Can Mould In Your House Make You Sick?

Mould that goes unnoticed for long periods of time can definitely cause health issues for those who live or work within the property. Mould can grow in all sorts of structures in your property including the carpet underlay, walls, floors, the roof, basement structures and anywhere where there is low light, low air flow and enough moisture to create the right conditions for mould to start growing. Mould that has not been treated can certainly make you sick, especially as soon as it begins to become airborne and enter air passageways causing irritation. Here we’ll outline the health risks associated with mould in your property.

Why does mould make you sick?

Tiny amounts of mould exposure most likely will not make you sick, however across sustained periods of exposure along with mould that is growing, it can definitely cause irritation and respiratory issues for anyone who has come into contact with it. Those who are most at risk are people with compromised immune systems including children and the elderly and anyone with chronic lung disease or asthma. Mould makes you sick because it establishes a new area in the home to grow and starts to create hundreds and thousands of spores which become airborne and are inhaled by those living or working at the property. Once these spores enter your respiratory system your body works hard to get rid of them and remove them. This causes the range of symptoms you may experience.

The spores can cause adverse reactions within your body and the symptoms usually range between typical allergy-like symptoms to more severe symptoms including headaches and stomach problems. You can experience side effects including headaches, a sore throat, a runny nose, coughing, sneezing and fatigue along with stomach pain. If you suspect you are sick or are experiencing allergy-like symptoms in response to mould exposure, seek your medical professional immediately for advice. You should also hire a professional mould remediation specialist in the area, who will have certified technicians to remove the mould and clean the affected structures safely.

What Should I Do If Have Mould?

1. Get an expert inspection – it’s important to determine the type of mould you have. In most cases professionals are required to fully remove the mould. So to avoid health issues have an expert check the areas affected.

2. If possible to clean yourself, make sure you are well equipped (including a mask and overalls) and be sure not to spread the mould in your attempts to remove it.

3. Dampen the mouldy area well with a rag and plain water, this will help stop mould spores from entering the air.

4. Once the affected areas have been soaked, remove the mouldy materials (ideally under negative air pressure) to stop them from reforming.

5. Once all areas of mould have been removed and treated, the property must be dried to ensure that mould does not grow again. Call Kleen-Tech for an expert inspection if you’re based anywhere in Melbourne or the surrounding suburbs.