If you think black mold sounds menacing, you’re right. It can release mycotoxin spores that are potentially lethal. Even when they don’t kill people, they can result in things like skin irritation of the immune system up to pulmonary decay and neurological breakdown. Whether you’re striving to remediate existing black mold or just prevent it from growing in your Florida home or business, there are certain things that you should know in order to stay safe.
Black mold is actually a neurotoxin. It releases spores that can attach to the neurons of someone’s brain, where they start incapacitating their mental abilities. Reactions to block mold can include mood swings, tremors, and various other neurological shifts.
Black mold can weaken a person’s immune system, so on top of getting sick thanks to the mold, germs and viruses have an easier time making you even more sick. Long-enough exposure can mean spores of black mold start shutting your organs down before hurting your brain and then killing you.
Pregnant women in Florida are at high risk. They can suffer infertility after the fact, miscarriages, and birth defects.
Pets can also suffer from black mold. They, along with seniors, the sick, and the young, are all in high-risk groups.
Even when someone survives the damage to their health that black mold puts them through, the damage can last a lifetime. Even after remediation, mold sensitivity and the impact on weakening someone’s immune system could be irreversible.
You need to do all you can to keep black mold out of your home. Get rid of tainted materials. Use ceiling fans and dehumidifiers in damp locations and bathrooms. Clean with mold-reducing sprays, and be very careful about what anyone brings into the home. Old wood and other porous objects might have mold spores growing on them.
Keeping water away from your home or business is essential to do. Water is crucial for mold growth. Unfortunately, water is very prevalent in most of Florida, as there are hundreds of miles of coastline, thousands of lakes, and endless streams, rivers, and creeks. That’s not to even mention the rain and storms. Never let your building get flooded, and you’ll win half your battle against mold. If you can grade your property to get water flowing away from the structure, do so. Also, look into getting downspouts which divert water away.
Mold can be dangerous in any state, but in a humid and lush state like Florida, it can grow quickly. If you find it in the walls of a home or business you own or discover it in a new home or building you buy, be concerned, but don’t panic. Call professionals for remediation. This is not a DIY project, as that’s actually illegal in many places. Remediation can run from $500 up to $10,000. Check your relevant insurance to see if it’s covered. If it’s not currently and you don’t have black mold yet, you might want to have a rider added to get this covered.