Last Updated on May 2, 2016
The presence of a mold infestation in your house can be difficult for you to identify. This is particularly so if the mold is not particularly noticeable. Of course, there are some homes where a mold infestation can be very high, so much so that the air smells musty. In such environments, it is very easy to know that your house has a mold problem, and you will call up a mold removing contractor to come and get rid of it.
In some other cases, however, things might be more difficult. If the mold is present in very small quantities, you may not be able to see or even smell it. However, the spores in the air could still be inhaled, and end up causing illness particularly in susceptible people. You can therefore use this as a sign to get mold remediation services. Some of the things that can point to an overt mold infestation include:
When you have a pneumonia-like illness that is difficult to treat
You may develop a condition that mimics pneumonia, in that it manifests as a cough, difficulty in breathing and chest pain. You may take a number of antibiotics for some time, without any respite. In such cases, you should entertain the idea that the problem might be caused by fungi rather than bacteria. Normally, antibiotics will not affect fungi. You can therefore call a mold removal inspector to check the home for the presence of mold, and then remove it if they find it. You may be surprised to find that you actually get better a few days after this.
You get an allergic reaction when you visit certain rooms
In some cases, you may notice that you end up getting an allergic reaction when you visit mold-infested parts of the house, such as the basement. Some of the manifestations of an allergic reaction include having a runny nose, red and itchy eyes, cough and wheeze. The onset of these symptoms is usually sudden, and can be resolved if you simply move away from the region with the mold. In many cases, people who develop this reaction usually have other known allergies, or conditions such as asthma.
You get an intermittent flu-like illness
Some people also get a flu-like illness that comes and goes, but without any definable cause. It can be frustrating to be getting sick every so often, and sometimes this can be attributed to the fungi in the air. These illnesses are mostly mild, but there are some people who end up getting very severe reactions due to a weakening of their immune system.
These are just a few of the health manifestations of a mold infection. However, how do you go about getting rid of the mold? There are some people who will simply assume that the above problems are caused by mold, and then go about buying chemicals that can be used for mold removal. However, you need to have a more technical approach towards the problem if you are to solve it properly.
The most ideal first step would be to consult a mold removal expert. They are usually the best to deal with such cases, because they will first assess the degree of mold infestation. If it turns out that your house has no mold, you can then try to find other causes of the above illnesses, and avoid wasting money on mold removal. However, if it turns out that your home does have a mold problem, they can use advanced methods of removal to ensure that the problem never recurs. This is an issue that you may not be able to achieve on your own.