Can Mould Cause Allergic Reactions?

All too frequently, mould may be seen developing in homes where there is dampness, appearing as dark patches on the walls and ceilings. If mould patches are not removed, they can spread quickly, become ugly, and damage paintwork. 

Once they get entrenched, mould issues can be difficult to resolve and, regrettably, can harm a home's occupants by making some medical conditions worse as well as causing painful, and potentially dangerous allergic reactions.

Where does mould come from

Mould grows from microscopic spores that are carried on the air.  You will find mould spores almost anywhere, and they are present as part of normal household dust, although unless they have the right conditions, they do not start to grow.

To begin to colonise a surface, mould needs moisture and still air. In well ventilated parts of your home that have good air flow, the spores are unable to settle for long enough to start absorbing moisture, but in areas with still air, and moisture, such as behind furniture, or seldom used rooms, they start to develop very quickly.  The speed with which mould colonises an area is surprising.  In some cases, there will be visible black patches on the walls or ceiling within 48 hours of the mould arriving.

Mould first appears as a dark patch on a surface, and if it is left for long enough, it will start to develop thin white filaments above the dark layer.  These filaments, called hyphae, release more spores which causes the mould to spread elsewhere.

Is mould an allergen?

There are more than 100,000 different species of mould, although not all are found in domestic settings.  In fact, not all moulds are bad.  Penicillin and some other antibiotics are actually made from mould, so they can be beneficial, however, several of the moulds that grow in homes can be bad for your health.

The spores that mould grows from are the main allergen that affect people.  Although mould spores are commonplace and found almost everywhere, the concentrations that they reach in normal situations is extremely low, and although you might inhale them, they rarely cause a problem, however in a room that is infected with a large colony of mould, the concentration of spores in the air increases substantially, meaning that more are inhaled with every breath.  If they are caught in the airways or eyes, they can be irritating, causing a cough, respiratory problems, and soreness.

Is mould toxic?

Some moulds, including toxic black mould or Stachybotrys Chartarum can be highly toxic to people and animals.  Stachybotrys Chartarum looks similar to other kinds of mould, but in addition to the spores that it releases, it also leads to the presence of some mycotoxins in the air.  These can be very damaging to health, particularly in older people or those with weaker immune systems or conditions like asthma. 

It is important to remove mould as quickly as possible, but if you suspect that your house has Stachybotrys Chartarum present, it is essential that it is cleared professionally before it becomes a problem.

How to eradicate mould

Mould is relatively easy to clean away, but you do need to take care when removing it.  Unless you suspect that you have a problem with a toxic black mould, you can normally clean it yourself.  Dilute bleach will kill the mould on your walls and make it easy to remove.

When cleaning mould, you should wear gloves, a mask and eye protection to prevent inhalation.  Wipe the mould off the surface with a cloth – avoid scrubbing vigorously, as this can simply spread the mould spores elsewhere.  Once you have finished cleaning the mould away, dispose of your cloth and gloves so that you don’t transfer mould spores onto other surfaces.

Unfortunately, simply cleaning mould away is rarely enough.  Mould is a symptom of a bigger problem – damp – and as long as you have the underlying damp problem, the mould will return every few weeks, potentially creating a health risk in your home.

In order to prevent mould permanently, you need to stop damp and that means removing the cause of the damp.

In most cases, damp is due to condensation being allowed to soak into porous surfaces such as wood or plaster.  Reducing the amount of moisture in the air in your home can be the only way to prevent condensation damp from occurring, and in most cases, this requires improved ventilation to be present.

Find out More

If you are concerned about the risk to your health caused by Mould problems, and want to prevent it in your home, contact us today.  Our local ventilation specialists can advise you about the causes of damp in your property and give you information about the best way to solve your problems with mould and damp.  Book a free home survey today and take the first step to getting rid of mould for good.