Toxic Mold in Your Santa Cruz Home and What to Do About It

If your Santa Cruz home becomes mold-infested, you will need to take action. Mold likes to grow in damp environments, and the close proximity to the coastline makes many Santa Cruz homes the perfect place for toxic mold to grow. Not all molds are dangerous, but toxic mold can cause serious health problems and make it difficult for you to sell your home when the time comes.

What Is Toxic Mold?

Toxic mold is a dangerous type of black mold that sometimes grows in homes. Mold reproduces by sending spores into the air. The spores that are released by toxic mold are called mycotoxins, and they can interfere with DNA replication in your cells. This can lead to serious health problems including several types of cancer. It can also irritate allergies and cause a variety of respiratory problems.

Where to Find Mold

Mold thrives in room temperature environments that are slightly moist. Mold will grow on surfaces like wood, tile, grout, plaster, paint, and even some fabrics. It spreads quickly, and it is best to deal with it before it invades many areas of your home. You can find mold in basements and crawlspaces, in air conditioning duct joints, behind wallpaper, underneath washing machines, in poorly ventilated bathrooms, in closets, and under carpets or other upholstery. It can also be found in or around appliances that are typically moist, such as your air conditioner or refrigerator.

Identifying Toxic Mold Symptoms

Unfortunately, you may not be able to spot toxic mold before it begins to affect your family members. Remember, toxic mold can cause serious health problems in otherwise healthy people, and you cannot see the spores that cause these symptoms. You need to watch for toxic mold symptoms, which include:

* Memory problems
* Anxiety
* Shortness of breath
* Headaches
* Unexplained numbness
* Sore throat
* Unexplained pain
* Cough
* Loss of hair
* Rashes
* Tiredness
* Fibromyalgia
* Tremors

If you spot these symptoms unexpectedly, consult a doctor and start looking for toxic mold.

What to Do About Toxic Mold

If you find toxic mold in your home, you may be able to clean it yourself. Areas of mold that are smaller than three square feet can be cleaned with bleach and water. Spray the area with a bleach and water solution, and then allow it to dry thoroughly. Then, make sure that you add windows, vents, ceiling fans, or dehumidifiers to the room in order to keep a new batch of mold from developing.

If the area of mold infestation is larger than three square feet, it will have to be dealt with by a professional mold expert. You may need to have the mold tested to determine if it is, in fact, toxic mold. If you do have toxic mold in your home, you will have to disclose this fact to any potential buyers if you are going to sell your home.

About the Author

Seb Frey is a Capitola, California Real Estate Broker specializing in Santa Cruz Real Estate. He is fluent in Spanish and enjoys helping people find their piece of the American Dream in Santa Cruz. You can find Seb's blog at SantaCruzHomeBroker.com/blog.

Author Profile: sebfrey

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