Thread: Can mold really impact your health?

I'm just wondering if anyone has had any experience with mold and it's impacts on health. I'm pretty sure I have a water leak on my downstairs shower and chances are it would be causing mold to grow behind the wall. It's one of those out of sight out of mind problems, being downstairs it doesn't leak into any location in the house we would notice, and even at that it's a leak caused by worn out valves so it's really slow.

So I'm just wondering if anyone has had any experiences, either personal or work related regarding mold and it's health impacts. I've read a ton of stuff that says it does, however the source of such information appears to come mainly from people trying to sell some product or service.

It's main health effect is allergy related. It can manifest as fatigue, runny nose, itchy eyes, etc. Although if you grow some monster mold colony that really starts dumping spores in the air I would bet this could lead to some respiratory health issues. If you live in a warm climate, you could grow something pretty big quickly.

This is one of those things that costs relatively little to repair while it's small but if you continue to let the mold grow (assuming there is any) it could require the replacement of a lot of the wall(s) and flooring. In my area (Central Texas) houses have been condemned and completely torn down due to mold growth. You should get it checked out ASAP.

There's a commercial on TV for some new product called Tilex Mold or something similar. Maybe that would help? I recently ripped up the laminate floor in the bathroom and found mold. I'm vacillating with a solution, call the landlord or don't call the landlord about it. All I did was pour hand antibacterial stuff on it and put the floor back and then sealed the base of the tub.

Bleach is more effective and much cheaper. Fill a spray bottle with water and a few ounces of Clorox (I think a 4-1 mixture water/bleach should be more than adequate - probably overkill) and spray down the area where mold is suspected. Allow the area to dry before resealing.

There are commercial mold inhibitors but bleach is a solid performer in my experience and there's always enough left over to get my shorts extra white!

I don't think mold woul be a health issue. My bath tub has some stuff growing on the bottom of it. I've been told I should clean my tub, but I don't see the point. It hasn't bothered me yet. So why bother.

well
it may have an impact on health
as it gives rise to allergies which may include erratic skin conditions, breathing problems , etc
Poor indoor air quality is one of the most important health issues we face today. Molds and fungi are found in virtually every environment and can be detected, both indoors and outdoors, year round. The number of species of existing molds and fungi is estimated from tens of thousands to three hundred thousand or more. Molds and fungi produce and release millions of spores small enough to be air-, water-, or insect-borne. They can also produce toxic agents known as mycotoxins. Spores and mycotoxins can have negative effects on human health including allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory problems.

Can mold be toxic? Some molds produce toxic substances called mycotoxins. Airborne mycotoxins have not been shown to cause health problems for occupants in residential or commercial buildings. The health effects of breathing mycotoxins are not well understood and are currently under study. In rare cases, high or chronic airborne exposures, typically associated with certain occupations like agricultural work, have been associated with illnesses. More is known about the health effects of consuming moldy foods or feed containing mycotoxins than about the effects of breathing mycotoxins.

More at:

http://www.aiha.org/GovernmentAffair...tml/oomold.htm

http://www.immunesupport.com/library...le.cfm/id/3632

As a student I lived in very damp and mouldy houses and I think it defo impacted on my health. I once got this really bad cough that lasted about 9 months. It was so bad that my stomach muscles used to ache when I coughed. I beleive it might have something to do with the mould spores inthe air.

The constant and direct inhalation of mold would be damaging to the respiratory system, however, unless you are allergic it is not such a large health concern as other substances.

Yes, if its on the bricks on your workshop wall behinde your rocketship

Did I miss the announcement of a prize for Necromancer of the Week?

Closed.