How Mold Impacts Indoor Air Quality: What You Need to Know

Most people associate mold with damp, hidden spaces in their basements or bathroom areas that experience high humidity. Mold is more than just an eyesore as it significantly affects indoor air quality. Anyone coming into contact with mold infestation can face numerous problems because mold affects indoor air quality and has repercussions for your health.

This blog explores the relationship between mold and indoor air quality and explains why it is important to have clean air inside your home. It also presents viable solutions to rectify the situation. Readers seeking information about mold-related health issues and home air quality will find this blog particularly informative and instructive. 

What Is Mold And How Does It Affect Indoor Air Quality?

Mold is a kind of fungus that grows in warm and moist places. It can be found both inside and outside homes. Mold spores are present in the air and are invisible to the naked eye. When they find favorable conditions, they attach themselves to that space and start growing. Mold spores can easily enter the human body, cause problems, and affect indoor air quality. 

So, how does mold affect indoor air quality? Well, mold spores disperse through the air and can cause several health issues. They are airborne and can travel anywhere inside your house. The spread of spores brings issues like respiratory problems, allergies, and the development of chronic conditions such as asthma. Patients, children (especially infants), elderly folks, and people with compromised immune systems are especially at risk. 

Common Signs Of Mold In Your Home

Let us learn to identify mold presence in our homes. Here are some telltale signs which indicate mold growth in your home:

• Musty odors in the air.
• Visible patches of mold on walls, ceilings, or floors.
• Heightened moisture levels or condensation accumulation, especially in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.
• A sudden and unexplained surge in health issues such as coughing, sneezing, and itchy eyes.

You should investigate further when you notice these signs in your home. An immediate response helps address the mold and indoor air quality problem before it escalates. 

How Mold Impacts Indoor Air Quality?

Mold releases spores and mycotoxins (microbial volatile organic compounds mVOCs and VOCs) that pollute your indoor air. These particles can produce respiratory complications, allergies, dizziness, and other issues. Let’s look at them in detail. 

Respiratory Problems

Mold spores can easily enter our lungs. We won’t feel anything when we inhale them. Asthmatic people and those with pre-existing respiratory disorders are more vulnerable and experience an aggravation in their medical conditions. Continuous mold exposure can lead all individuals to experience breathing problems, followed by coughing and wheezing.

Allergies

Mold is the leading cause of indoor allergens. When you encounter mold, it can trigger allergic reactions, manifesting in sneezing, watery discharge from your nose, eye itching, and skin rashes. Exposure to mold makes you more vulnerable to seasonal allergic reactions. The intensification of your allergy or respiratory symptoms signals mold contamination in a house with poor indoor air quality.

Toxic Reactions

Mold’s harmful health effects stem from mycotoxins produced by black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum) and other mold species. People exposed to mold over an extended period may develop symptoms like increased tiredness, headaches, dizziness, and even forgetfulness. You should respond instantly if mold looks like it is contaminating your indoor air quality.

The Impact Of Poor Indoor Air Quality

A stuffy environment, musty smell, and heightened humidity are all signs of mold and indoor air quality problems. It can lead to serious health problems, as concluded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Mold remediation is vital for better indoor air quality because mold and indoor air quality are interlinked.

What Can You Do About Mold And Indoor Air Quality?

Having established mold’s impact on indoor air quality, let us examine methods to resolve the situation.

Control Humidity Levels

Clearing away wet conditions from your home serves as the primary defense since mold needs humidity to grow. A dehumidifier acts as an effective tool to reduce humidity in spaces such as basements, kitchens, and bathrooms. Installing exhaust fans also helps remove high moisture from areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Regularly Inspect For Mold

Inspect all spaces where mold development is possible, including beneath sinks, walls, behind appliances, and bathroom corners. Once you spot mold, don’t delay removing it. 

Repair Water Leaks

Water leaks from pipes and roofs produce suitable mold-growing environments. Any observed signs of water damage require an immediate response to deal with the leak. Quick resolution to leaking problems will decrease potential mold spread.

Improve Ventilation

Proper ventilation of your house or workplace will help decrease moisture accumulation. You can maintain proper air circulation by opening windows, using fans, and installing HEPA-filter air purifiers, discouraging mold growth. 

Conclusion

Mold negatively affects your breathing and physical well-being. Awareness of mold and indoor air quality relationships allows you to work on properly protecting your home. You can prevent mold development through routine checkups, humidity control, and repairing leaks. When you notice mold signs in your environment, take immediate remedial action. 

Elite Commercial Inspections can perform inspections to check for mold in commercial properties. Our trained experts will scan for mold problems that degrade indoor air quality in your space. Contact us immediately to schedule an inspection that protects your environment, lets you breathe clean air and keeps you safe from contaminants.