in the air, which can easily be inhaled by people living inside the
house. You can experience health problems if you inhale mold spores in large
quantities. Not only do they cause health issues, but also destroy the object
or surface from where it grows.
Bathrooms, basements, and kitchen areas are most prone to
mold growth. Other household areas that are damp and moist can also harbor
mold. Examples of areas susceptible to mold are: ceiling tiles, drywalls,
carpets, furniture’s, roofing, under sinks (kitchen & bathroom), wallpaper,
paneling, etc.
Where do Molds come from?
Outdoor molds grow through decomposition of organic matter
such as leaves, dead trees, and compost which are widely found in dark and damp
areas. The outdoor molds can enter the indoor through open windows, vents,
heating, air conditioning systems and open doors. Other ways that it can enter
the household is through mold attaching on shoes, clothes and pets.
Additionally, mold is even hidden at the backside of walls,
underneath the carpet, behind paneling’s, etc. Such mold is not easy to detect
unless a musty odor spreads in the house. This can further create health issues
such as sneezing, runny nose, respiratory problems, itchy eyes, and redness of
the skin amongst many other problems. A research conducted found evidence that linked damp indoor
environments to cough and other health issues in otherwise healthy
people.
Mold problems usually occur in airtight households and
frequently in the season of summer, while in the winter mold occur more in
drafty homes. For this reason, the US
environmental protection association conducts test that highlights the level of
mold spores to prove that buildings are in compliance with regulations set
for mold exposures.
By nature, mold is ubiquitous and for household places, mold
spores are widely common. Small amount of mold can be fine, but large amounts of
mold can potentially cause allergies and reactions.
...............................................................................................................................................
References:
No comments:
Post a Comment