Damp and Mould: Essential Health Risks You Should Know
If you are living in a damp home and have mould growing on the walls, you know how unpleasant and uncomfortable it can be. The house smells musty all of the time and the nasty black streaks and smears ruin the aesthetic appearance of the interior, but you may be unaware that there is a much more pressing problem: The damp and mould can present serious health risks to you and your family, transforming your home from a refuge to a hazardous area!
In order to understand the ill effects of damp and mould on your health, we must first understand the nature of these conditions.
Damp – Having an excess of moisture in your home causes it to become damp. There are two basic ways in which this excess moisture enters the structure:
- Penetrating Damp – The moisture is entering your home from outside through roof leaks or cracks in the outer wall. The best way to prevent this is to have a wall damp treatment
- Rising Damp – This is caused by excess condensation that has formed within the building, raising the interior humidity. The condition is usually caused by poor ventilation and insufficient heating.
Mould – These damp, humid conditions create the perfect environment for moisture-loving mould to grow. The most common type of mould affecting London homes is called black mould, a fungus that thrives and spreads in damp and humid conditions. The black mould produces spores to reproduce, and their presence is behind most of the health risks that can put you and your family in danger!
These mould spores are tiny, about half the width of a human hair, which allows them to float invisibly in the air. The spores are allergens that can cause a variety of serious allergic reactions. Inhaling or even just touching mould spores can bring on illness and worsen existing health conditions.
The most common health risks presented by black mould spores are respiratory problems. The symptoms typically include a tight chest, breathing trouble, wheezing, and coughing fits. These conditions can be fairly mild to begin with, but if you are living in a damp, mouldy home, your exposure to mould spores over time will very likely lead to them becoming chronic, and make you more susceptible to respiratory infections like colds and flues.
The following are some specific symptoms linked to having a mould infestation in your home!
- mild fever
- coughing
- sneezing
- sinus blockage
- runny nose
- painful face pressure
- sore throat
These symptoms can lead to more serious health problems caused by mould, such as asthma, skin rashes, hives, conjunctivitis, and even contribute to mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
If your home is experiencing damp and mould, don’t wait until it takes a toll on your health, arrange for a mould survey from the people who can help, just call Damp Proofing Ltd on 020 7593 8030 during office hours or fill in the online form. We will rush a surveyor over to assess the problem and find solutions so you can live safely in a dry, mould-free home!