Mould In Your Home: Types, Causes, Health Risks and Solutions

The presence of mould in your home should be taken seriously as a health risk. However, before you take action, you also need to understand what type of mould you are dealing with and what the underlying cause is. Once you know what type of mould you have, you can start to take steps to remove it and prevent it from coming back.

Types and Causes

Mould is a type of fungal growth, which is caused by excess moisture. There are a variety of types of mould that may be found within residential properties, including green mould (Cladosporium, Penicillium or Aspergillus), black mould (Cladosporium and Alternaria), toxic black mould (Stachybotrys chartarum), and white, yellow and blue moulds.

A simple mould test can be carried out in affected areas, revealing the type of mould you are dealing with. Regardless of type, however, mould is the result of moisture in your home. This could be caused by water seeping in through windows, leaking pipes, poor ventilation, rising damp from the basement, a leaking roof, or condensation build-up.

In rare cases, mould can even contaminate your water supply, although very specific conditions are necessary. Regardless, a mould test will once again be able to reveal the presence of mould in your water supply and the type.

Health Risks

The most common health risks associated with mould in your home are respiratory issues. For example, it can cause coughing, sneezing, wheezing, nasal congestion and respiratory infections. It may also cause asthma attacks.

On top of this, mould can lead to allergic reactions, including skin rashes, itchy skin and itchy eyes.

According to the CDC, certain types of people are more at risk of the effects of mould exposure. These include people with existing allergies, those with underlying lung conditions, individuals with compromised immune systems and people with chronic respiratory diseases. Young children and the elderly may also be disproportionately affected.

Removing Mould

There are several products on the market that can be used to help remove mould from surfaces in your home, including mould sprays and mould scrubs. You can also use homemade solutions, including diluted bleach and white vinegar. The latter can be especially effective when removing mould from fabrics, such as curtains and furniture.

If you find mould on clothes, you might want to try pre-treating the clothes with white vinegar, before washing the clothes in a washing machine. Opt for a 60°C (140°F) cycle to ensure you kill off all the mould spores.

Nevertheless, removing mould permanently and protecting your property from it returning in the future requires you to reduce the build-up of moisture. In other words, you will need to identify the cause of your moisture build-up and then take action to correct it. This could mean fixing leaks, resolving window or roof issues, or improving ventilation.

Conclusion

Mould can pose some serious health risks, especially if you have allergies, a suppressed immune system or respiratory problems. A good starting point is to test for the presence of mould, then take action to reduce moisture build-up in your home. You can use specific mould removal products, or substances like white vinegar to actually remove mould.