Outdoors, mold plays an important role in decomposing dead, organic material. Indoors, however, mold growth can cause serious health risks to you and your family. Molds and mildew are some of the most common causes of seasonal allergies, and may cause symptoms in allergic individuals from spring to late fall, or year-round in more humid locations.

Mold is a type of fungus that breaks down dead material and returns nutrients to the environment. It grows by digesting animal or plant matter, and reproduces via lightweight spores that travel through the air. If you're allergic to mold, when you inhale these airborne spores your body recognizes them as foreign invaders and produces allergy-causing antibodies to fight them.

Mold allergy symptoms are very similar to those of other allergies, such as sneezing, fatigue, persistent cough, wheezing, itching, headaches, and prolonged flu-like symptoms. Most of these allergic responses, while they may make you miserable, are not serious. However, mold can also pose a serious health risk by causing conditions such as mold induced asthma or allergic fungal sinusitis, which is when mold lodges and grows in the sinuses.

Mold loves moist, dark places, which means that any kind of water damage to your home or business can put you at higher risk for a mold infestation. Mold can grow very quickly and stems from many sources, including: plumbing leaks, flooding, improper ventilation, wet carpets, water damaged walls and ceilings, and damp basements or crawl spaces.

There is no practical way to eliminate mold and mold spores from the indoor environment. Mold exists everywhere as part of the natural environment, but indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling indoor moisture levels. There are many types of mold, but none of them will grow without water or moisture. Therefore, in addition to cleaning and decontaminating any instance of mold growth, you must also find and fix the water problem that allowed mold to flourish in the first place.

If you suspect that mold may be contributing to your allergies, first consult your physician, and then focus on eliminating the mold problem. The first step to prevention and containment is inspection. We at 911 Restoration are here to help! We offer free certified mold inspection, and our Certified Mold Inspectors will assess whether or not you need mold removal services. We also offer full water damage restoration services, as well as air quality testing. Contact us 24/7 at 888.243.6653 .