Sunday, January 8, 2012

Common Ways of Testing for Mold

Mold can be a serious concern. The problem with mold is that it can have serious health repercussions for you and your family. You can avoid all of these worries if you have your home tested for mold on a regular basis.

All too often the presence of mold leads to lung problems. A common side effect of exposure to airborne mold is random sneezing. Other symptoms include watery eyes, coughing, problem breathing and headaches, and sometimes your skin can be irritated.

The majority of mold tests require a thorough analysis of the air in and around your home, particularly in at-risk areas. These tests require some unusual apparatus and substantial expert knowledge, so rather rely on a professional mold testing contractor. It is normal to detect mold in the air; what’s important is to determine whether there are so many of the fungi that they have reached a dangerous level.

Whilst most molds are not likely to upset your health, certain toxic variants can be fatal. Only mold that is found to contain mycotoxins will be dangerous to you and your family. The ominous name of these little spores is indicative of their power - they have been known to lead to serious neurological death and, in extreme cases, death.

Severe infestations may call for a mold inspection. This seemingly innocuous process involves a visual examination that is carried out by an expert. Using proper tools and equipment, the goal of home inspectors is to come up with photographs of the actual infected areas for proper identification, a diagnosis of the source of mold and recommendation on how to remove it, a suggested plan of action, and laboratory test results revealing the overall mold level and analyses.

However, these inspections come at quite a heavy cost, which is often a deterrent, particularly for those on a budget. Do your research on all of your options before taking this final and costly step. There are ways to economize while trying to get rid of those harmful microorganisms.

Firstly, you need to do as much research as you possibly can. Even though mold can live outside, it prefers places that are humid and moist with little light. And since these organisms love living in damp areas, check for leaky vents, faucets and showers, and fix them right away.

Mold also thrives in cluttered storage areas. You can dust them off by cleaning the clutter and moving around pieces of furniture from time to time. Changing the lighting and ventilation in your home will also reduce mold.

Just keep your home clean, neat, well ventilated, dry and pleasant to live in. Another step you can take is to reduce the presence of dead natural material in your home. There are kits available online that you can use to check for mold after making these changes.

Finally, keep in mind that in a war, knowing your enemy is winning half of the battle. When you know everything about the nature of mold, you will be able to control it. You may not be able to get rid of mold completely, but you can prevent infestations of toxic mold.

When in search of assistance in your toxic mold testing endeavor, hitting the link will help.