There are dozens and dozens of mold inspection kits and professionals in the world to help your quest for mold detections.  However, mold testing is not limited to just what you can look up on the Internet or in a phonebook.  It is easy to notice that you have a problem when you know what you need to look for.  Here are some signs that indicate that you may have a mold problem.  The biggest thing you need to be aware of is the various manifestations of moisture in your house. Remember that black mold is a living organism that, like many other organisms in the world, requires moisture in order to survive. Keep these water levels in check either in the air, the walls, the pipes, or any other place where moisture could reside so that you may prevent black mold issues.

Where is water in your house unchecked?  Do you live in a climate of high humidity?

Obtain a dehumidifier to prevent the moisture in the air from fostering fungal growth.  You do not want a relative humidity level of over 55%.  Do you have leaking water pipes?  Pipes control where there water in your house goes so if they do not work this can be a problem.  Is your roof leaking?  A roof is your shelter from the elements so if it is leaking it is not the best shelter in the world and it may usher in a toxic substance instead of preventing one.  Are there damp locations where there is little air ventilation, like your basement or attic?  This is the perfect environment for black mold.  Do you have many houseplants?  The more plants you have, the more you need to water and therefore the more moisture you put into your house.  Has there been a flood recently?  An excessive amount of water in your house is problematic because it brings forth a wave of moisture you may have extreme difficulty in controlling.

Use your senses to help you. Does something smell musty or like mildew? You may have a mold problem. Do you have difficulty breathing? You may have a mold problem. Is the paint on your walls cracked? Is the wood warped? Are the walls discolored? You can use your vision to see that there is a dangerous amount of moisture in the domicile. The first step to getting rid of mold is controlling these levels of moisture. The next step is to seek professional help. Good luck!

Mold problems can cause homeowners and business managers a lot of headaches, and other poor health reactions for everyone involved. Since certain types of mold can be deadly, one must take immediate action to purify a building and prevent further spread of this spore-bore invader. Mold prevention narrows down to one solution: moisture control.

Mold’s favorite hangouts.

Mold spores float in the air all around us but only set up house when they find the right environment for growth. Damp areas are real estate “open house” signs for migrant mold organisms.

They can multiply and feed off your building’s paint, carpet, woodwork, leather, or other composite and porous materials. Some surfaces will never be restored after mold has set in. Since black mold can cause fatalities if left unchecked, one cannot be too careful in remodeling and refinishing an area for greater mold resistance. Ceiling tiles, carpet, and other porous finishes may not be thoroughly cleanable and have to be removed entirely. Non-porous surfaces should be scoured with water and soap.

Prevent mold growth.

New interior finish products prevent mold growth. Certain types of drywall board, tape, and mud offer a design that will not feed mold. Combine that with new paints, stains, and other surface finishes that prevent the growth of mold and mildew and you will prevent further problems over the long term. None of these changes, however, will be sufficient if you do not solve the building’s moisture problem.

Simple measures will make a building more mold resistant. Examine all areas where water might be used. Water usage areas will eventually become water spillage areas. Water fountains will splatter, sinks can get plugged and overflow, and pipes may sweat and drip condensation on occasion. The area around a water fountain should be tile or other washable surface from the floor area and up the wall at least a foot above the water source. Install sinks on a drip-stop counter top with back splash and surrounded by vinyl flooring or tile. Bathrooms need smooth surface flooring and should be partitioned with metal or plastic partitions, not wood. If an area with a water supply needs carpet for sound or aesthetic reasons, lay out a rug that can be removed an washed when needed or in case of flooding. Wrap your metal pipes and other plumbing with insulation tape. This will stabilize the surface temperature of the pipes and stop water from condensation

Targeting mold trouble spots.

Water leaks of any sort make fertile ground for all types of mold and mildew. If you find wet spots in your ceiling, it will only be a matter of time before you have mold. Seek professional help to locate the source of trouble in your roof. Older metal roofs such as on schools or large buildings, the screws may need to be reseated to prevent leakage. You may need a total roof job if there has been damage or the surface has worn out. The sooner repair is made, the lest money you will have to spend restoring the interior.

Basements and earth-berm buildings beckon for water seepage. Check for foundation cracks or other obvious areas where water can be giving life to microorganisms. In some situations, a foundation wall will have to be excavated so drainage tile may be installed and the surrounding earth sloped away from the wall instead of toward it.
Check around your water supply areas inside. You may find slowly leaking pipes that help a mold colony thrive. Clogged drain pipes can seep around the joints as well. As much as a person might not want to think about a little leak, ignoring the problem does not make it go away. Neglected leaks from roofs, foundations, or plumbing will only create more problems.

Minimize moisture.

In any building, uncontrolled humidity will create ongoing mold problems. Relative humidity must be kept between 30% to 60%. This can be controlled by heating in winter and air conditioning in summer. Additional help comes year round by running a dehumidifier in particularly moist environments. Install a humidity sensor or mold detector to let you know if changes must be made. Ionic air purifiers help as well, however since not all spores will be prevented this technology must be combined with a moisture stable environment.

Black mold, or mold of any color, can be detrimental to human health, necessitating treatment. Black mold exposure treatment is important to those who have been exposed to black mold. Black mold is a term that is used to describe any of a variety of molds that are common in the home. In most instances, exposure to black mold causes very mild symptoms. This is due to the fact that a mold spore is perceived by the immune system as an allergen – and can cause all of the symptoms of allergens – from running nose to coughing to sneezing and watery eyes. Nonetheless, there are instances when toxic black mold is severe and when toxic black mold exposure treatment is needed.

Black Mold Physical Symptoms

Exposure to non-toxic black mold can cause all of the symptoms that one normally experiences with allergies.  It is often the case that those folks who are exposed to non-toxic black mold assume that they have developed a sinus infection or a cold, without ever thinking that they have been exposed to black mold at all.  But toxic black mold is different.  This mold can affect your body systems, and it can cause damage to your nerves and cells.  The longer you are exposed, the worse the damage. The black mold symptoms that can signify a problem that is beyond simple allergies to mold include:

• Asthma attacks
• Breathing difficulty
• Chronic upper respiratory infection
• Cough with bloody mucous
• Diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Recurring headache
• Repeated infections of the ear

• Ear pain
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Lack of appetite
• Muscle pain
• Sudden loss of weight
• Swelling in armpit
• Swelling in the neck

If you notice these black mold symptoms, you should seek out the help of a medical practitioner immediately.

Black Mold Exposure Treatment: Non-Toxic Mold

If you have been exposed to black mold, the first thing that must be done it to clean it up or look into hiring a professional mold company to do it for you.  Mold typically grows in the kitchen or the bathroom, but it can grow anywhere that the moisture exists for it to thrive.  After the mold has been eradicated from your home, you can use regular cold and allergy medications to treat your physical symptoms.  Usually, buying an over-the-counter cold remedy or even natural home remedies such as ginger and lemon are sufficient to treating any problems that arise from exposure to black mold.

Black Mold Exposure Treatment: Toxic Mold

The black mold exposure treatment that you will need if you have been exposed to toxic mold is a bit different. For starters, medical professionals will recommend that you add more potassium and calcium to your diet. This will help your body to fight the effects of the black mold. Discuss the black mold exposure treatment with your doctor. Your doctor will likely want to prescribe an inhaler or some form of breathing medicine that can help you to fight off the effects of the black mold and the damages that it might have caused.

The importance of cleaning up the black mold within your home cannot be stressed enough. Black mold treatment options nearly always involve removing any mold or mold-spore infested carpeting, wallboards, insulation or other building materials, and finding the source of the moisture that caused the black mold growth in the first place. Although this can be an expensive and tedious process, hiring a professional mold company to do the job can be a wise investment in the health and happiness of your family and the enjoyment that you have in your home.

It’s important to react quickly the moment you notice any mold. Mold grows so fast, that it only takes between 24 and 48 hours to be mature enough to propagate. A week of mold can cause a lot of damage to surfaces and items, not to mention the health hazards that it poses. This article will give you tips on how to deal with black mold.

First, it important to know that black mold does not come as a result of any kind of dirt. Whether clean of dirty, your home can get black mold. It comes because of damp and humid conditions, so anything from leaky pipes to water that wasn’t dried off properly, to flooding or burst pipes can lead to black mold.

Secondly, I already mentioned the rate at which black mold grows. If it starts now, in 24 – 48 hours, you can safely say that you have a black mold problem. You need to react very swiftly the moment you notice it. The problem is that it may be in places we don’t look every day and so will keep multiplying without our knowledge.

You need to get rid of the spores and to do this, you can use bleach or disinfectant to wipe the entire affected area. Once you have applied the bleach, make sure that you dry out the area completely so that the mold doesn’t recur.

If you find that the black mold is spreading and has covered large areas, its wise to call a mold remover – they use specialized chemicals to get rid of the mold.

If there are certain spots in your home that suffer this mold frequently, you might want to investigate the source of the moisture so that you can get rid of the problem permanently.

You can use dehumidifiers to make sure that the area gets dry and also that the mold doesn’t spread. Air purifiers also come in handy for removing all contaminants from the air. You can use your vacuum cleaner to deal with small amounts of black mold, but remember to treat it for black mold after that. Don’t use it on any other area in the house until you do.

A steam cleaner also does a perfect job of sucking up the mold, but just like the vacuum cleaner, you must treat if for black mold before you can use in other places.

The bottom line to avoiding the growth of any kind of mold or mildew in your house is to ensure that surfaces and items remain dry as much as possible. In areas that are hardly used, you should look in regularly to make sure that you don’t have growths of any kind in the room. If you have a spillage, maybe from a burst pipe or flooding, you should drain the water right away, and then dry the area completely.