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Microbiological Contamination: Toxic Mold
Infestations & Sick Building Problems
Toxic mold infestations can be
extremely dangerous and cause serious injuries, especially for
the very young and those with weakened immune systems. If
someone you know has suffered long term exposure to Stachybotrys
or other type of toxic mold, it is important that they get the
best medical care that they can find and that the source of
their exposure is stopped. If you have any questions feel free
to send an e-mail to
toxicexposure@texaslawyers.com or submit an inquiry through
the online form on this page.
Toxic Mold
Infestations are Often Exacerbated by Closed HVAC Air Systems
With
the widespread use of air conditioning and many modern building
& maintenance practices has come the problem of toxic mold
infestations also know as microbiological contamination or "sick
building" problems. Toxic mold is extremely dangerous once it
gets in a home or building because modern heating and air
conditioning systems are designed to trap air inside a
building. If a toxic mold infestation gets trapped inside a
home or building, its spores will continue to grow anytime
humidity is reintroduced. Further, mold spores (seeds) can
become embedded in almost any material causing infestations to
reemerge any time water and humidity reoccur. Proper
remediation and protection of the HVAC system are crucial to
clean mold out of any building.
Exposure
to Toxic Mold and Mycotoxins (Mold Toxins) Can Cause Health
Problems
Recently, sick building syndrome has come into the public focus
as numerous schools, homes, and other buildings have been found
to have hazardous infestations of "black mold". This is
problematic as human exposure to toxic mold can cause severe
health problems including allergic reactions and immune
deficiency.
Toxic
mold exposure can sometimes be difficult to determine because
mold infestations can hide in walls, foundations, and
ventilation systems. Further, the mycotoxins (mold toxins) that
they produce are often invisible to the naked eye or appear as
dust. Thus, the toxic exposure is often determined through
symptom clusters. These clusters usually start with the weakest
including small children or elderly and first appear as flu-like
symptoms or asthma. Over time the toxic mold is able to weaken
the immune system as well as cause problems with the
neurological, respiratory, and digestive systems.
Because
of misinformation concerning the health hazards of mold
exposure; many property managers, home sellers, contractors, and
real estate agents think it is fine to paint over water damaged
and moldy materials. This can be problematic when a water
intrusion problem is not repaired as toxic mold thrives in dark
locations that have constant moisture.
Once a
toxic mold infestation gets started in a home or building, it
can often be difficult to remediate because mold infestations
are designed to reproduce through spores. These spores are
natural hitchhikers that can attach to almost anything and will
reactivate when moisture is reintroduced. If you believe your
home has a toxic mold infestation, make sure that proper
remediation including setting up proper barriers, protecting the
HVAC system, and a tear out of all water damaged & mold
materials is done. When remediating a mold infestation and
tearing out moldy materials, be careful as thousands if not
millions of mold spores can be spread throughout a home or
building.
Additional
Information on Toxic Mold
This
Website is designed to provide basic information about mold.
For specific information contact an expert in your area. Feel
free to go to the TexasLawyers.com website for additional
information on mold including
different
types of molds,
the
importance of mold environmental testing,
signs of
exposure to toxic mold,
potential causes of mold infestations,
detection of mold and water infiltration problems,
proper remediation of toxic mold, and
links
to other resources on toxic mold infestations and exposure.
This website is not intended as specific medical, legal, or
remediation advice. It is highly recommended that readers
consult their own experts including medical doctors, remediation
experts, and legal professionals for specific advice on any mold
problem they have. |
