When we first hear this question, we cringe. After all, we deal with black mold every day and have seen the health effects it can have on people. It’s something we’re constantly battling, and we’ve seen the sad reactions on peoples faces when we perform mold testing and tell them they need black mold remediation.
But on second thought, maybe it’s not the strangest question in the world. Sometimes during a mold inspection, we find mold that might have been growing for years. Yet if no one in the house is showing any symptoms of being allergic to it, is there really any need to get it taken care of? Now it’s suddenly a legitimate question! Can a family just ignore the problem and not worry about how much black mold removal costs?
After some thought, we’ve come up with five reasons you shouldn’t ignore your black mold problems. Let’s take a look.
It’s Going To Get Worse
Here’s the thing about black mold: it doesn’t go away on its own. It’s not a single creature that has a lifespan and then dies. It’s not only growing where you can see it, but it’s also sending out spores that are separate from the visible mold. If those spores find another water source, they’re going to spread throughout the house. It’s more like a dandelion in your yard; start with one and you can have hundreds in just a couple of seasons.
But who cares if there’s even more mold in the house? If no one is showing symptoms, then what does it matter if the mold is in one place or a dozen? Well…
Think Of Your Guests
There aren’t many people who never have anyone over. While not everyone entertains all the time, there will almost always be someone who stops by to say hello, have lunch, or just chit-chat for a while. It might be a relative, it might be a family friend, or it could be a child having a playdate.
Just as you wouldn’t invite them in if there was glass all over the floor, you also shouldn’t have them over if there’s something like toxic mold that could harm their health. Instead of avoiding having anyone over, you really should get your mold remediation problem taken care of as quickly as possible.
But let’s say you don’t ever have anyone over. Maybe you’re a recluse and won’t open the door for anyone. Well…
You Can Get Age-Onset Allergies
Allergies are horrible. While most of us think that allergies are something most people tend to grow out of, people are increasingly getting them for the first time as they get older. WebMD interviewed Dr. Kevin McGrath and he had this to say:
“The interesting thing is, the majority of people get allergies for the first time — when I say allergies, I mean like allergic rhinitis, asthma, those kinds of things — as a kid, [b]ut we often see the onset in a lot of adults, around the 30s and 40s, and another group in the 50s and 60s. It can go in any age group.”
That’s right, even if you’ve never had allergies before, you can develop them late in life. The article goes on to say that people are developing them even in their 70s. You could live with toxic black mold and ignore it until it fills your whole house, then develop an allergy to it. No, it’s not fair, but it is a good reason to call a mold specialist.
Not worried about developing an allergy? While it could still happen whether you like it or not, it’s important to know that…
Not All Symptoms Are So Obvious
The most common symptoms of having black mold in a house resemble seasonal allergies. While a person might be fine while they’re in other buildings, they will enter a house with black mold and then start coughing, wheezing, and having their eyes water. For most people it’s an annoyance, but for some it can cause serious and life-threatening respiratory problems.
But not all symptoms of having black mold in a house are so external and obvious. Some symptoms of toxic mold exposure are much worse and directly affect the brain. These include insomnia, memory loss, depression, anxiety, confusion, and trouble concentrating. That’s right, toxic mold poisoning has symptoms that are scarily similar to dementia or a carbon monoxide gas leak.
The problem is that all of these symptoms can affect a person over a long period, getting worse the longer they live with it. These changes can be so subtle that they can go unnoticed for a long time, giving the mold a chance to take an even greater hold. Both the mold and the symptoms can compound.
Okay, so if all the health problems associated with black mold won’t convince you to call for a mold inspection, maybe you need a financial reason? Well then…
Mold Makes It Insanely Hard To Sell A House
With all of the health problems associated with black mold, you won’t find it hard to believe that people are reticent to move into a house that has it. One reason is that the person who buys it from you is going to have to deal with the problem, which is an effort most people aren’t willing to exert. But there’s another big reason that houses with mold sell for so little: the buyer’s pool is cut to almost zero. Without black mold, there are many buyers who are interested. With black mold, there might be only one out of a hundred people who are willing to deal with it. That means they can offer you much less than you might otherwise expect.
Yes, you can sell a house that has black mold, but it’s going to seriously affect the selling price. You’ll also have to jump through a lot of legal hoops that acknowledge that you’ve disclosed the mold. It’s just better to get it taken care of before you sell.
Contact Your Local Mold Inspectors Today!
At Culley Enviro, we’ve seen the dangers that come with ignoring a black mold problem for too long. It’s humid here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and that simply leads to more and more mold growth if it’s ignored.
We want to help you deal with your mold problem. We can help you with either your mold inspections or with your mold removal, but we can’t legally do both for you. We’d like to get you off on the right foot and deal with your mold air test, ensuring that you’re getting the right advice on how to move forward. If you are having any of the health problems listed above or believe that you have black mold for any reason, contact us to get the process of having a mold test performed. We look forward to working with you!
: