Contents of the page
- 1 Mold on the walls - what is it and how is it formed?
- 2 The influence of mold on health - what is the danger of a "home" fungus?
- 3 How to protect the house - preventive measures:
The house in which the mold appeared is not only not cozy, but can also pose a serious threat to its inhabitants. Even a small amount of fungus on the walls can provoke a number of diseases, including allergies and asthma."Pest" can also exacerbate already existing ailments and seriously affect the health of the household. Consider in more detail, than mold is hazardous to health.
Mold on the walls - what is it and how is it formed?
Mold is a type of fungus that spreads around the house with the help of a spore. Favorable conditions for the formation of fungus in the walls of the apartment are high humidity and warm temperature conditions. That's why you can see the mold most often at the windows where condensate accumulates.
Mold on the walls is classified into the following representatives:
- penicillium - manifested as green or blue formations, distributed on moist objects;
- alternative - this species can exist in a very humid environment, is planted in the bathroom and around the kitchen faucet;
- kladosporium - the main habitat are wooden surfaces and fabrics;
- Aspergillus - most often "wound up" during the repair on building materials.
Spores of the fungus are invisible to the naked eye. They can get inside the house by airing, "sticking" to clothes from the street or to the wool of animals. In other words, it is impossible to protect oneself from the intrusion of disputes into an apartment.
The fungus will start to hit the walls only if favorable conditions are created for this. One of the factors of mold spreading in the apartment is poor sanitary conditions. Insufficient air exchange and improper furnishing of the apartment( excessively pressed furniture to the walls) can also cause the spread of the fungus.
The influence of mold on health - what is the danger of a "home" fungus?
Mold harms the health with prolonged contact - if the walls of the house have long been "wounded", and its inhabitants do not struggle with the problem. Short-term contact does not pose a threat to health. Clinical studies have shown that mold takes part in the pathogenesis of most human diseases. Exposure to the fungus occurs as follows:
- direct infection - a rare category of "danger", which affects people with a serious weakening of the immune system;
- allergic reactions - are caused when the fungus hits the mucous membranes. In this case, the cause of the reactions can be either active or dead mushrooms;
- toxic poisoning - the main route of infection is the gastrointestinal tract, after which extremely painful reactions can be observed in humans and animals.
In most cases, mold in the house leads to an aggravation of various diseases and allergic reactions. The greatest threat to humans is the yellow fungus, which secretes aflatoxin. This can cause mycosis, exacerbation of asthma, migraine, runny nose, otitis, bronchitis, ailments of the cardiovascular system and others.
There is also a white and black mold, which are less dangerous for human health, but can cause a number of violations and abnormalities. Numerous studies have revealed a link between the presence of mold in the home and the development of respiratory diseases. If there is a person with hematological diseases in the house, the presence of fungus can lead to fatal complications.
US scientists argue that spores have a disastrous effect on children and cause the occurrence of asthma .Several theories of the relative statement have already been proved.
How to protect a house - preventive measures:
- is not in poorly ventilated rooms for too long, avoid the formation of dampness in the house;
- at least twice a day ventilate the apartment, ensuring the ingress of fresh air, even in the most secluded places - a cellar, an attic, a bathroom. Refuse from frequent and prolonged airing in favor of short, but intense. In this case, heat loss will be minimal, and the benefit of a wide-open window is much more weight;
- regular cleaning, which should pay special attention to the bathroom - straighten the oilcloth for drying, wipe it with a rag, wash the bath mat, dry the loofah after each use;
- serviceable plumbing - permanent leaks can increase moisture in the house and cause the formation of fungi;
- after washing the laundry must be immediately hung;
- after replacing the garbage bag the bucket should be washed and dried;
- using an air conditioner to create normal humidity in the home. However, please note that the use of technology can be the cause of mold spreading through the apartment, so choose models with protective technologies;
- use of heating - in winter at the dacha, for example, where the heating is not switched on regularly, there may be a formation of dampness;
- when using the vacuum cleaner it is recommended to open windows and create a draft;
- reduce the number of "useless" textiles in the house, which serves as a breeding ground for some types of fungi.