Is Your Home Making You Sick?

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ITC lives in a house where mould is very prevalent. There are certain areas of Lane Cove (located near the bushland and river) where mould is a very real issue. We asked guest bloggers Xchange Air to tell us how to deal with the mould issue.

Located in Lane Cove West Business Park, Xchange Air are experts on improving the quality of the air you breathe at home. The specialise in “providing a total solution for poorly ventilated houses.”

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How to Remove Mould

What is mould and mildew – It is a non-specific type of fungus and there are more than 100,000 types.

How to remove mould – First you should find out why you have mould!

Many homes experience issues with mould and mildew and you may be concerned, but generally don’t know what you should do.

mouldy ceiling xchange air

Mould that you should be concerned about

Black Mould – Stachybotrys chartarum is a species of mould, which is also toxic black mould. Note that not all mould that looks black is Toxic, but if it is, here are some symptoms you may experience.

Toxic black mould causes serious symptoms and health problems such as mental impairment, breathing problems, damage to internal organs and sometimes even death. The main groups of symptoms toxic black mould causes are:

Mental and neurological symptoms – Confusion, Brain fog, Shortened attention span, Difficulty concentrating and paying attention, Slowed reflexes, Disorientation, Dizziness, Memory loss and memory problems, Impaired learning ability, Hallucinations, Shock, Anxiety, Depression, Aggression and other personality changes, Tingling, Trembling, Shaking, Seizure, Numbness,

Respiratory symptoms – Difficulty breathing – breathlessness or shortness of breath, Wheezing, Coughing, Pulmonary oedema – swelling of the lungs, Pulmonary haemorrhage – bleeding in the lungs, Sore throat, Burning sensation of the mouth, Bleeding gums, Runny nose, Itchy nose, Stuffy, blocked nose, Nose bleeds

Circulatory symptoms – Irregular heartbeat, Heart inflammation, Damage to heart, Low blood pressure, Bone marrow disruption, Bleeding tendency, Blood not clotting properly, Hemorrhage – internal bleeding, Vomiting up blood, Bleeding in the brain and in other organs

Vision and eye problems – Eye inflammation and soreness, Red or bloodshot eyes, Eye damage, Blurry vision and vision worsening, Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes)

Skin problems – Crawling skin, Dermatitis – skin inflammation, rash, blisters, itchiness, Jaundice (yellowing of the skin)

Immune system problems – Immunosuppression – immune system not functioning properly, Infections reoccurring

Reproductive system problems – Infertility, Miscarriage, Impotence, Fetal development problems

Tiredness and discomfort – Chronic fatigue, Drowsiness, Weakness, Aches and pains, Muscle pain, Chest pain, Abdominal pain, Joint pain, Malaise -general discomfort, Headaches, Cold or flu type symptoms or recurring colds, Fever, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea

Other illnesses and health effects – Hair loss, Weight loss, anorexia, Hearing loss, Liver disease, Coma, Death

Are these issues permanent?

Once you are no longer around toxic black mould most of the symptoms should decrease. Note that after you have lived with black mould your immune system may not be as strong as it used to be and you may be more sensitive to mould and micro toxins in the future.

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So what should you do today!?

Currently:

  • You think that you just have to live with it
  • It is mainly a problem in winter
  • You just clean it off when you notice it
  • Old houses all have mould
  • Your house doesn’t get a lot of sunshine
  • You believe your health is fine
  • Believe that mould isn’t toxic
  • You don’t notice any smell
  • When you notice it, you clean the surface with bleach

Causes:

  • Poor ventilation inside, under, in roof space of your home
  • General dampness
  • Darkness and humidity
  • Water leaks
  • Condensation
  • Wet clothes laying around
  • Humid and steamy areas in the home
  • Porous materials holding the dampness

Where possible open up your house and draw up the blinds and curtains to let the sunshine in.

Solutions:

  • Discover the type of mould
  • Discover the cause of the mould
  • Have a free home ventilation assessment
  • Note that you may not be able to clean the porous materials that mould likes and it may need to be replaced

Xchange Air provides a full range of benefits following the installation of ventilation. Read more on our website.

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Xchange Air
Address: Unit 18, 79-85 Mars Raod, Lane Cove West NSW 2066
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (02) 9427 8800
Website: xchangeair.com.au
Facebook: Xchange Air

xchange air

Xchange Air are one of ITC’s fabulous Gold Sponsors. Without their support our website would never have been possible. #itcgoldsponsor

Xchange Air is a finalist in the Local Business Awards.

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Do you have a local issue you would like help with? ITC is here to help just email us at [email protected]

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