What Are the Actual Consequences of Mold Exposure?

     Coughing. A runny nose. Watery eyes. Mold can cause all of these things and more. According to the American Lung Association, mold exposure can lead to an increase in asthma attacks, sore throats, and sinus congestion. Some unlucky people even have allergies to mold, which the Center for Disease Control says can cause itchy eyes, sneezing, and/or rashes. Ever since low levels of mold were found in parts of Hoggard’s campus, some students, faculty, and staff have wanted to know more about the effects they might experience.

    For the most part, the severity of mold symptoms depends on the type of mold you are exposed to. For example, it’s common to encounter mildew on floor tiles and shower curtains in bathrooms. Molds like mildew and cladosporium are mild and only cause cold-like symptoms. However, black mold can trigger much more severe issues, including temporary neurological problems like brain fog, short-term memory loss, and dizziness.

      So, how can you get rid of mold? The Environmental Protection Agency claims the best options are to scrub the mold off of impacted areas with detergent or to completely replace moldy sources, such as ceiling tiles or carpet. Once you’ve done that, the safest thing to do is continue to clean air vents regularly and make sure that spills are dried up as soon as possible.

     At the end of the day, it’s significantly unlikely that any permanent issues arise due to mold exposure, and symptoms should disappear once the mold is cleaned up.