Mold & Your Health

Mold is a silent hazard that can have serious impacts on your health. Exposure to indoor mold can lead to a range of symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, respiratory problems, chronic sinusitis, and even hives.

Mold thrives in moist environments, making it a common problem in many homes and buildings. Leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, as well as areas affected by flooding, are common hotspots for mold growth. Mold also loves to grow on paper and wood products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and ductwork. Dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery can also provide the perfect conditions for mold to flourish.

The most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus.  

Mold can enter your home through open doors and windows, vents, and your heating and air conditioning system. It can also be carried indoors on clothing, shoes, and pets. When mold spores land on moist surfaces like leaky roofs, pipes, or flooded areas, mold can quickly grow and spread.

Musty odors are a tell-tale sign of mold. You may also see visible mold growth or experience health symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, respiratory problems, and more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that exposure to moldy environments can have varying effects on health. Some individuals may be sensitive to molds and experience symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, itchy eyes, or skin. People with allergies to molds or asthma may have more intense reactions. Prolonged exposure to large amounts of mold in occupational settings can cause severe reactions such as fever and shortness of breath.

Studies have linked indoor mold exposure to upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing in healthy people and more severe asthma symptoms in people with asthma. A potential link between early mold exposure and the development of asthma in children has also been suggested.

While a connection between mold and memory loss, lethargy, and acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage has not been proven, further research is needed. Allergies to mold can be tested by some physicians, but there are no clinically proven tests to determine the source or timing of a mold exposure.