Toxic mold poses serious risks to both your health and the structural integrity of your home. As a homeowner, it’s important that you know the facts about mold so you can prevent it from developing, or deal with it safely and effectively if spores have already gained a foothold. With that in mind, here are seven key facts about mold:
- Mold can pose serious health risks. Exposure to mold spores and mold growths can cause a wide range of respiratory symptoms and other unpleasant reactions, including skin irritations like rashes and hives, difficulty breathing, asthma-like shortness of breath, and flu-like symptoms including nausea, dizziness and headaches.
- Mold can damage your home. If mold is growing in an area that’s important to your home’s structural stability, serious damage can occur.
- Controlling moisture is the key. High indoor humidity levels are a major cause of toxic mold growth. You should aim to keep your indoor humidity in the 30 to 60 percent range at all times, during all seasons. A whole-house humidifier/dehumidifier is the ideal solution.
- Insulation can help. Preventing condensation is also important, so covering exposed pipes with insulation can also help prevent mold growth.
- Mold can grow almost anywhere. There is virtually nowhere that mold will not grow, given the right conditions. Thus, it’s vital that you protect your entire home.
- Be careful removing mold. If you are going to remove mold growth yourself, put on rubber gloves and use hot water and detergent. Wear a face-mask so you avoid breathing in the mold spores. Be sure the surface is completely dry once you finish cleaning.
- Know when to call a professional. Large or widespread mold growths should be handled by a professional.
If you have questions about mold spores, or if you have any other indoor air quality or humidity issues, don’t hesitate to contact the professionals here at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning.We’ve been serving the greater Fresno area for almost 40 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about mold and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Donald P Dick Air Conditioning services the greater Fresno area in California. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!