Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
• Burning or itchy eyes, dizziness, and/or nausea.
• Rashes and/or spontaneous bruises on the skin. Itching, welts, or hives.
• Behavior changes, such as restlessness, hypersensitivity, and irritableness.
• Low-grade fever (can feel like a flu that seems to never go away).
• Compromised immune system (a normally healthy person suddenly starts “catching
everything”).
• Chronic fatigue and/or hair loss.
• Fungi and molds can cause related lung diseases and cancers.
• In severe cases, toxic mold poisoning can lead to lung and brain hemorrhaging, per-
manent brain damage, and death.
(Adapted from Michael Pugliese,
The Home Owner's Guide to Mold
, and Gary Rosen and James Schaller,
Your
Guide to Mold Toxins
)
Caution:
When it comes to toxic-mold contamination, your health, home, and all of your
possessions are at stake. Delays could cost you everything you own and even your life.
Dealing with Mold
Any kind of flooding should be dealt with immediately, because mold will start to grow on wet
or moist surfaces in twenty-four to forty-eight hours, especially in warm climates. Since mold
loves to eat/grow on the paper that covers regular sheetrock, unless it has been specifically
treated with chemicals designed to prevent mold growth, water-damaged sheetrock must be re-
moved and replaced. A small amount of mold growing on the front side of sheetrock in a bath-
room or laundry area, or by a water heater or sink, could be a sign of a much more serious
problem hidden behind the sheetrock. If you have any concerns, I suggest that you pull off a
small section of sheetrock so you can use a mirror to look inside the wall at the sheetrock's
back side.
If your carpets and furniture are wet from flooding, if you find signs of mold, or feel sick
and suspect that mold may be the cause, I suggest that you immediately pick up one or two
topics on this subject and start educating yourself further on this important topic. Time is of the
essence. If your situation looks at all serious, you should immediately call a certified mold spe-
cialist. When I was living in Hawaii, if I knew then what I know now about mold, I could have
saved me and my family more than $100,000 in losses, long-term health issues, much
heartache, and suffering. When dealing with all but very small amounts of toxic black molds,
such as
Stachybotrys
, you should wear a respirator and protective clothing. When in doubt, it is
best to err on the side of caution and bring in a certified mold-remediation professional.
