Toxic Mold Vs. Black Colored Mold

The term “toxic mold” can create panic for a homeowner and lead to concerns about the differences of toxic black mold vs regular mold. 

Mold is a naturally occurring phenomenon that grows inside buildings and can be  especially harmful to people with existing respiratory illnesses, the young, and the elderly. 

When exposure to mold results in headaches, nausea, coughing, and shortness of breath or triggers an asthma attack, it can be characterized as “toxic mold.”

Black mold is not a single type of mold but refers to the presence of black, grey, or greenish colored mold that occurs whenever there is moisture, a porous surface, and usually an absence of sunlight.

Mold can occur when pipes break, when there is a slow leak in plumbing, or when precipitation penetrates through your walls, roof, or flooring. 

Mold exposure affects people differently, some more severe than others. So, although the presence of mold may not automatically lead to severe health effects for one person, it can cause serious repercussions in others, and as such, needs to be removed as soon as possible. 

If you find mold in your home or business, contact a professional who is certified and trained to identify, remove, sanitize and ensure mold never returns. 

HRS Restoration Services in Denver has a combined almost forty years of experience and is licensed, bonded, and trusted by businesses and homeowners alike. 

Call us when you suspect there is mold in your home or office. We can answer your questions and schedule your appointment right away to give you peace of mind.

 

What Is Black Colored Mold? 

Black mold is the common name for Cladosporium and is brown, green, or black in color. 

It is the most common type of interior mold as it thrives in both cold and warm environments.  

Black mold is most often found on porous surfaces like wood, carpets, or fabrics, and in heating and cooling ducts.

Black mold CAN be dangerous to those who have existing health issues, especially respiratory, and is worse when there is extensive mold and exposure over a long time period. 

 

What Is Toxic Black Mold? 

Black mold becomes toxic, or especially dangerous when exposure leads to severe asthma attacks or the person has a severe underlying health condition. 

Simply put, the difference between toxic black mold vs black mold is that black mold becomes toxic if exposure can lead to death or severe bodily harm. 

 

What Causes Mold To Grow?

When it comes to the differences between black mold and toxic black mold, there is little to distinguish them. In both cases, the mold grows when there is excess moisture, a porous surface, and a lack of natural light. 

Excess moisture can happen whenever there is a pipe break, slow leak, or rain or snow has managed to find an opening into a structure. 

To grow, mold needs a breathable or porous surface such as wood, granite, tile, and fabric carpet. 

Mold can start out very small and when it has the right conditions, can grow very quickly.

Mold may also be present and spreading underneath surfaces or behind them where it is hard to detect. 

 

Health Effects Of Black Mold

Black mold can wreak havoc on your respiratory system and result in a runny nose, watery, itchy red eyes, and a sore throat. 

Exposure can also lead to a persistent dry cough, a severe sinus headache (sinusitis), wheezing, and skin changes like rashes. 

Some people are more susceptible to black mold and their symptoms will be similar but more severe. 

 Those with underlying health conditions, young children, and older adults may manifest these symptoms and other severe reactions such as asthma attacks. Shortness of breath is especially serious if someone already suffers from COPD. 

 

Runny Nose

Mold is a fungus and fungi produce allergens. These allergens can irritate and inflame the nose tissue resulting in a runny nose. 

The runny nose will be at its most severe while the person is present inside the affected areas but may continue even after they’ve left. 

To alleviate a runny nose immediately, you can use a humidifier, saline, and drink plenty of water and rest. But to remove the conditions that are causing it, the mold must be completely eradicated. 

 

Watery, Red Eyes

Mold is a breeding ground for allergens that not only take hold in our nose but also in our eyes. 

An allergic reaction occurs when our eyes water or become red. The blood vessels in the eye are inflamed by the allergens and red, itchy eyes are the result. 

You can use a saline solution to calm the inflammation but it will only be a temporary fix. To eliminate watery red eyes completely, mold removal is necessary. 

 

Dry Cough

If you or someone you know has been breathing in mold spores, this can result in a dry cough. Coughs tied to colds are wet and present mucus that needs to be expelled. With mold, the allergens released cause irritating deep dry coughs. 

Over-the-counter cough medicine may provide some relief but unless the mold is gone, a dry cough will continue. 

 

Skin Rashes

Your skin is porous and allergens can penetrate the surface resulting in skin rashes. If you have particularly sensitive skin, these rashes will appear more severe. The rash may last a few hours or a few days.

 A rash will decrease when you are not exposed to the mold but it won’t disappear permanently until the mold is removed. 

 

Sore Throat

When you breathe in mold allergens, your throat will be irritated and sore. The irritation and soreness will persist when you are exposed to the mold. 

Unlike a sore throat that is a result of a virus, a sore throat caused by allergens will NOT go away on its own. The substance, in this case, mold, that is leading to the sore throat must be eradicated for your sore throat to subside. 

 

Sinusitis

As anyone who has ever had a sinus headache can tell you, the pressure can be unbearable. You will feel the most pressure on your forehead and between your eyes.

Cold and sinus medicine may help relieve some of the pressure but it is not a permanent solution.  

 

Wheezing

Wheezing can sound like a tea kettle reaching its boiling point. It is not necessarily painful but it can be a problem for some people who already suffer from asthma or COPD. Removing the irritant is the only surefire way to eliminate wheezing.
 

Health Effects Of Mold Toxicity

 

Aches & Pains

Aches and pains limit your ability to live your life. Pain makes it difficult to live your life to the fullest and you may end up relying on medication to get you through your day. When the cause of this pain is mold, it can be removed with professional remediation.  

A professional mold removal team should be consulted to ensure proper treatment and removal. 

 

Changes In Mood

Pain and discomfort can lead to mood changes. Changes in mood can spill over into your personal and professional life and make it hard to put your best foot forward. Pain caused by mold allergens is tied to these mood changes and should be taken seriously. 

 

Headaches

Headaches can be debilitating and often are only mildly relieved by headache medicine. Headaches affect your ability to concentrate and get tasks accomplished. A headache is caused by inflammation of the blood vessels in your head and will subside when the mold allergens are gone. Removal of mold allergens is best left to a team of experienced professionals and not a DIY solution. 

 

Memory Loss

People who have been exposed to mold report difficulty with memory and other cognitive issues. In scientific studies, mice who were exposed to mold have shown difficulty with tasks that required short-term memory. Loss of memory is serious and should be taken seriously. These cognitive issues are especially dire if young or older adults inhale mold spores. Knowing that HRS’s professional team is trained to respond to mold can provide you with peace of mind. 

 

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds result when the inflamed blood vessels in your nasal passages burst. Nosebleeds are usually not severe but can be if the person exposed to mold already has an existing respiratory condition. Nosebleeds can act as a tipoff of the presence of mold. To thwart nosebleeds, the irritant must be eradicated completely and efficiently.  

What To Do If You Find Black Mold In Your House

If you discover black mold in your home, we caution removing it on your own. If you use the wrong kind of cleaner it could be ineffective at best or worse, cause a chemical reaction.  

Mold can be cleaned on the surface with a solution but to truly remove it professional tools like UV lamps, high-grade fans, and specially formulated solutions should be used.  

A mold removal professional can also investigate where the mold might have spread or could spread in the future if left untreated.

 

Why Choose HRS Restoration? 

HRS Restoration Services has an expert team of water damage restoration and mold professionals in Denver. They are backed by leadership that values integrity and customer service satisfaction.  

Businesses and concerned homeowners benefit from our team that is trained, experienced and responsive to your concerns. 

We welcome your call whenever you discover or suspect that mold has taken a hold of your home or office. Making sure your home or business is safe in a timely and professional manner is of the utmost importance. 

Our A+ Better Business rating in the Denver business communities is a great source of pride that we won’t jeopardize. You are inviting us into your home or office, and nothing is more important than a job well done and done right the first time. 

 

Contact HRS Restoration Services Today! 

HRS Restoration Services’ Denver mold damage and water restoration representatives are ready to schedule an appointment or answer questions. Water damage often accompanies mold so our team of specialists can recognize where water damage could lead to a future mold problem. We fight mold and water damage, which are closely intertwined.

 Our team can be reached 24/7 so call us today!

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