Beware Of Mold In Your Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Home or Condo
July 10, 2008
Whether you own a Fort Lauderdale real estate home or condo, or plan on purchasing one soon, there are several things you need to be on the lookout for. One of the most important things to be watchful about in a home is mold. Mold is a living organism that can grow in even the cleanest of environments.
Why Mold Grows in Your Home
Molds are part of the natural environment and can occur in any home. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air.
Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture. As any Fort Lauderdale real estate resident knows, moisture from humidity in our area is quite high.
Can Mold Cause Health Problems?
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.
How Do I Get Rid Of Mold?
It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust. The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don’t fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.
Be diligent looking for mold in area of your Fort Lauderdale real estate home or condo that may have constant exposure to moisture. Some of the best places to be aware of are the closet that houses your air handler, under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, and bathtubs and showers that may have cracks or missing grout around tiles.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
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