If you or someone you love has asthma, you understand the critical importance of keeping your living space allergen free. What you may not know, however, is that some of the most troublesome allergens might be present in amounts that make daily existence a tormenting ordeal for those with respiratory ailments. More than a mere nuisance, common mold can worsen asthma, and it’s up to you to take action.
How Mold Exacerbates Allergies
The National Institutes of Health, or NIH, refers to mold as a trigger. This means that it can make asthma and allergies worse.
How does this work? Mold is a common name for a vast range of fungus species that reproduce by releasing spores. These tiny bodies float along on air currents until they land in spots that they find hospitable and grow new mold cells. Because they’re microscopic, spores are easy to inhale, and depending on how sensitive your immune system is, you may experience asthmatic reactions like persistent congestion and respiratory irritation.
When mold colonies disperse their spores, they can release them in the millions. In addition to potentially causing allergy and asthma symptoms, spores can land in damp zones inside your home and propagate mold that begins the cycle all over again. For asthmatic individuals, it’s even harder to find relief because the mold species that would normally lie dormant during winter can thrive all year long in the warm climates inside human habitations.
How Can I Fight Mold?
Eradicating mold can be of definite help to people living with asthma. Common atmospheric control methods include regularly cleaning dehumidifiers and changing the filters in air conditioners, heaters and other comfort appliances. Some people also install HEPA filtration systems.
Modify your living conditions to make them less hospitable to mold. Like other fungi, mold requires moisture to grow. Simple fixes like replacing or cleaning moldy shower curtains, repairing leaky faucets and examining your home for standing water are all smart strategies.
It’s especially important to have your property inspected following a flood. Moisture that permits the growth of mold may be lurking hidden inside walls, facades, basements, insulation and other structural materials. In some cases, professional assessments and remediation activities are the only ways to find and eliminate such allergens.
Mold is a serious problem for those with allergies or asthma, and working with an expert is usually the most effective way to relieve their woes. To discover more about your New Jersey air control and mold options, contact the experts at Flood and Mold NJ today.