Dr Jackson Kung'u- Mold Specialist

Helping People Resolve Mold Problems

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Mold Allergy Symptoms

Allergies can be caused by one or possibly a combination of many different things including an array of triggers such as food, medicine, environmental factors and inhalants.  Allergies are among the most common chronic conditions worldwide.

Mold allergy symptoms vary from one person to another and range from mild to severe.  Mold spores and very fine hyphal fragments trigger allergic reactions in about 20% of the adult population. The reactions are due to protein and polysaccharide components of molds. The smaller the spores and the finer the hyphal fragments the easier it is for them to penetrate deep into the respiratory tract. In humans mold allergy symptoms are of two types, the immediate hay-fever or asthma Type I and the delayed farmer’s lung Type III. Type I allergy occurs only in allergic individuals and may be caused by many types of molds including plant pathogens. Alternaria and Cladosporium spp., are two of the common molds causing seasonal mold allergies of this type.

Mold allergy symptoms can include sneezing, nasal congestion and itchy or watery eyes. People who suffer from Asthma may experience wheezing and shortness of breath. Some people may experience mold allergy symptoms all year round while in some others symptoms would flare up only during certain seasons of the year depending on what triggers the allergy or the amount of allergens present in the environment. Mold allergy symptoms are significant when the weather is damp, and when indoor or outdoor spaces have high mold spore concentrations.

People who are sensitive to mold can experience mold allergy symptoms both indoors and outdoors. For example in summer and fall several types of molds thrive on dead leaves and release spores into the air. On inhaling these spores, individuals who are sensitive to mold spores are likely to experience allergic reactions.

Controlling mold allergy means controlling your exposure to mold. That isn’t always easy outdoors. But you can limit exposure inside your home by controlling mold growth, cleaning up existing mold growth, and to some extent preventing outdoor mold from infiltrating indoors.

Mold In Bathrooms

Growth of mold in bathrooms is very common if there is no proper ventilation. Mold in bathrooms could be due to poor ventilation and high humidity in the bathroom.  The mold could be found growing on the walls and also the bathroom ceiling. Severe growth of  mold in bathrooms can also occur in drains which emit odors. Drains are a hot spot for fungal growth in bathrooms. The extent of fungal contamination in bathrooms is dependent on the amount of moisture present.

Predominant types of mold in bathrooms include Acremonium sp., Cladosporium sp., Cladophialophora sp., Fusarium sp., Phoma sp., Exophiala sp.,  Scolecobasidium sp., and Aureobasidium sp. With leaking pipes or prolonged excessive moisture other indicators of moisture damage such as Stachybotrys sp and Chaetomium can be found growing behind the baseboard.

How to control growth of mold in bathrooms

To control growth of mold in bathrooms, humidity has to be reduced. The CMHC recommends the following:

  • Check the bathroom fan to make sure it exhausts to the outside.
  • Turn the bathroom fan on when you shower. Keep it running for a few minutes after you finish your shower.
  • Take short showers.
  • Keep surfaces that get wet, such as the walls around the bathtub and shower, clean and dry.
  • If there is a carpet in your bathroom, remove it.
  • Check for water leaks.
  • Keep drains in good shape by removing debris from them.

Molds In Basement

Both finished and unfinished basements tend to be damp and hence prone to mold growth. Molds in basement are predominantly influenced by chronic moisture problems, such as window well leakage. Whether a basement is occupied or not, growth of molds in basement is a health hazard since the spores tend to move upwards to the living spaces. It has been established that basements could be the predominant sources for mold spores in both summer and winter. When people who are susceptible to mold inhale the airborne spores they react to the proteins in the wall of the spores.

How do you know you have molds in basement?

You know you have molds in basement when you smell the “musty” odor or see small black, bluish or white spots along the basement walls. The mold spots may be fuzzy or look raised. Mold growth will occur on any organic or porous materials including paint, cardboard, newspapers, wood, textiles, and carpet that are exposed to moisture. You may also find molds in basement growing on dirt or dust trapped on fiberglass insulation. Mold growth may also be visible on wooden studs and rafters.

How to control molds in basement

Elimination of moisture is the most effective method of mold growth control. To eliminate moisture problems in the basement may involve foundation damp-proofing, fixing grading problems, providing adequate on-lot drainage systems, and sealing areas of moisture ingress. Also remove excessive internal moisture sources in the basement (humidifiers, cooking) and ventilate other sources (clothes dryer, bathroom). If condensation in the summer is the problem, it’s recommended that you do not ventilate the basement directly with warm, humid air. Ventilation through an air conditioning system or with a desiccant-type heat exchanger is recommended.

If you have molds in basement call 905-290-9101. We may be able to help you or direct you to people who could help you.

Air Quality Mold Testing Kits

Air quality testing should be conducted by a qualified professional. However, there are basic tests that a homeowner or a property manager can perform by themselves and save money. Air quality testing for mold does not require any special training. Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories has been renting air quality testing equipment to homeowners, property managers or professionals who are just starting their businesses.

To perform your own air quality testing for mold it’s important to plan ahead. For example you need to decide how many rooms you want to test as this will determine the number of air samples you will collect. ideally, one should test all the rooms but if the budget cannot allow you can test areas of concern. In addition to the samples you collect from indoors, an outdoor sample is also required. The outdoor air sample helps to determine which of the mold spores detected indoors had likely originated from outdoors.

Interpreting air sample results can be difficult. However, after comparing indoor samples with outdoor sample, if the types of spores detected from the indoor sample are the same as those detected from outdoors and the indoor counts are significantly lower than those of the outdoors, then we can conclude that the tested areas had no mold problem at the time of testing. This conclusion is only valid if we cannot visually see mold growth and the building is not damp. It’s important to note that while the spore counts could be low, presence of certain types of molds could be an indication of major moisture damage and possibly hidden mold growth.

 How to perform air quality testing

As indicated previously you’ll require to rent an air sampling pump. You’ll also need to purchase air sampling cassettes. Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories provides instructions on how to operate the pump. After sampling the samples are sent to the laboratory for identification and counting of spores. The results are reported as the number of spores per cubic meter of air. Click air sampling instructions to watch a video on how to perform air quality test for mold.

Black Mold Symptoms Explained

The phrase “black mold symptoms” is one of the most searched phrases regarding health effects of mold. The general public believes that black mold is dangerous. However, the term “black mold” does not refer to a specific type of mold. Similarly there are no symptoms specific to “black mold”. A number of molds that grow indoors may appear black. Generally all molds regardless of their color are potentially a health hazard if allowed to grow indoors.

Symptoms of Mold Exposure

The term “black mold symptoms” is rather misleading. People who are sensitive to molds, regardless of the color of the mold, may experience various symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay, demolition workers tearing down a moldy building, and even people working near or in composting facilities. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. People with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.

These symptoms are not restricted to mold exposure. They could also be caused by other airborne polutants. Therefore, the fact that someone is experiencing these symptoms does not necessarily mean they are caused by mold exposure. It’s also important to remember there are no “black mold symptoms” and “black mold” could be any of the several types of molds that appear black.

Contact Information

Dr. Jackson Kung'u, PhD.
Phone: 905-290-9101
Fax: 905-290-0499