Airborne mold spores can be dangerous to your health and can impact owners in Victoria, Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River, and Port Alberni.
Mold spores are tiny structures produced by molds for reproduction purposes. They are so small that we can hardly see some of them even when magnified 400 times. One cubic meter of outdoor air may contain as many as 1,000,000 spores. The volume of air we inhale at rest is estimated at 10 litres per minute. Therefore, in an hour we inhale close to 600,000 spores. The air in some working environments including moldy buildings may contain up to 1,000,000,000 spores per cubic meter of air.
In indoor environments molds grow on moist surfaces such as the drywall, wallpaper, carpet, baseboards, and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVACs). As these molds grow, a stage is reached when they produce spores. The spores become airborne after drying out or if disturbed. These spores may be making you sick.
The dangers of airborne mold spores
About 20% of the population is allergic to mold spores. Apart from being allergenic, spores of some mold species such as Stachybotrys contain toxic compounds called mycotoxins. Symptoms associated with mold spores may include allergy, headache and fatigue, running nose, sneezing, coughing, pneumonia and Asthma among other non-specific symptoms. Young children, the elderly and people undergoing medical treatment are particularly susceptible to mold spores.
How do you control indoor mold spores?
It is extremely difficult to get rid of spores completely. You can, however, reduce their numbers by controlling mold growth in your house or office. Mold growth is associated with moisture problem as a result of flooding, leaks in roofs or plumbing and condensation in case of poor ventilation or inadequate insulation. The key to controlling mold growth is keeping houses or offices dry by maintaining low relative humidity (below 70%) thus eliminating or slowing the growth of most mold species. Any water leakage should be repaired immediately and the water dried out within 48 hours. Constant monitoring for mold growth in the kitchen, bathrooms, window frames, carpets and baseboards is recommended. The earlier the mold is discovered the cheaper and easier it is to get rid of the problem.
What should you do if you notice mold growing in your house?
Do not panic! Contact Pacific Decontamination Services. Not all molds are dangerous to health, but no mold should be allowed to grow in our dwellings. Also the health effects of indoor molds depend on the amount of mold one has been exposed to, length of time of exposure, the types of molds present and individual’s resistance. Therefore, presence of mold does not necessarily mean the occupants have been affected.
Are all molds dangerous?
People have come to believe that black molds are the most dangerous.
The truth is, colour does not determine whether a mold is of health concern or not.
What Else Can You Do Eliminate Airborne Mold Spores?
We neutralize your mold by applying our eco-friendly, safe chemical into your RV, boat, auto, home, basement, attic, or building. Depending on the job, we apply our formula by spray, mist, foam, or fog. We do not use a tent. The average time of our on-site service is approximately one hour. An additional four hours is required to achieve maximum effectiveness. We ask that you stay out of the premise for approximately 5 hours in total. Read more about how we work.
Pacific Decontamination Services uses the world’s strongest, most effective and safe antimicrobial disinfectant, deodorization and chemical decontaminate. Our professional application will eliminate up to 99.99999% of any allergen, germ, bacteria or fungus that it touches. AND as powerful as it is, it is also completely safe.
What do you do next? How do you solve the challenge of mold and associated health hazards?
Call Pacific Decontamination Services at 778-269-0208 or email us!
Serving All of Vancouver Island: Victoria, Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River, and Port Alberni.
