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Is Mold In a Building Dangerous?

Name: Exit Mold
Address: 1 Irwin Ct., Lynbrook, New York, 11563, United States
Telephone: (516) 512-7877

If you are a business owner or a commercial property owner, you are most likely a very busy person. Running a building and managing staff can have you running all over the place and making important decisions all day, every day.

While being in charge does have its share of perks, it’s also a big responsibility. You are not only responsible for the building and the business itself, but you are also responsible for the people inside it.

This is why it is so important to check your property regularly for signs of wear and tear and for potential issues like mold growth. If you discover mold, you might be wondering, “Is mold in a building dangerous, and do I need to do anything about it?”

The short answer is yes, mold can be dangerous for your building as well as for your staff and customers. Let’s break down more about building mold and what to do about it below.

What Is Mold?

Mold is a naturally occurring fungus that can be found virtually anywhere as long as the conditions are right. It thrives in damp, dark areas of your property, which is why attics and basements are among some of the most common places for mold growth.

Mold can also commonly be found in:

Bathrooms
HVAC systems
Kitchens
Storage areas

Mold spores themselves are microscopic, but once they find an ideal growing environment, they will settle in and grow into a visible and impactful colony. The trouble with mold is that it can grow quickly. If a couple of spores settle into a damp corner of your basement, they can grow into an entire infestation in just a few days!

Types of Mold Found in Buildings

As mold grows, it will start to degrade your walls, floors, and ceilings. It will consume building materials like paper, drywal,l and even wood beams. As it grows, it will make your property more at risk of structural issues, and it can even make your floors sag or cause your walls to become unsteady. If you are dealing with a potential mold problem, it’s also important to know what kind of mold is in your building.

Aspergillus

Aspergillus is a genus that encompasses hundreds of common mold species. Oftentimes, it is found in damp environments in your building, such as in HVAC systems or in bathroom areas. It is also commonly found growing on old or rotten food.

Cladosporium

Cladosporium molds are one of the more hardy molds that are found in homes and commercial buildings. It can grow in both warm and cold conditions and thrives wherever lingering moisture is present. You can often find it in perpetually damp basements or on walls that frequently condense.

Stachybotrys

Stachybotrys, or more commonly called black mold, is the type of mold that grows when there is a high presence of moisture. It thrives on cellulose-rich materials and will consume paper, drywall, fiberboard, and wood easily. Black mold often grows after a significant flooding problem or a water leak that impacts multiple structural layers of your home.

Health Risks Associated With Continual Mold Exposure

If you have a mold infestation or a mold problem in your building, you should prioritize taking care of the issue right away. Mold exposure is never a good thing, but the longer you expose yourself and your staff to the spores, the higher the risk that they will experience negative health effects.

Respiratory issues are among the most common symptoms of chronic mold exposure. Symptoms to watch out for include:

Nasal congestion
Itchy eyes and nose
Sneezing
Rashes
Fatigue and confusion

While these symptoms are not life-threatening, some molds can produce mycotoxins, which are poisonous substances that can cause issues like long-term immune deficiency and even certain cancers.

All of these issues become even more problematic if you have someone on your staff who suffers from asthma or another chronic respiratory illness. Immunocompromised people are at a higher risk of more severe symptoms, so catching your mold problem early can keep everyone as healthy as possible.

How To Identify Mold In Your Building

One of the tricky things about mold is how fast it grows. Once a few mold spores settle into a damp area of your building, they will start to grow and multiply within a day. After 48 hours, an entire infestation is possible!

The good news, however, is that mold will eventually start to show itself if you know where and what to look for.

To start, mold produces a distinctive earthy or musty odor. If you can’t seem to shake that smell even if you have the windows open for a day, it might be time to do some investigating. You should also look for visible signs of an infestation. Mold isn’t always growing in an obvious place, but you can still identify problem areas like discolored walls. Patches or spots on walls, ceilings, and floors that appear darker than the surrounding area should always be evaluated.

Mold can also be any color of the rainbow, and it can have many different textures. It can be slimy, chalky, powdery, or crumbly, and it can even be blue or pink! If you discover a mold infestation anywhere in your building, the best thing to do is to leave it undisturbed and call a professional mold removal team instead.

How To Handle Mold Infestations

Mold can be dangerous, especially if you unknowingly release mold spores into the air during a potential cleanup. Try your best to leave the mold alone and call for help instead. A professionally trained mold remediation team will be able to identify the mold, and they will have the proper tools to remove it safely from your property.

Attempting to do it on your own can actually increase your risk of a future infestation in the same spot or somewhere else in your building. Even a few missed spores can become airborne, and they can travel to other areas of your property before growing again. Do your building a favor and hire a team that will tackle your mold problem from start to finish!

Mold and your commercial building is not a good mix. Call our team at Exit Mold today at (516) 512-7877 and we will be handle your mold remediation quickly and safely.

Meta: Mold infestations in your building can be dangerous. Exit Mold explains more about the dangers of mold and what to look for in this latest blog post.

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