Black mold is a fungus that may cause your immune system to react. Common symptoms include sneezing, coughing, congestion and eye irritation. It rarely causes serious illness or death but may worsen asthma symptoms.
People who live or work in buildings with black mold are at risk for developing hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an immune system disorder that causes chronic lung inflammation. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an allergic reaction that occurs after sustained exposure to a particular irritant or allergen.
On the basis of current research, black mold exposure is no more dangerous than any other type of mold exposure. It is impossible to avoid exposure to mold — the spores are almost everywhere in the atmosphere. In high amounts or in people with allergies, exposure to any mold may cause allergy symptoms.
The Bottom Line. Being exposed to black mold is dangerous for your household's health. Those with pre-existing respiratory conditions are the most vulnerable to the dangers of black mold, but it is harmful to everyone.
Some people have an immediate reaction when exposed to mold, while others may not experience symptoms for days, weeks, or months.
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.
For a natural solution for getting rid of black mold, combine one part baking soda with five parts distilled white vinegar and five parts water in a spray bottle. Alternatively, you can use a chemical-based mold and mildew remover, all-purpose cleaners, bleach or dish soap.
'Bleach will kill mold spores growing across a hard surface, but if the mold has extended below the surface, then white vinegar is the best choice,' she says. 'The vinegar will penetrate to kill the mold and mildew at the root, preventing it from regrowing.
Respiratory Irritation — Extended exposure to black mold spores can cause respiratory irritation, including coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath. Difficulty Breathing — High mold levels can make breathing difficult, especially for those with pre-existing respiratory issues.
More severe symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, and lung infection may occur from mold exposure in people with underlying health conditions or a weakened immune system. Children exposed to mold in the first year of life may have an increased risk. View Source of developing asthma.
Bleach kills virtually every species of indoor mold that it comes into contact with including mold spores which leaves a sanitized surface making it resistant to future mold growth.
We're often asked by homeowners, “Can I paint over mold?” Yes, it's physically possible to cover mold with paint, but it will always reappear without proper remediation. Furthermore, painting over mold poses the following risks: Paint doesn't kill mold and can exacerbate it. Therefore, it will always return.
Use 1 part bleach to 3 parts water, according to Sherwin-Williams. If you don't want to use bleach but do want something other than water, try vinegar, borax or branded products that you can find at a hardware store or home center, which also kill mold.
In short, yes. Exposure to black mold can be harmful in the long term, particularly in people with respiratory conditions and other risk factors. Black mold can be one of several different species of fungus, including Stachybotrys chartarum.
Homeowners can handle cleaning about 10 square feet (roughly 3 feet by 3 feet) of black mold on their own. If the patch is small enough, a combination of bleach, water, scrubbing, and ventilation should do the trick. Before treating mold on your own, prioritize ventilation and protective gear.
Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.
You have to get rid of black mold properly because it can start to grow again, even if you think you got all of it. Mold will always thrive in spaces where there's moisture and humidity, so tackling those issues is your first defense in DIY mold removal.
If you're not wearing any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), you're inviting all of those mold spores to settle on your clothing, the area you're cleaning, your shoes (allowing mold to travel to other areas in your home), in your eyes, and up your nose into your upper respiratory system.
During the cleanup of mold, many spores may be released into the air. To prevent health effects, there are several ways you can protect yourself while cleaning up the mold. Anyone with a chronic illness, such as asthma or emphysema, or who are immune comprised, should not do the cleanup.
Known for being found in dark, dank places like many other kinds of molds, black mold has a strange musty odor—definitely not a pleasant scent for human nostrils. Some people have compared this smell to that of rotting wood or paper, while others have said it smells like cedar.
Those who process toxins well can see their symptoms disappear as quickly as a few days. Others who eliminate toxins slowly can experience symptoms for much longer. They could be ill for months or even years after the source of mold is eliminated.
It thrives in damp areas with a lot of cellulose, such as cardboard or paper items. Black mold is also present in some foods that are high in cellulose and low acidity (e.g., nuts). However, mold can grow in any warm, wet areas of the house such as basements, showers, crawlspaces, and especially on windows.
Pain (especially abdominal pain, but can include muscle pain similar to fibromyalgia) Unexplained weight gain or weight loss. Numbness and tingling in extremities or other areas of the body. Metallic taste in the mouth.
A blood test, sometimes called the radioallergosorbent test, can measure your immune system's response to mold by measuring the amount of certain antibodies in your bloodstream known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies.