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Mold and Mildew |
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WHAT IS MOLD? |
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| Molds are
microscopic organisms found virtually everywhere, indoors, and outdoors.
Mold spores are tiny, lightweight, and easily detached by airflow,
vacuuming, walking on a carpet or sitting on a couch. In indoor
environments, they grow in air-conditioning ducts, carpets, pots of
houseplants, etc. They produce and release millions of spores, which are
small enough to stay airborne threatening to invade the human
respiratory system. Mold growths can often
be
seen in the form of discoloration, ranging from white to orange and from
green to brown and black. In large quantities, molds can cause allergic
symptoms similar to those caused by plant pollen. In order for mold to
grow, it needs food sources (such as leaves, wood, paper, or dirt), a
source of moisture, and a place to grow. |
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HOW DO YOU COME INTO
CONTACT WITH MOLD? |
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Mold spores are found in all homes and
offices, and grow rapidly from excess humidity. The following are some
sources of indoor moisture that may cause mold problems in a home or
office: flooding, leaky roofs, humidifiers, damp basements or crawl
spaces, constant plumbing leaks, house plants, steam from cooking,
shower/bath steam and leaks, wet clothes, bathroom towels, sweaty
sneakers indoors, dirty HVAC systems, spilled liquids on carpeted
surfaces and clothes dryers vented indoors.
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WHAT CAN MOLD DO TO
YOU? |
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Exposure to mold is
not healthy for anyone but the following individuals are at a higher
risk for adverse heath effects: infants, children, elderly, immune
compromised patients, pregnant women, and individuals with existing
respiratory conditions. When inhaled, even in small amounts, mold can
cause a wide range of health problems including respiratory problems
(wheezing), nasal and sinus congestion, watery and red eyes, nose and
throat irritation, skin irritation, aches and pains, fevers, and in some
cases even death. |
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More on spores |
| Spores and microscopic fragments of mold growth
are a natural component of both outdoor and indoor air. However, when molds
germinate and grow, they can produce large amounts of spores. Recently,
concern has arisen that elevated levels of mold spores in indoor living or
working environments may increase the risk of adverse health effects,
particularly respiratory problems. Reliable Construction Services has
searched the web and found documents summarizing currently available
knowledge regarding the occurrence of molds and possible human health
effects. View these links to other sites with helpful information regarding
molds and other indoor air contaminants. |
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| Due to a growing
public concern about molds, Bacteria's, mildews and other harmful natural
microscopic fragments we will continue to update this page Last Update
4/11/2003 |
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