Bendix Home Inspection,Inc. 734-377-5616 Rick@bendixinspect.com

Toxic molds have been causing serious health conditions in humans for hundreds of years. These dangerous types of mold can exist in damp environments in our home or workplace without us ever knowing it. In the last ten years, there have been many reports of toxic molds causing serious and even fatal consequences for infants and sensitized individuals.

The number of toxic mold cases is rising dramatically, mostly due to the growing knowledge of the dangers of toxic mold. Still, toxic mold is still vastly unknown about by the medical community and the general population. According to the Environmental Assessment Association, toxic mold concern is mounting as the medical field is better understanding the effects and ailments that toxic mold can cause.

The dangers of toxic mold are that they can cause serious health ailments but are hard to detect. A microbiologist can only determine differences between just mold and toxic mold. Common symptoms of toxic mold exposure include memory loss, allergies, and breathing difficulties. People with existing respiratory illness, asthma, and infants should be especially careful because of the fever and mold infections that can be suffered within their lungs due to toxic mold exposure.

The CDC has stated there is an unknown species of fungi in existence, though estimates have ranged from tens of thousands to 300,000 or more. There are some toxic molds that are so dangerous that once inside human tissue could grow in masses in your lungs or kidneys and other that can grow along walls of arteries, veins, and heart valves. Toxic mold can be difficult to treat in some instances

Inhalation of fungal spores, fragments (parts), or metabolites (e.g., mycotoxins and volatile organic compounds) from a wide variety of fungi may lead to or exacerbate immunologic (allergic) reactions, cause toxic effects, or cause infections.

There are only a limited number of documented cases of health problems from indoor exposure to fungi. The intensity of exposure and health effects seen in studies of fungal exposure in the indoor environment was typically much less severe than those that were experienced by agricultural workers but were of a long-term duration. Illnesses can result from both high level, short-term exposures and lower level, long-term exposures. The most common symptoms reported from exposures in indoor environments are runny nose, eye irritation, cough, congestion, aggravation of asthma, headache, and fatigue

The presence of mold, water damage, or musty odors should be addressed immediately. In all instances, any source(s) of water must be stopped and the extent of water damaged determined. Water damaged materials should be dried and repaired. Mold damaged materials should be remediated in accordance with this document