Black Mold In Pregnancy: How Harmful Is It?

from: http://experts.merchantcircle.com/articles/Effects-of-Black-Mold-and-Pregnanc...

Black mold can be present on any surface affected by water damage, or exposed to excessive moisture. It may cause problems in healthy adults, but particularly harmful to women who are pregnant.

Black mold can produce mycotoxins that may cause health issues in the expectant mother and unborn baby. Women who are pregnant should avoid being exposed to black mold.

Stachybotrys chartarum, also referred to as black mold or toxic mold, can cause negative effects in both expectant mom and fetus. This particular mold produces harmful toxins to humans.

Mold can be found in the air and any surface. It is common in areas that have high humidity levels, condensation and water damage due to flooding or leaking pipes.

The effects of mold on the mother and unborn child will vary depending upon the length of exposure and the amount of mold spores inhaled.

Pregnant women exposed to mold may experience upper respiratory infections and wheezing. Women who have asthma may have an increase with asthma-related symptoms. Skin or eye irritation and nasal stuffiness may also occur.

In severe cases of exposure, women may experience difficulty breathing and have a fever. Studies have not conclusively proven black mold effects on a fetus, however, there is a correlation between toxic mold exposure and an increased risk of miscarriage.

Animal studies have shown a disruption of fetal development when subjected to toxic mold while in the womb.

There is also speculation that black mold exposure in a fetus or newborn can be linked to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), and a child in the womb exposed to black mold may also develop asthma or allergies later in life.

Women who suspect they are being contaminated with toxic or black mold should contact a certified mold inspector to evaluate the conditions. If samples prove that Stachybotrys chartarum, or black mold, is present in the home or office she should evacuate until the house has been disinfected properly and mold is no longer a threat.

Can You Sue Your Landlord For Mold? This Family Did

from: http://www.removing-mold.com/2011/06/weston-family-sues-landlord-for-neglecti...

Weston, Florida Weston family sues landlord for neglect.

This family continues to be residing in a really nice house in a very prestigious neighborhood in Weston, Florida more than 9 months.

The child, 4 yrs . old, started getting sick, coughing a great deal and when the child was taken up to a medical facility, they identified the kid continues to be slowly intoxicating with mold.

His bedroom’s closed had a broken pipe and the parents didn’t find early enough. Mold Inspection Weston A worried parent asked the owner to care for the issue.

The landlord sent a handyman to take care of the condition, nevertheless the handyman only cleaned the walls having a bleach product. The little one never improved and when the mother and father inspected the closet, found out the mold grew back.

Amazingly, the owner will not fix the issue as well as the tenants made a decision to move out of the exact property, smashing the lease. Before they moved out, they hired a local company, Blue Star, to complete an inspection and also the findings were really bad.

The landlord refused to come back the escrow deposit and enough was enough using this people. Black Mold Removal Miami Three days later case was filed about the landlord for neglect. The landlord as well as the Florida family settled outside of court.

Top Reasons To Use A Mold Detection Dog

from: http://www.mold-dog.com/top7.htm

1) Less Expensive.
Mold Dogs generate quicker and more accurate results, which leads to lower remediation costs for homeowners and insurers. For schools, hotels, commercial and government buildings, cost savings can be quite substantial.

2) Cutting-Edge Technology.
The "Nose" is cutting-edge technology and the latest trend in the home inspection industry. It's the only inspection tool that can detect and pinpoint sources of mold - critical information for lowering costs.

3) Proven and Trusted.
“Man’s best friend” has been used for years by military and law enforcement agencies to detect bombs and drugs, among other things. In Europe, dogs have been used to detect mold for over 20 years.

4)Dogs are Honest.
Dogs are trained to work for food and love...and NOT for profits.

5) Greater Peace of Mind.
Research supports that if the dog finds mold, there's a high statistical probability you should investigate further. If the dog doesn't find mold, you can know with greater certainty that your home, office or school is safe from mold.

6) Hard Workers.
In Germany, government authorities have found that a typical office building search of approximately 200 rooms can take one dog eight hours to complete.

7) Effective Problem Solvers.
For REALTORS® concerned about escrow timelines, Mold Dogs can quickly and more accurately inspect a home, which gives both parties the feedback they need to quickly and effectively resolve issues.

Toxic Mold in the Workplace

There are dangers in any workplace environment. Typically, an individual is aware of the particular hazards that one is likely to encounter in relation to his or her own profession. But there are some threats to worker safety for which it is impossible to prepare. The situation is made more difficult by the fact that some of these dangers may be unseen. For example, toxic mold can thrive in the structure where a person works, leading to dangerous exposure that can have striking adverse health effects. Two types of indoor mold that are especially harmful are Memnoniella and Stachybotrys. When inhaled, an unsuspecting worker may face life-threatening illness. If you have suffered from toxic mold exposure in the workplace, a workers’ compensation claim can help to ensure that your medical needs are met and that the costs for treatment are not borne by you. Contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC, at 910-488-1600 to discuss your situation with a compassionate and committed legal representative. Health Hazards of Mold Identifying toxic mold is difficult because many of the minor symptoms are often ignored by sufferers. Overtime, the effects of prolonged exposure can prove to be far severer and it may be too late to avoid catastrophic health crises. The following are representative of the consequences of toxic mold exposure: Depression Headaches Dizziness Lung Disease Brain Damage Chronic Fatigue Seeking medical treatment when any of these symptoms appears can help to identify the problem before the situation turns tragic. Contact Us If you have been made ill by workplace exposure to toxic, or “black,” mold, then it is important that you are aware of your legal rights regarding workers’ compensation benefits. Contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC, at 910-488-1600 right away for assistance with your claim.

Mold Between Walls

by: By Josienita Borlongan, eHow Contributor from: http://www.ehow.co.uk/m/info_8501487_leaking-caused-mold-between-walls.html

Considered vital elements of an ecosystem, molds are natural occurrences that help in decomposing organic materials such as plants and animals. However, molds can cause allergies if left uncontrolled.

Molds, at their toxic levels, may have long-term and critical effects to indoor air quality and may affect one's health, especially the respiratory and immunity systems. Leaking pipes are one of the leading causes of molds that appear between walls.

Characteristics of Molds
Molds multiply through tiny spores. They float in the air and, once they find a moist or damp place, they will thrive and multiply by digesting any organic material.

Molds become toxic in areas where moisture and humidity are unusually high. These molds grow where there's poor air movement or ventilation.

These toxic molds, more commonly known as black molds or Stachybotrys chartarum, are greenish and slimy in appearance. They produce mycotoxins that can cause severe lung and skin disorders.

Leaking Pipes and Molds
Leaking pipes do not only lead to renovation or maintenance problems, but they can also cause toxic mold occurrences.

Damaged water pipes and pipe leaks result in extreme levels of humidity. Before you know it, molds are silently invading your home through unchecked pipe leaks. Wall crevices easily absorb and retain water leaks from pipes over time. Molds will settle in these areas where they'll multiply and produce uncontrollably.

Hazardous Effects of Toxic Molds in the Walls Caused by Leaking Pipes

Toxic molds in the walls produce tiny allergens that accumulate and cause harmful as well as fatal health conditions. If left uncontrolled, toxic black mold can be poisonous.

Toxic black mold poisoning is often mistaken for cold or flu. These tiny particles invade the immune and respiratory systems and often show symptoms such as nasal or sinus congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes or skin, dizziness, headache, nose bleed, fungal infection and difficulty in concentrating.

Toxic molds in the walls can also lead to asthma, which results from severe allergies to molds that can lead to the swelling of the lungs. Patients suffering from asthma find breathing very difficult.

Preventive Measures
Perform a thorough inspection of potential breeding grounds. Walls affected by leaking pipes top the list of places to look into. Molds usually leave signs where they thrive. Tell-tale signs include wall discoloration or cracked, peeling or uneven paint.

Molds thrive where humidity is high. They definitely grow inside damp wall cavities and spaces between walls and floor baseboards. Once you've identified the places, a thorough cleanup is in order.

The Department of Energy recommends the use of filtered High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum to eliminate the presence of these tiny contaminants. In addition, molds often do not thrive in areas with good air circulation.

Moving furniture away from walls will allow more air circulation and less presence of moisture. Use of dehumidifiers and exhaust fans can also help decrease humidity and reduce indoor air moisture levels.

Defining Toxic Mold Spores

by: Chris Anzalone, eHow Contributor

Toxic mold is a concern for homeowners and anyone who must work or spend time in an environment with mold spores.

Though there are more than 400,000 types of mold, the majority are not toxic. "Toxic mold" refers to a very specific type of spore.

Defining Toxic
No mold spore is toxic, in and of itself. Certain molds, such as Stachybotrys chartarum and Aspergillus flavus, are classified as toxigenic. A toxic substance consists of toxins, whereas a toxigenic substance such as certain molds is non-toxic, but has the ability to release airborne toxins. Toxigenic molds release toxins known as mycotoxins.

Determining Toxicity
Only a mold expert can determine the exact mold type, and therefore determine whether or not the mold produces mycotoxins. The symptoms associated with toxigenic mold exposure match the symptoms produced by other molds, such as sinus infection, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (an inflammation of the lungs), respiratory infection, coughing and wheezing.

As a result, you cannot determine the toxicity by symptoms alone, nor can you determine toxicity by appearance. For example, Stachybotrys, a toxigenic mold, has the same color and consistency of Cladosporium, which is a non-toxigenic mold.

Contact a mold expert to determine toxicity. Cancer Risk Cancer risk sets toxigenic molds apart from non-toxigenic molds. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that molds such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus contain a carcinogenic mycotoxin known as aflatoxin B1. Aflatoxin B1 can contribute to the growth of liver cancer.

For this reason, you should treat all molds as a potential hazard, since you cannot determine toxicity by observation alone. Non-toxigenic molds can cause symptoms, but are seldom life-threatening.

Other Mold Types Every household mold falls into one of three categories. The toxigenic molds comprise one category, but the other two categories are allergenic and pathogenic molds. A pathogenic mold can cause illness and infection.

However, it contains no mycotoxins and is not believed to contribute to cancer growth. An allergenic mold affects only people with allergies and potentially people with respiratory sensitivities such as asthma.

from:http://www.ehow.com/m/info_8354571_toxic-mold-spores.html

Tips To Help With Spring Mold Allergies

from: http://www.allergy-details.com/mold-allergy-c/mold-allergy-peak-spring/

Mold allergy problems increase in the spring. This can be confused with a pollen allergy, but they are quite different.

You may be suffering from both, to make matters worse. What can you do about it? Mold is around all year because it grows indoors as well as outside.

If you live far enough north to experience winter temperatures below freezing, mold allergies are usually less of a problem during those months. Mold does not grow outside when it is frozen, and the drier air inside from heating reduced mold growth in your house as well. Outside is a a different matter.

As temperatures increase, the mold begins to wake up. I’ve seen mold growing on top of snow as it melts, and under the snow, so that its already growing on the grass even before you can see the grass. All of this aggravates your mold allergy

Last year’s leaf litter is this spring’s mold bed. There is no getting away from it. Allergy shots may help with your mold allergy. See your allergist about this in the winter so that you’re already taking the shots before the spring mold season.

Open the windows for fresh air in the evening when temperatures are lower and the mold less active, then close them during the day. This is the opposite of what you should do in the summer in some cases.

Make sure the fresh air intake damper for forced air heating is turned off during the spring. Do open it during the summer and winter. Reduce your humidifier setting to maintain a drier atmosphere inside. This discourages mold growth in your home.

Keeping your house a bit warmer in the spring may also help. Spring can be a bad time for mold allergies, so do your best to avoid mold problems