<h4>What symptoms might I see?

</h4>
The most common health problems caused by indoor mold are allergy symptoms.
Although other and more serious problems can occur, people exposed to mold commonly
report problems such as:

nasal and sinus congestion

cough
wheeze/breathing difficulties
sore throat
skin and eye irritation
upper respiratory infections (including sinus)
<h5>Can mold make me and my family sick?</h5>
Mold can affect the health of people who are exposed to it. People are mainly
exposed to mold by breathing spores or other tiny fragments. People can also be
exposed through skin contact with mold contaminants (for example, by touching moldy
surfaces) and by swallowing it.

The type and severity of health effects that mold may produce are usually difficult
to predict. The risks can vary greatly from one location to another, over time, and
from person to person.
<h5>Should I be concerned about mold in my home?</h5>
Mold should not be permitted to grow and multiply indoors. When this happens,
health problems can occur and building materials, goods and furnishings may be
damaged.
<h5>Is all Black Mold Toxic?</h5>
"Black Mold" is a term commonly used to describe molds that are black and slimy. It
is also often used in reference to toxic mold; molds that are know to present
health risks to humans and animals by producing Mycotoxins (poisons). Mycotoxins
are fungal metabolites that have been identified as toxic agents.

It should be noted, however, that not all black mold is toxic and that not all
toxic mold is black. In fact, there are over 400,000 different types of mold and
many of them are black in color of which only a portion have been identified. Black
mold and/or toxic mold are terms often used in reference to Stachybotrys, (stack-
ee-bot-ris) aka: Stachybotrys chartarum, aka: Stachybotrys atra.

Many fungi (e.g., species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma, and

Memnoniella) in addition to Stachybotrys can produce potent mycotoxins, some of
which are identical to compounds produced by Stachybotrys. For this reason,
Stachybotrys cannot be treated as uniquely toxic in indoor environments
<h5>Know what you are dealing with.</h5>
If you were told you have an animal in your house, your first question would be,
"What kind of animal?" Based on the answer, you will know the best way to "suit up"
for the encounter. If you know you have a kitty-cat, you may need a pair of gloves
to keep from getting scratched. If you know you have a lion, you might want a whip,
a chair, and a pistol just in case. Same with mold. If you are going to clean up
some common allergenic molds you will need a cheap dust mask and a pair of rubber
gloves. If you are going to clean up toxic mold, you will need an expensive
respirator and other protective gear. Perhaps you will want to set up a containment
area to keep toxic mold spores from contaminating other areas of your home. Taping
off vents and duct work can help prevent the spread of toxic spores into the HVAC
system as well.
<h4>Health Issue Warning:</h4>
This should be the number one concern of anyone who has a potential mold problem
and the primary reason for having a mold inspection. Every day we seem to learn
more about mold and its health ramifications. Some people experience extreme
reactions to mold, while others can live in moldy environments for years while
others Every individual has a different sensitivity to mold and longer term
exposure to mold contamination can lead to permanent chronic health respirator
issues.
There are hundreds of thousands of mold types. Approximately 40 known variations of
mold are common to indoor environments, and they cause a myriad of health risks,
such as: allergy attacks, arthritic aching, asthma, bloody nose, bronchitis,
coughing, chronic head-aches, depression, dizziness, fatigue, hearing, loss of
memory, nausea, pneumonia, restlessness, runny nose, sight, sinus congestion, skin
itch, skin rashes, sneezing, trouble breathing, watery eyes, stiffness, balance or
equilibrium loss. If you believe you or your loved ones are experiencing these
symptoms and you're concerned about mold, call an AMI Certified Mold Inspector now.