The Detrimental Effects of Mold

Though you may have already heard that you need to maintain your air conditioner to keep mold in check, many Americans don’t understand just how important it is. Sure, many of us understand the detrimental effects of mold is undesirable, but most don’t understand why. Mold has the ability to wreak havoc on your health and home, and allowing it to get a foothold in your air conditioner could not only harm your health, but also harm you financially. Simply put, you will likely need a maintenance expert to help you with an air conditioner repair if you suspect the possibility of mold. The following are some of the worst effects mold has on humans and homes.

Health Concerns and Considerations

While it is true that you may not personally experience any negative effects of mold to small amounts of mold exposure, you need to consider two points. Firstly, some people have different health concerns and are inherently much more sensitive to mold than others. Secondly, even a little mold has the ability to grow rapidly into a big problem. Once it gets out of hand, it can cause a variety of symptoms that are mostly related with a human’s repertory system.

In fact, in 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted research that sufficiently proved a link between indoor mold exposure and upper respiratory problems. In addition, mold seems to compound health problems for those that already have conditions like asthma and pneumonia. Some of the symptoms caused by mold include:

• Nasal and sinus congestion
• Sore throat
• Coughing
• Labored breathing
• A worsened and inflamed condition if an individual already has asthma
• Nosebleeds
• Upper respiratory tract infections
• Persistent headaches
• Eye irritation
• Skin irritation

The longer you are exposed to higher levels of mold, the stronger your symptoms will be. While none of these conditions is life threatening for most people, mold can be very dangerous for people who are already sick or weak, especially including those that have asthma.

Misleading Terminology

Furthermore, you need to be aware of the meaning of some common terminology regarding mold. Some types of mold are classified as ‘toxic mold.’ At first, this sounds incredibly scary, because no one in their right mind wants to be exposed to toxins. However, this terminology can be a little misleading. A mold is classified as a toxic mold if it produces mycotoxins that have the ability to change their external environment. Some mycotoxins are harmless, some are especially useful in medicines and antibiotics, and some are dangerous, especially if they are ingested. A mold classified as a toxic mold does not necessarily mean that you will be exposed to toxins in the mold’s presence. However, even though the terminology can be misleading, you absolutely need the help of a professional to assist with an air conditioner repair and maintenance to nip mold problems in the bud.

Massively Decreased Property Value

Unfortunately, mold has the innate ability to destroy the property value of your home as well. Though there are companies that specialize in mold removal, they can actually be quite costly. In the end, it is far better to avoid the need for a mold removal service in the first place. As we all know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and to protect the value of your property you should do everything in your power to ensure that your air conditioner is well maintained to keep mold in check. The knowledge and expertise of an air conditioner repair professional is essential to the protection of your investment in your home.