Toxic Black Mold Facts Chicago IL 773-885-8528

Top 15 Health Problems Caused By Black Mold in Chicago

What Is Black Mold? Why Is Black Mold Toxic?

 

If you are concerned that you may have toxic black mold in your home or business that requires removal, call The CleanUP Guys, (773) 885-8528 or send us an e-mail.

There are many types of mold, including Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium.

The most common black mold is Stachybotrys mold, which is a dominant mold that will outgrow other mold species if the conditions are favorable.

Stachybotrys chartarum, also known as Stachybotrys atra, is the most common species of Stachybotrys mold. This mold species often grows indoors, feeding on decaying organic matter with a high cellulose content such as hay, straw, wood chips, and building materials such as ceiling tile, drywall, paper vapor barriers, wallpaper, insulation backing, cardboard boxes, and paper files.

Moisture and a relative humidity of 90% or higher are the ideal conditions for this black mold to begin the germination growth process.

Why Does Black Mold Spread?

When Stachybotrys mold is growing on wet material, the spores do not disperse as easily because the spores are held together by a sticky/slimy coating. When the material dries out or is disturbed, the spores will spread through the air.

The main concern of mold remediation professionals is to prevent the spread of the black mold. This is accomplished through containment, which is the process of creating a poly barrier around the area where the Stachybotrys mold is growing.

This procedure is so important because Stachybotrys spreads by releasing spores. Mold contaminated materials must be removed and disposed of because this mold does not just grow on the surface of the material; it has root-like tendrils called mycelia, meaning it is able to penetrate the surface.

Typically Stachybotrys mold grows in clusters at the end of stem-like structures known as hyphae.

15 Health Problems Caused By Toxic Black Mold

Stachybotrys produces a mycotoxin (i.e., poison from a fungus) named trichothecenes.

Stachybotrys black mold is a health concern because animal studies have shown that one of the major effects of trichothecenes is immuno-suppression.

In fact, even low level exposure can suppress the immune system resulting in bacterial and viral infections, coughing, skin irritation, and other allergic reactions, and there is some speculation that it may even cause cancer.

Listed below are the top 15 health conditions caused when toxic Stachybotrys black mold is inhaled or ingested:

1.   Sore/hoarse throat

2.   Cold and flu symptoms (headaches, slight fever, and muscle aches)

3.   Nosebleeds

4.   Tingling or burning of nose, mouth, and perspiration areas (under the arms or between the legs)

5.   Chronic fatigue

6.   Dizziness

7.   Nausea/vomiting

8.   Memory loss

9.   Attention deficit/concentration problems

10.  Personality changes such as irritability or depression

11.  Neurological disorders such as tremors

12.  Hair loss

13.  Coughing with blood

14.  Bleeding in the lungs (hemosiderosis)

15.  Damage to internal organs including blood, liver, kidneys, and lungs

Concerned about toxic black mold? Call The CleanUP Guys, (773) 885-8528 or send us an e-mail.

Mold Contamination, Mold Removal, Mold Remediation 773-885-8528

Are you having a problem with mold or mildew in your home or commercial property?

Many people will panic when the word “mold” is mentioned but are OK if “mildew” is present. Little do people know that there is no difference between Mold and Mildew.  Online you may find statements like “Mildew is distinguished from its closely related counterpart, mold, largely by its color: molds appear in shades of black, blue, red, and green, whereas mildew is white.” This statement is misleading because some molds are also white.

The authoritative Ainsworth & Bisby’s Dictionary of the Fungi has the following definitions for mold and mildew.

Mold: (also spelled as mould):

A micro-fungus having a well-marked mycelium or spore mass, especially an economically important saprobe.

Mildew:

1.      A plant disease in which the pathogen is seen as a growth on the surface of the host.

2.      The staining, and frequently the breaking up, of cloth and fibers, paint, etc., by fungi and bacteria.

3.      A fungus causing 1 or 2.

From these definitions it is clear that what we see in our homes or our commercial property is mold. Secondly both mold and mildew are fungi and the only difference between mildew and mold is that the former is found growing on plants as a pathogen while the latter is found growing on building materials and other dead organic materials as a saprobe. In fact some fungi are able to grow on both living hosts (plants) and also on dead organic material.

Why Do Mold (Mildew) Grow in Your Home?

Mold or mildew if you like develop from minute structures (“seeds”) called spores.  These mold spores are everywhere including in our homes. You will find them in dust on carpet, window frames, furniture, walls, ceiling, etc. These spores may not be in large amounts to cause any health problem. The problem comes if your home has water damage due to:

• Flooding,
• Sewage back-up from flooding in the area,
• Plumbing or roof leaks,
• Damp basement or crawlspace,
• Overflows from sinks or bathtub,
• High humidity from steam cooking, dryer vents, humidifiers, etc.

When the spores are dry in the dust they are dormant but once they get wet mold develop within 24-48 hours. The mold continues to grow unless steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem. It is when mold grows in your house, hotel, commercial property, industrial building due to moisture that you, your family or employees are at risk of mold exposure.

What to do if you have Mold (Mildew) in Your Home, or Commercial Property.

If you suspect you have mold in your home, or commercial property, do not panic. Contact a qualified mold remediation company that can assess the extent of mold contamination and recommend the most appropriate way to remove it and to fix the moisture problem. Do not attempt to remove the mold yourself if you don’t know what you are dealing with or if you don’t have the right tools to deal with the mold.  The CleanUP Guys is an industry leader in the Chicago area and suburbs for mold removal, mold remediation, mold decontamination services.

Mold Removal Chicago & Suburbs 773-885-8528

Mold Removal Cautions

Those of you who do mold mitigation know that it’s not something that just anyone can take up at random and hope that things will just magically turn out right.  As master mold removal technicians, we’re trained on safety precautions and the steps required to professionally complete the careful procedure of mold remediation.  But sometimes mistakes are made or bad habits can creep into our methods.  Here are some common errors to watch out for. •    Scattering mold spores – With the generous use of air movers there needs to be caution.  Don’t turn on until all the areas affected by mold have first been contained.  What does that mean?  It means blocking the contamination in so that none of the mold spores can escape into other areas of the home.  Scattered mold spores can wreak havoc upon other porous services.  You could end up with a more widespread cleanup or you may trigger health problems. •    Breathe Proper Apparatus – Before anyone even walks into a mold contaminated structure they need to have proper respiratory protection.  The very least you should be wearing is an N95 with eye protection, yet a half or full face with a HEPA filter is recommended.  This will protect you and any of your laborers assisting you with the mold remediation project.  Also, protective clothing should be worn without a doubt.  If this job is to be done above board and according to EPA and IICRC standards, protective equipment is an absolute must. •    Faulty HEPA filters – Just because a vacuum claims to have a HEPA filter doesn’t mean that it’s doing the job of a true HEPA.  Heck, the vacuum cleaner I use at home has a “HEPA” filter but I sure wouldn’t use it on a mold remediation job.  So make sure your vacuum is one designed for this work.   NOTE:  To be properly doing its job, the filter has to be seated snugly with no air leakage around the sides.  Filters should be changed regularly as well.  Not a good idea to use that same old filter from previous jobs.  It is good to change it after each use. •    Don’t eat, drink or look pretty - Eating, drinking, and using tobacco products and cosmetics where mold remediation is taking place should be avoided to prevent unnecessary contamination and/or ingestion of mold. As you may have noted, this list doesn’t have as much to do with the actual mold cleanup then it does with protecting the health of your techs and customers.  There seems to be plenty of health issues out there that science hasn’t figured out how to avoid yet.  But by taking the needed precautions we can eliminate any undue risks.

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GOT BASEMENT MOLD?

Why is it not surprising to find mold in your basement?  Mold and mildew (both are types of fungi) thrive in dark, damp environments where organic material is present.  Mold is especially fond of cellulose-rich materials like wood, paper and fabric; but it can also take hold on leather and even on paint that contains organic resins like linseed oil.

You may not use your basement a lot but it’s not wise to let basement mold just sit there and fester and become worse.  Mold (especially inhaling airborne mold spores) can cause a wide range of health problems, most notably respiratory ailments. Mold or mildew causes damage to its host material.  Mold can also be a big problem when it comes to any real estate deal, making a house difficult or even impossible to sell.  

Help for Basement Mold

All is not lost if you have basement mold.  There are effective ways to get rid of mold appropriately.  Contractors who specialize in mold remediation can effectively handle steps required to eliminate basement mold problems. To find out who does what and why, take a look at the 4 steps described below.

1.     Remove mold-damaged materials. It’s usually better to remove and discard materials that are covered with mold than to attempt cleaning and reuse. This applies to mold-damaged carpet, wood paneling, drywall, paper-faced fiberglass insulation and “2by” framing used in basement walls. The reason for mold removal is easy to understand:  Even if you succeed in killing and scouring off the mold, you’ll still have ideal mold fodder that can attract a new infestation.

2.     Kill mold on materials that can’t be removed. If there are significant mold colonies on materials that must stay in place –like basement ceiling joists, for example—you might consider calling in a mold mitigation contractor to kill and remove the mold.

3.     Replace mold-prone materials with mold-resistant materials. Once you’ve gone to the trouble of removing basement mold, the next step is to create an environment that’s hostile to mold, so that it doesn’t return.  Use inorganic building materials that won’t support mold growth.  Like standard paper-faced drywall can be replaced with special mold-resistant drywall faced with fiberglass.

4.      Control basement moisture to prevent new mold infestation. Creating a mold-hostile environment is really a two-pronged strategy: Eliminate materials that nourish mold, and keep the basement dry.  Keep basement humidity below the 60% level that favors mold growth, a basement dehumidifier is recommended.

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MOLD REMEDIATION 

 

Mold can digest wood. Even termites cannot properly breakdown wood, they can eat it but they cannot digest it, instead they rely on one celled organisms in their digestive tracts to break it down.
Even the beaver, with a reputation for eating wood cannot readily break it down with its digestive juices.  When a tree dies its wood must follow one of two fates, it either becomes petrified, or it decays, turns into soil and rejoins the cycle of life and death.

Fortunately, mold comes to the rescue and digests the wood, causes it to rot, and helps it turn into soil. If it was not for mold the entire earth would likely be a mile deep in dead trees.

The one thing that prevents wood in our home from this infestation process is the lack of moisture.  Once moisture touches non-living wood, or any of its man-made derivatives: (lumber, paper, cardboard, drywall encasement paper, cellulose insulation, Masonite, Orientated Strand Board, or particle board) then mold takes over and we have mold in the home.

Fungal spores start to attack the moist wood with enzymes, break it down, and absorb it.

The fungal colonies in our water damaged homes go unchallenged in their endeavor to break down, absorb, and assimilate the otherwise un-digestible organic compounds in wood and its derivatives.

In addition to spore production products are produced. With fungal organisms including mold in the home or household molds these waste products consists of microbial volatile organic compounds. These compounds are ignored by most mold testing consultants and by the media. However detection of these compounds thermal desorption tubes, or via my favorite method, with my nose is an important part of every mold investigation.  From the point of view of your health these compounds are an important consideration. Microbial volatile organic compounds are similar to esters, and similar to aldehydes like formaldehyde. Thus when your homes air is contaminated with these fungal waste products your air quality goes down and I have seen first-hand many times how these compounds seem to have a direct correlation to health complaints, even more so than spores. For example if mold growth, and the spores it releases are trapped inside a wall people still have respiratory health problems as long as the odors or volatile organic compounds are escaping into the ambient air.  It is interesting to note that these compounds are also related to alcohols. In some cases when oxygen is in short supply or not present, and when sugar is the food source, the waste product of some forms of fungi is in fact drinking alcohol. 

When we have mold growing in our houses, humans and even pets tend to have a negative reaction to both the allergens in the spores, as well as to the microbial volatile organic compound type waste products released. To make matters worse these growths produce superfine fungal particles, Beta-Glucans, and toxins, in addition dust mites are also often associated with wet fungal environments. We end up living in an invisible, unhealthy, stew of particles and compounds.  We cough, we sneeze, we may even have asthma attacks, and in some cases other reactions may occur.

When this happens in your home the best option is to call a mold remediation specialist who can locate the problem, ascertain the extent of spread, and diagnose the cause. If a mold assessment is not conducted in your home much of the mold problem will often go unnoticed, undocumented. Also the cause may not be fully understood and addressed if you do not have your mold testing consultant diagnose the cause. If the cause is not understood and addressed then you should expect the problem to return.  A non-bias mold removal and remediation protocol should be prepared by that same consultant.