Many of the symptoms that residents of Shallowater, Texas, often attribute to allergies or the common cold could be caused by mold. To determine whether mold is making you sick, it’s important to know a few basic facts.
How Mold Affects Us
First, you need to understand the effect it can have on humans. As mold grows, it releases spores into the air that can enter your body as you breathe. The spores will irritate your system, causing symptoms such as sneezing, headaches, skin itching or irritation, and itchy, watery eyes.
As we already mentioned, these early symptoms of mold sickness can easily be mistaken for seasonal allergies or a cold. Prolonged exposure, however, leads to more serious complications: diarrhea, vomiting, weight and hair loss, skin rashes and sores, and short-term memory loss. You may also experience constant headaches and fatigue or chronic bronchitis and sinus infections. Without treatment, mold sickness can eventually cause long-term memory loss, brain damage, cancer, and even death.
What You Can Do About It
You should also be aware of the conditions that encourage or discourage mold growth. Since it thrives in moist environments, it is often found in bathrooms and basements. However, it can also hide in less obvious places, such as your HVAC system, carpet, or walls.
The most important way to combat mold is to manage the humidity in your home. Make sure that bathrooms are well-ventilated, and be sure to run the exhaust fans during and after hot baths and showers. If necessary, install a whole-home dehumidifier to keep humidity below 50 percent and resolve any major structural issues that could cause water damage, such as a leaky roof or a frequently flooded basement. When mold does appear, be sure to address both the mold itself and the underlying cause.
For help with handling the humidity in your home, call BTAC at 806-589-1014. We offer several products that can prevent mold growth and improve your home’s indoor air quality.
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