Almost one fifth of all households in Germany and Austria are affected by mold. According to surveys, only 21% of the population is aware of the negative consequences of mold infestation.
In this article you will learn what such damage can look like. At the end, we also tell you how you can protect yourself from it!
1. your health is at risk!
Experts agree that people who regularly spend time in buildings infested with mold are at great risk to their health.
But the mold does not always trigger the same reaction. There are many different manifestations of this.
Allergies occur!
Dust containing mold spores is officially classified as allergenic.
Not only the mold itself and its spores are responsible for allergies. The allergens that are released into the dust also play their part.
Through your breathing you pick up the spores and through the respiratory tract they enter your body. Depending on the number of spores in your body and your physical condition, an allergic reaction will occur later.
The disease of infection is possible!
The so-called “mycosis” can occur when a person inhales the spores, has direct contact with the mold on his skin or with internal organs.
However, the infection occurs only in rare cases and only in immunocompromised people.
The effects of the infection can be very unpleasant for the sufferers, as fungal filaments can grow into the arteries and damage the organs.
Mold smell is annoying!
Mold on the walls can cause a rotten, musty smell. This can greatly affect your quality of living and life.
Studies have shown that the odor originates from substances such as alcohols, ketones and terpenes.
In addition, studies have confirmed a link between the organic compounds of the substances and health complaints. These include mucous membrane irritation and headaches.
Mold toxins lead to poisoning!
Certain molds can produce and emit dangerous toxins.
While mold toxins are primarily absorbed through food, they can also enter your body through the respiratory tract.
Typical health effects of the toxins are noticeable fatigue and perceptual disturbances.
Particularly at risk are immunocompromised individuals and young children whose defenses are not yet sufficiently developed.
2. destruction of individual components
Mold not only looks unsightly, but also attacks the fabric of the building. Mold may already be present if it is not yet apparent.
However, as soon as the typical dark spots and/or an earthy smell appear, you have a clear indication of mold infestation.
If nothing is done about the infestation, fundamental damage to the building can occur.
The table below shows how the various structural damages are categorized.
The more advanced the mold infestation, the more difficult it is to remove. For this reason, action should be taken immediately upon detection.
3. infestation of articles of daily use
Not only health and building fabric are affected by the mold. All other objects in the living quarters are also affected.
These include, for example, furniture, clothing, documents and many others. Mold finds good conditions especially when the object is dusty and/or dirty.
If you take care of eliminating the mold infestation in your living space, all your belongings will benefit as well and you will be able to protect them.
How to avoid any damage
You can avoid mold in the first place with a simple trick. Or even after a successful mold removal, make sure it never comes out again.
You just need to avert one of the two conditions that lead to mold. This can be either:
- the humidity or
- be the cold surface.
As soon as one of the two conditions fails, mold cannot develop in the first place.
In fact, since a high level of humidity is very important for humans, you should optimally take care of the cold surfaces.
The solution lies in surface temperature control
Practice shows that panel heating is already very popular in new construction and renovation. Underfloor heating is now installed in every second new building.
Underfloor heating systems are much better in their results than radiators. However, you cannot completely eliminate mold until you also temper the walls and/or ceiling.
Only then will you actually have all surfaces under control. And mold, despite possibly high moisture content, cannot settle on cool surfaces.
Conclusion: The damage gets bigger the longer you wait!
Whether it’s your health, your property or your personal belongings. It is always annoying when the mold infestation occurs. It is therefore important that you react immediately after becoming aware of the infestation and take the appropriate measures. Only then can you really make sure that you and your surroundings will not be harmed.
With the right prophylaxis, you can even ensure that mold does not form in the first place. The secret lies in the surface temperature control.
Our panel heating gives mold no chance. If you would also like to benefit from mold-repellent radiant panel heating, click here.
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Photo: Ira_Shpiller – fotolia.com
Wir sind Annette & Christian Egger. Hier im Blog erklären wir Ihnen, worauf es beim Wohlfühl-Klima ankommt. Wir behandeln hier Themen wie Energie-Sparen beim Heizen & Kühlen und zeigen Ihnen unsere interessantesten Projekte.