Black Mold - Among the Most Dangerous Toxic Molds

Stachybotrys Chartarum, more commonly known as Black Mold, is one of the most dangerous molds human beings can encounter. Black Mold is a greenish-black fungus that can be found worldwide colonizes extremely well in high cellulose materials such as hay, straw, dry wall, thermal insulation, ceiling tiles, and carpet. The toxic mold exists in about 15 different strains across the world and flourishes in regions where the relative humidity is above 55%. The existence of this toxic mold is particularly concerning to the real estate industry and is becoming an increasing problem in homes located in flood devastated regions around the world.

Where Black Mold Commonly Occurs

Warmer climates however are not the only places where humans need to worry about Black Mold growing in homes. Flood prone regions are also susceptible to outbreaks of the toxic mold as flood waters cause damage to the dry wall, carpets, and wall papers in homes and give the fungus a good breeding ground. The fungus can strike anywhere however as plumbing failures, conductive condensation, and fires in a home can later lead to damp conditions that are ideal for mold.

Dangers Black Mold Presents

The full extent of health risks for those exposed to Black Mold are unknown as ongoing research is still seeking to determine the lasting health problems among those exposed to the fungus.

What is known is that toxic molds are particularly dangerous to children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. Exposure to toxic mold can occur simply by breathing tainted air in a home, or worse from direct contact with the mold.

Wet mold does not pose a health risk by tainting indoor air, but when the fungus dries there is the potential for mold spores to be released into the air. This poses a significant risk to indoor air quality. Some of the known health risks faced by those who have been exposed to Black Mold include:

Respiratory problems like wheezing as well as difficulty breathing
Nasal and sinus congestion
Eyes-burning, watery, reddened, blurry vision, light sensitivity

Chronic fatigue

Skin irritation

Constant headaches

Fever

Immune suppression

Detecting Black Mold

Homeowners, or home buyers, should be aware of the signs of Black Toxic Mold and have any property that has sustained flood damage or other water related damage (such as plumbing failure) inspected by a professional. The toxic fungus cannot be discovered easily by visual inspection as water damaged homes in particular can have molds growing in dry wall and under carpets.

A sample of the possible mold should be analyzed by an accredited professional to determine if it is toxic mold as not all Black Mold is toxic.

Removal Of Black Mold

If mold is discovered in a home it should be removed only by a professional with the proper equipment and protection from the fungus. Only a professional can ensure that the mold is not only removed properly from the home but also responsibly disposed of in the aftermath. However, even with the assistance of a professional, mold can be difficult to defeat.

It is possible that the fungus might never be permanently eliminated from a structure with reoccurrence a strong possibility. Some structures may need to be torn down completely to avoid reoccurrence of the toxic mold. Only a professional can make these determinations.

Black toxic mold is something that is very serious, and you do not want to mess with.

Knowing black mold symptoms can save you further damage, and most importantly your family's health.

Make sure that you contact a professional mold removal contractor when you start to see any of the signs mentioned above.

Toxic Black Molds - What Do They Eat and How Do They Look Like?

Molds are nothing but living organism of fungi group. They obtain nutrition from dead organic substances. Molds grow on organic matters and then decompose the matter to form simpler organic materials and obtain energy for living as well.

They metabolize the food and produce excrements. Excretory products are responsible for stains found on mold infested substances. If mold is not taken care of at right time, they would not only spread allergy, but spoil your properties like furniture, carpets, walls, clothes, leather goods, curtains and fabrics.

Hence, the mold cleaning products used to kill molds should be able to de-stain the substances and remove mold spots effectively. While purchasing mold cleaning products one must check if the product can remove stains or not.

As mentioned before, molds can grow on any organic substance like wood products, clothes, leather goods, wallpaper, adhesives used on wallpapers, carpets, and surprisingly on concrete walls even. Substances with high cellulose content are preferred by molds and mildews.

The best way to save your house and household things from becoming food of black molds and mildews, you need to keep your home dry all the time. If any incident of leak, overflow or flood happens, it should be taken care of timely and the places need to be dried off fast.

Mold spores enter into houses by air and or by being carried by human beings. It is always better to leave shoes out of the house. Since shoes are made of leather they show a tendency to nurture molds. And mold spores often get stuck to the shoes when we walk along lawns, gardens or roads. So shoes must be kept in a separate place and must be cleaned periodically.

The clothes must be washed after coming back home. They are also good carriers of mold spores and reported to be responsible for substantial black mold growth in houses.

How does black mold look like?

Molds can look black, white, gray, greenish or brownish. They may appear velvety, cottony or granular. Toxic black molds appear as black specks and that is why they are called black molds.

Toxic black molds produce mycotoxins while metabolizing obtained food. Mycotoxins are not good for human health. The mold species Stachybotrys chartarum generates mycotoxins and known as toxic black molds.

All other types of molds are not harmful in that sense. However, airborne mold spores and hyphal fragments can always result in respiratory troubles for human beings.

Though toxic black molds appear as black spots, molds are microscopic organisms and not visible to unaided eye. Once molds form colonies, they become visible and the after effects begin.

Mold colonies are basically an interconnected network of multi-cellular filaments known as hyphae. Mold colonies do not contain any discrete organisms; the network of hyphae is called as mold colony, sometimes molds only.

How to remove molds? What kills mold effectively?

Take away the conditions that help molds to grow and amplify - that's the best mold removal process. Now you cannot remove all the organic substance from your home, that's impossible. But you can ensure that your home remains dry all the time. If some cases of dampening happen, you must put the effort required to dry it out.

If black molds and mildews have already grown in your home, try natural mold cleaning products to kill molds permanently.

Black mold will keep coming back if you do not choose the right black mold killer to handle the job for you. See which kill mold spray works best.