Why is air quality testing important? Our mold experts let you know when to get your home or commercial building tested for mold.
Are you constantly feeling unwell? Are others in your family or office getting sick more often? It’s estimated that indoor
air pollutants, including mold and mycotoxins may be contributing to illnesses. Outdoor pollution such as smog and
smoke takes most of the blame for health problems, but many people are unaware that the air they are breathing is quite
possibly more toxic than the air outside. Indoor toxins like mold could be making you or your loved ones sick
All mold needs to grow is a dark, moist environment. The most common types of mold that are found indoors include
Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria, and Aspergillus. Toxic black mold, stachybotrys chartarum is a greenish-black mold,
which grows on household surfaces that have high cellulose content, such as wood, fiberboard, gypsum board, paper,
dust, and lint and can grow with even the slightest of water damage.
Exposure to mold and mold components is well known to trigger inflammation, allergies and asthma, oxidative stress,
and immune dysfunction in both human and animal studies. Mold spores, fungal fragments, and mycotoxins can be
measured in the indoor environments of moldy buildings and in humans who are exposed to these environments. Most
of the time, we are exposed to molds, like stachybotrys, through the skin contact, through ingestion, and by inhalation.
It’s estimated that as many as 25% of buildings in the US have had some sort of water damage.
How do you know if you’ve been exposed to mold or a water damaged building?
- Fatigue and weakness
- Headache, light sensitivity
- Poor memory, difficulty with word finding
- Difficulty with concentration
- Morning stiffness, joint pain
- Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
- Shortness of breath, sinus congestion or chronic cough
- Appetite swings, body temperature regulation
- Increased urinary frequency or increased thirst
- Red eyes, blurred vision, sweats, mood swings, sharp pains
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating
- Tearing, disorientation, metallic taste in mouth
- Static shocks
- Vertigo, feeling lightheaded
If you, your family members, co-workers or employees are experiencing these symptoms it might be a good idea to get
air quality testing by a licensed mold testing company like Moldbusters.