Toxic black mold has been at the top of the news frequently lately. The term toxic black mold is normally used to refer to a specific mold species. Stachybotrys chartarum, also called Stachybotrys atra, is the mold that is known as toxic black mold, and not without good reason. This type of mold has a color that is blackish gray, and a slimy texture. Stachybotrys chartarum, known as toxic black mold, is a fungus that is found all over the world. This mold is present outdoors and may be present inside your home if spores or mold particles have been carried in on the air, your clothes, shoes, bags, and other articles. Even if this mold is present in your home, it does not cause a problem until it finds a warm, moist, dark place to settle and grow.
Stachybotrys mold is made up of around fifteen different mold species, and this mold needs a humidity level that is at least fifty five percent to grow and thrive. Toxic black mold will not grow and colonize on concrete products, plastic, ceramic tiles, or vinyl. These molds grow in areas where there are materials that contain cellulose, such as cardboard, drywall, water damaged building materials, wallpaper, carpeting, and others. The Center For Disease Control, also called the CDC, has listed some health symptoms and problems that can be caused by exposure to toxic black mold. These problems can include nasal and sinus congestion, a sore throat, irritation of the nose and throat, respiratory problems including wheezing and breathing difficulties, eyes that water, are red, and burn, a sensitivity to light, vision that is blurry, a cough that is dry or hacking, skin rashes and irritation, lethargy and chronic fatigue without a medical reason, aches and pains in your joints and muscles, fever, diarrhea, problems with your central nervous system, tremors, and other symptoms that range from mild to life threatening.
Toxic black mold can cause other problems in addition to health issues. This mold can cause items and materials to be completely destroyed, and it can weaken your home structures and make costly repairs and replacements necessary. Toxic black mold should be identified and taken care of as soon as possible, to prevent it from spreading to other materials and areas. Home mold testing and a home mold inspection may detect signs of toxic black mold that may be missed by you. For a home mold inspection, make sure the inspector is a certified mold inspector and not just a normal home inspector. There is a difference, and a mold inspector who is certified has received additional training and education, to recognize and assess any mold contamination in your home. Certified mold inspectors are also trained to recognize even the smallest signs of water damage and moisture collecting in your home, because these areas are a high risk for hidden mold contamination.
Detecting and identifying these mold contaminations are critical to cleaning and removing any toxic mold and preventing any health problems for you and your family. Just because mold is visible and black in color does not mean that it is the toxic Stachybotrys mold that can cause panic. Testing the mold samples and cultures taken from your home will allow you to determine if there is a problem with toxic black mold in your house. If there is a toxic black mold contamination, remediation methods will depend on the size of the colonies and the area size that is contaminated. For medium or large areas that are affected by toxic black mold, or high levels of mold contamination in your home, a professional may be needed to clean and remove any mold. This is especially true if you are sensitive to the mold, have a weakened immune system, or suffer from any medical conditions. In these cases even small areas should be left alone and a professional mold remediation company should be hired to deal with the problem safely and effectively. Anyone who cleans up this type of mold contamination should always use the correct safety and personal protection equipment. The correct and safe methods and procedures should be followed to ensure there is no exposure that may lead to health problems or issues.
One company that offers a reliable home mold testing kit that gives accurate results is Olympian. These home mold testing kits are easy to use, and the samples collected are sent to a lab for analysis and identification. This can alert you to any toxic black mold that may be present in your home.
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