The Invisible Threat In The Air At Home
With a national focus on preventive measures in healthcare, many people are taking the time to make sure that their daily practices and their environment contribute to overall wellness. This can include lifestyle changes that directly impact health, but it can also include keeping the home hygienic and safe, as this is also considered preventive action.
While it is always admirable for people to become highly invested in their own health, it is also unfortunate that many environmental contributors to disease are still overlooked. Here are the kinds of threat in the air at home:
- Vermin
- Mites in soft surfaces
- Toxic fumes from building materials or paints
- Poisonous gases in the ground or from poor venting
- Mold
These factors can greatly contribute to health problems that are often hard to diagnose and which may become chronic conditions. Identifying some of these variables can include having radon and CO detectors in the home, or having the home professionally inspected for different toxins, but the factor of mold can sometimes still be overlooked.
Cleaned But Not Forgotten
Although health conscious homeowners will tend to be quite fastidious in their housekeeping, the issue of mold as a health hazard is not always considered. This is partially because mold spores can be found practically everywhere, and even these lower levels can contribute to chronic conditions that are just thought to be part of a person’s natural physiology.
In many cases, low levels of mold are not terribly impactful on health, although the type of mold does make a difference. While some individuals can exhibit considerably severe reactions to non-toxic household mold, black mold, or Stachybotrys sp., puts off spores which do have a neuro-toxic effect on individuals. Even in an otherwise clean home, black mold can still be lurking in places that are not examined as often.
Basement flooding can be the most common cause for any type of mold in the home, but especially black mold, since these circumstances can also mean that a larger amount of foreign spores are making their way into the home by way of the moisture. Further, basement flooding can often lead to extensive water damage in insulation, and if these items are not removed and replaced properly, even a small amount of remaining moisture can lead to a mold infestation.
This can also make mold remediation a task that should be undertaken by professionals, since spores in the air will still seek out areas of moisture in order to colonize. Simply cleaning away the visible mold can also be a mere scratch on the surface of the problem, as mold will continue to propagate in as much space as is provided, which means that formations can be expansive behind wall paper, under flooring, and in between drywall.
Taking The Right Steps For Health
For people who discover that they have a mold problem, calling professional help for mold remediation should be an immediate action. However, keeping homes without this problem staying mold free can also come down to professional attention for basement waterproofing. Health is too precious to squander, which makes it vital for homeowners to contribute to preventive measures for environmental wellness, with basement waterproofing and mold remediation.