Feeling Unwell? Test Your Home For Mold

Blog

If you suffer from chronic cold symptoms that won't go away with medication, test your home for mold. Mold can cause cold-like symptoms and other health problems in some people. A mold test can help you determine whether or not mold is the cause of your chronic cold symptoms.

Learn how mold affects your health and why you need to test your home for mold below.

Why Does Mold Make You Sick?

Mold is a fungus that forms or grows in damp and/or decaying environments, including moist HVAC systems, wet wood, and rotting indoor plants. The fungus can grow indoors and outdoors if the conditions are just right for it. Many types of mold species grow inside residential homes today, including black mold. Black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, can trigger a host of cold-like symptoms in people.

Like other types of mold, black mold releases unique toxins into the air as it grows. The toxins can trigger a host of chronic health issues, including sniffling, sneezing, and other cold-like symptoms. Some people may also develop or experience headaches and itchy skin. The symptoms may be worse in individuals who already suffer from allergies and other respiratory conditions.

If you suspect mold toxins are behind your chronic cold-like symptoms, perform a mold test on your house today. 

Who Can Test Your Home for Mold?

First, call or email a mold testing company or contractor for services. A contractor can do several things for you after they arrive at your home, including looking for damp or decaying matter inside your home. Some of the first places a contractor may inspect are your air conditioning system and air ducts. 

HVAC equipment can create condensation during the day. Some of the condensation can evaporate into the air and travel to different places in your home, including your air ducts. A contractor will generally use a moisture meter or tester to detect excess moisture in your home. 

If a contractor doesn't find moisture in your HVAC equipment or air ducts, they'll look under your carpet and tile for signs of moisture or decay. Organic materials, such as carpet and tile, can become damp if the home stays humid during the year. If a contractor finds damp carpeting or tile in your house, they'll send small samples of the flooring to a mold testing laboratory. A laboratory can analyze the material to see if it contains hidden spores of mold.

A contractor may also perform an air quality test on your home. Air quality tests look for excessive amounts of moisture and dust. Mold can use airborne dust particles to spread around your home.

You can use the results of a contractor's mold tests to treat your home. A contractor will most likely treat your home for you. 

If you need assistance testing your home for mold, contact a mold testing company today.

Share

25 August 2022

cleaning the air in your home

The quality of the air in your home is something that you should keep in mind every day. If the air that you breathe each day is filled with impurities, it can cause you to get sick more often and complicate matters if anyone in your home suffers from asthma or allergies. This blog is all about purifying the air in your home. You will learn everything about filtration systems and filters for your heating system to what you can do around the home to keep the air as clean as possible and create a healthy living space for your family.