Summer in South Florida is sunshine, beach days, outdoor concerts, heavy humidity and hot, hot, hot! We Floridians rely on the air conditioning inside our homes to give us relief from the intense heat and humidity outdoors. So if the air conditioner fails and the humidity rises to oppressive levels inside, it must be taken care of immediately, not only for comfort, but to avoid quick, concentrated mold growth.
Did you know that some molds can be more poisonous to you and your body than pesticides? It has been shown that many homes in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs or Naples have mold in them; up to 25%. Everyone is at risk for mold poisoning. It doesn’t matter your age, gender, or the climate you live in – mold can be there.
Mold causes many of different health issues. It can even be deadly, despite what some people say. Some people aren’t as sensitive to mold as others are, but mold does cause health issues.
Some of these include:
Rash – Some people are allergic to mold which can then cause a rash to appear on their body. In severe cases, mold can cause inflammation in your throat. It is not rare for mold to make rashes and hives appear.
Cough – Mold spores are very light and travel by air. It is very easy for mold spores to be inhaled. When they are inhaled, it creates irritation in the lining of your throat, causing you to cough.
Sore Throat – If you are allergic to mold, a sore throat is your body’s way of defending itself from the allergen. Your immune system sees the mold as a threat and your throat can inflame in response. Inhaling the mold spores can also cause a sore throat. The mold spores can cause irritation in your throat, lungs, and airways.
Asthma – Mold doesn’t necessarily cause asthma, but mold can bring on asthma attacks in people with asthma. When exposed to mold, the person’s symptoms will get worse. You may experience more asthma attacks, a very tight chest, and the attacks will seem longer than usual.
Fatigue – Exposure to mold can make it hard to breathe for people who have pneumonia or other respiratory problems. The difficulty in breathing can make you feel tired.
Some of these symptoms are very common if you’ve been exposed to mold in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Naples. Others are rare. Most people who have experienced an exposure to mold get a rash, cough, or a sore throat. It is very common for people with asthma to have an increase in asthma attacks. It’s not as common though for you to feel tired.
A mold problem will not go away on its own. The longer you wait to address the issue, the more mold spores can spread, making the situation progressively worse and becoming more expensive to clean up and more dangerous for people and pets.
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