main-logo
  • Services
    • Water Damage Restoration
    • Fire Damage Restoration
    • Mold Remediation
    • Insurance Restoration
    • HVAC Decontamination
    • Drying & Dehumidification
  • Commercial
    • COVID-19 Cleaning & Decontamination Services
    • Document & Media Recovery
    • Commercial Cleaning Services
    • Priority Disaster Response Program
  • Residential
  • Construction
    • Residential Construction
    • Commercial Construction
    • Multi-Family Construction
    • Controlled Demolitions
  • Disasters
    • Residential Disaster Recovery
    • Commercial Disaster Recovery
    • Priority Disaster Response Program
    • Emergency Repairs
    • Emergency Board-Up Services
    • Storm Damage Repairs
    • Natural Disasters
    • Biohazard Cleanup
    • Personal Effects Recovery
    • Packout Restoration Services
    • Aviation & Transportation Incidents
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Careers
    • Our Reviews
    • Our History
    • Our Clients
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Acquisitions
  • Locations
×
  • Services
    • Water Damage Restoration
    • Fire Damage Restoration
    • Mold Remediation
    • Insurance Restoration
    • HVAC Decontamination
    • Drying & Dehumidification
  • Commercial
    • COVID-19 Cleaning & Decontamination Services
    • Document & Media Recovery
    • Commercial Cleaning Services
    • Priority Disaster Response Program
  • Residential
  • Construction
    • Residential Construction
    • Commercial Construction
    • Multi-Family Construction
    • Controlled Demolitions
  • Disasters
    • Residential Disaster Recovery
    • Commercial Disaster Recovery
    • Priority Disaster Response Program
    • Emergency Repairs
    • Emergency Board-Up Services
    • Storm Damage Repairs
    • Natural Disasters
    • Biohazard Cleanup
    • Personal Effects Recovery
    • Packout Restoration Services
    • Aviation & Transportation Incidents
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Careers
    • Our Reviews
    • Our History
    • Our Clients
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Acquisitions
  • Locations
24-Hour Response
877-899-0676
24-Hour Response
877-899-0676

Is Black Mold From Water Damage Making You Sick?

Home / Mold Remediation / Is Black Mold From Water Damage Making You Sick?
August 29, 2019

Black Mold

Water damage is a serious problem when it affects a home. Whether it’s from a storm, a plumbing leak, or even from water that was used to fight a fire, water damage can have a long-lasting effect, even after it has appeared to be cleaned up. When water gets into your home, it can seep into your walls, your upholstery, your carpeting, and many other nooks and crannies. It may seem that it has all dried up, but if it is not cleaned properly and professionally it can be a breeding ground for black mold, which is a nasty substance that cause serious problems for you and your family.

What Is Black Mold?

Black mold, also called stachybotrys chartarum, is a toxic substance that feeds on organic materials. The organic materials it seems to like best are found in things around the house like your insulation, sub-flooring, carpet, drywall, and upholstery. As it develops, it can release spores into the air, where it gets inhaled and ingested by humans. Ingesting black mold spores on a regular basis can lead to dangerous health symptoms. It especially thrives in moist, dark places, which is why standing water that’s left to dry in your carpets, drywall and other spots, is particularly dangerous. While it’s called black mold, it can look green as well, and has a musty odor that is quite noticeable.

Symptoms of Black Mold Exposure

While there are few definitive scientific studies that clearly demonstrate that mold negatively affects health, there can be no doubt. Studies have shown a clear correlation between certain health effects and mold exposure. Since so many other things can cause similar symptoms, such as overall health, stress and diet, it’s difficult to completely prove that mold is the culprit. Nevertheless, it is widely accepted that mold is detrimental to human health.

Some of the symptoms and health effects are mild, but they can become serious as well. Chronic wheezing and coughing are common symptoms, as are breathing issues. Sufferers have reported sneezing, watery eyes and sore throats. Some people can experience chronic fatigue and rashes. In the more serious cases, black mold is believed to be a primary factor in contracting pneumonia.

If you or a family member has any of the minor symptoms and there does not seem to be a reason, then you should probably consider that mold could be a factor. A professional can come to inspect your home and identify if you have a mold infestation.

Risk Factors

There are certain people who are more at risk of having complications from black mold exposure. If you already have respiratory issues due to allergies or asthma, then black mold can exacerbate the symptoms. Babies, infants and children who are still developing are at more risk, even if they are otherwise healthy. In fact, children who are chronically exposed to black mold may be as much as 3 times more likely to become asthmatic when they get older. Also, people who have weakened immune systems are more susceptible to health problems from black mold. These people include those who are HIV positive, have cancer, have gone through chemotherapy treatment or have any other reason to be immunocompromised.

Reducing the Risk of Black Mold Exposure

There are several ways to reduce the risk of black mold exposure. There are also certain warning signs you can watch for so that you can take action if need be. The best way to prevent the development and spread of black mold is by controlling the moisture in all areas of your home. This means that you must remove moisture quickly and not let it sit. This includes spills on your floor or in your carpets. Make sure to clean out your gutters so that water is directed away from the foundation of your home. Your air conditioning drip pans must be kept clean, and your drain lines must be kept clear. The ideal humidity in your home should be about 40%, give or take. Use a dehumidifier if it gets too high. If condensation is building up anywhere in your home, such as on your windows or walls, then you must quickly dry them off and pinpoint what is causing the issue to correct it.

One of the biggest causes of mold is improperly repairing, cleaning and drying out a space after water gets into the home. This could be from a plumbing leak, a roof leak, or from the water used to put out a fire. Too often, people think that repairing the leak or putting out the fire is the end of the problem. This is just not true. If water is left alone then it can and will become a breeding ground for mold. The best thing to do after excess water has gotten into your home is to have a professional clean, repair, and restore the affected area. They have the right equipment and the know-how to make sure that every surface is completely dry and will not be a magnet for black mold.

Nobody should have to deal with the negative health effects of black mold. Luckily, prevention is the best weapon against it. Make sure that you take all of the necessary precautions to prevent mold build-up in your home. If you are in the unfortunate position of having water leaking in, then let a professional, such as the experts at BMS CAT, help to clean it up properly for you.

Filed Under: Mold Remediation, Water Damage Restoration

Search

Subscribe to our Blog

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

  • Air Duct Cleaning
  • Carpet Cleaning
  • Disaster Recovery
  • Document Recovery
  • Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration
  • General
  • Helpful Tips
  • Insurance
  • Mold Remediation
  • News & Press
  • Reconstruction
  • Restoration
  • Social Media
  • Tile & Grout Cleaning
  • Transportation
  • Upholstery & Furniture Cleaning
  • Water Damage Restoration
  • White Papers

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015

We Service Your Area

  • Atlanta

  • Austin

  • Boston

  • Charleston

  • Charlotte

  • Chicago

  • College Station

  • Columbus

  • Dallas

  • Detroit

  • Exton

  • Fayetteville - Design Center

  • Fayetteville

  • Harrisburg

  • Houston

  • Huntingdon Valley

  • Lehigh Valley

  • Los Angeles

  • Miami

  • Milwaukee

  • Nashville

  • New Jersey

  • New York

  • Oklahoma City

  • Orlando

  • Pittsburgh

  • Philadelphia

  • Phoenix

  • Port Huron

  • Raleigh

  • San Antonio

  • San Francisco

  • Scranton

  • Tampa

  • Tulsa

  • Washington D.C.

  • Wilmington

  • See All Locations

We Service Your Area

  • Atlanta

  • Austin

  • Boston

  • Charleston

  • Charlotte

  • Chicago

  • College Station

  • Columbus

  • Dallas

  • Detroit

  • Exton

  • Fayetteville - Design Center

  • Fayetteville

  • Harrisburg

  • Houston

  • Huntingdon Valley

  • Lehigh Valley

  • Los Angeles

  • Miami

  • Milwaukee

  • Nashville

  • New Jersey

  • New York

  • Oklahoma City

  • Orlando

  • Pittsburgh

  • Philadelphia

  • Phoenix

  • Port Huron

  • Raleigh

  • San Antonio

  • San Francisco

  • Scranton

  • Tampa

  • Tulsa

  • Washington D.C.

  • Wilmington

  • See All Locations

  • Commercial
  • Residential
  • Construction
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Disasters
  • About Us
  • Locations
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map
  • CE Courses

Corporate Headquarters
5718 Airport Freeway
Haltom City, TX, 76117

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • rss
  • youtube

Copyright © 2023 - All rights reserved.