Mould can be found in any building, whether it’s a home, hotel, the workplace, hospital or social housing and can grow on almost anything, including fabric, paper, wood, glass, and plastic. But do you know how detrimental mould is to your health?
This blog will look at what mould is, why it grows, the impact it has on a person’s health and how to stop mould with Home-Fresh®.
How mould appears
Mould is a form of fungus which grows due to excess moisture. There are over 300,000 different types of mould and can occur both indoors and outdoors. Mould produces spores which are invisible to the naked eye, but they float around the air and grow in damp areas. There’s no way to prevent mould spores, however Home-Fresh® will stop mould before it becomes a problem.
Places where mould often appears includes:
- areas where leakages and flooding have occurred
- windows where condensation builds up
- places where the air does not circulate, for example, behind a closet
Link to health and respiratory
People are not aware that mould poses a serious risk to their health, especially for people with allergies, respiratory problems and weakened immune system.
The NHS state damp and mould in homes result in people having respiratory problems, respiratory infections, allergies or asthma. In fact, 12 million people in the UK live with respiratory issues and the NHS spend approximately £1 billion a year to care and treat for people with asthma.
As mould grows it can produce allergens, irritants and mycotoxins, which are toxic
Evidence from the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that people may experience the following symptoms after spending time in an environment where mould is present:
- skin and eye irritation
- wheezing
- fever
- fatigue
- nausea
- headache
- insomnia
- mucous membrane irritation
Aspergillosis
Aspergillus is another type of mould however it can cause much more serious health problems known as Aspergillosis.
Most people can breathe in the spores without becoming ill but people with a weakened immune system can have a serious reaction.
Here are some of the different types of aspergillosis:
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA): This affects the lungs and can cause breathing problems.
Allergic aspergillus sinusitis: This affects the nose and can involve a headache.
Aspergilloma, or fungus ball: This can cause a cough, which may produce blood, as well as breathing problems.
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis: Symptoms include breathing problems, a cough, and weight loss.
The solution – Home-Fresh®
Home-Fresh® is a built-in mould preventive for buildings. Our technology prevents the growth of mould and can be incorporated into plaster, paint, flooring and gypsum for a healthier living indoors.
The best part? Home-Fresh® will last until that wall in knocked down!!