Why You Need to Prevent Mold Growth in Your Bathroom

Bathrooms are a hot spot in the home for mold, and it’s not hard to see why—they’re small, enclosed spaces that deal with a lot of dampness, and all too often they don’t get the ventilation they need.

It’s not enough to just know what causes mold growth and how to prevent it—it’s also important to understand why it’s so critical that you do everything you can to prevent mold growth. Here are just a few of these reasons, from a plumber in Las Vegas, NV:

• Molds are often toxic: A few of the most common types of mold found in the home include aspergillus, stachybotrys chartarum (black mold) and cladosporium. All three of these types of mold can be toxic, even potentially causing severe allergic reactions in people predisposed to allergies or asthma-like conditions. Black mold is especially dangerous, and in rare cases can cause disease and internal bleeding.
• Mood: Did you know that exposure to mold can affect your mood? It’s true—reports studied in the American Journal of Public Health have outlined this issue. Researchers found that depression in people living in moldy homes was 34 to 44 percent higher than for people who lived in homes that were not affected by mold. People in those moldy homes reported feeling a lack of energy, and a general malaise.
• Pets: Mold isn’t just hazardous to humans—it’s also very dangerous for pets. Your household pets can significantly suffer from unchecked mold growth. Even minor exposure to mold spores can result in mold poisoning, symptoms of which include coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, bleeding from mucous membranes and general lethargy. These symptoms can get worse if left untreated and result in more severe problems, including death in particularly extreme cases. Veterinarians will be able to treat mold poisoning, but you must be able to determine that it’s the mold that is actually the problem for a vet to know what to do. After you treat your pet, make sure you get rid of the mold in your home as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
• Children: Young children are especially susceptible to some of the health issues caused by mold exposure. These issues include respiratory problems, congestion, coughing, sneezing and sore throats, though there are certainly more symptoms that can manifest themselves. Infants who are exposed to mold growth could develop asthma or other lifelong respiratory issues. In rare cases, mold can cause infections in the lungs, skin and sinuses, and people who have pre-existing respiratory problems will be at greater risk of complications related to the presence of mold.

These are just a few of the reasons why it’s so crucial for you to take care of a mold problem as soon as you become aware of its presence in your home. To learn more about how you can find mold and deal with it promptly and effectively, we encourage you to contact Orchard Plumbing and speak with an expert plumber in Las Vegas, NV.