How dangerous is mould??

Question

We had a water leak from the flat upstairs and it took the upstairs landlord 2 years to fix the problem. The water damaged our walls and now we have mould. My husband and i were hoping to paint our baby's room but we found mold on wall and skirting board, so my husband knocked out the plaster, which was sopping wet. Now we are waiting for it to dry out.

How dangerous is damp and mould to a newborn? I've only got 8 weeks untill he's born and i'm freaked out that all this water damage is going to affect him. Also i've been reading about black mould and i'm really scared. Does anyone no how we can treat our walls, or what we need to do to make it safe for the baby?

Answer 1

Some mycotoxins produced by molds are harmful to all people.[2] Other mycotoxins cause immune system responses that vary considerably, depending on the individual. The duration of exposure is a key factor in triggering immune system response. Farm animals often die or suffer from mycotoxin poisoning. Mycotoxins resist decomposition from cooking, and remain in the food chain.

Mold spores can be allergenic. When inhaled, mold spores may germinate, attaching to cells along the respiratory tract and causing further problems in those with weak immune systems. One example is Stachybotrys chartarum which has been associated with sick building syndrome.

Infection by opportunistic pathogen molds such as Penicillium marneffei and Aspergillus fumigatus is a common cause of death among immunocompromised people, including AIDS patients

Answer 2

Your landlord must be registered with the local council. Report this straight away. Mould can be deadly. Do not attempt to do anything with it. Plastering over the area will not stop it - there is probably a very simple problem to solve somewhere in the property but that is not your concern and your landlord should have to be able to rehouse you if the problem requires that you should move out. Involve your council and ask for a health and safety officer to do an assessment. In your state of health everyone should be bending over backwards to help you and if they do not - go to the papers! Hope all goes well for the happy event.

Answer 3

Spray the bare stud walls with a mild bleach solution, this will kill any remaining mould. Check paint stores in your area (I'm assuming U.K. from your choice of words) and ask for a product called 'Kilz'. This is a heavy paint that will effectively seal up the spores that will be left behind from cleaning -there is no way that you will be able to get rid of all of them.

After painting then re-install plasterboard or drywall or whatever final wall treatment you decide. Another suggesting is to paint the inside of the new wallboard with Kilz (if available) as this will also prevent mould from returning.

Hopefully you can back-charge the landlord for this exercise as it was HIS responsibility to maintain the residence.

Answer 4

Mold is potentially dangerous to both you and your baby. Even if you spray down the exterior of the wall there is still potential for mold spores behind the wall or ceiling where the water was coming from. You need to hire someone certified to test for mold to both test the air in the room and the area in question. They will be able to determine if it is a health hazard and recommend proper remediation. The EPA has a good website for information on mold, just type "epa mold" in your search engine.

Answer 5

I get a lasting cough from mould so I am sure your baby would. Get it sorted and give him/she a good start in life

Answer 6

mould can be dangerous to a babys health and the damp just as bad.get the landlord back or refuse to pay rent

Answer 7

Creo que cuando llegamos a cierta edad, todos hemos pasado alguna vez por tu mismo problema. Los hongos son una molestia y un auténtico asco, y lo último que debemos hacer es dejarlos campar a sus anchas y no tratarlos en cuanto podamos (tampoco creo que quieras dejarlos, teniendo en cuenta lo mucho que molestan).
Una amiga mía me pasó esto hace un par de meses, y lo guardé en Favoritos por si alguien más lo necesitaba, ya que es muy efectivo.
Ya verás cómo en poco tiempo te libras de los hongos y de todos esos feos problemas.
Un abrazo.
http://infeccionesporhongos.youtips.info

Answer 8

DEADLY get it seen to straight away! Run man run!! Ring mouldbusters dundundundun!!!! No being serious it can be harmful! Don't let it stay there it will spread!

Answer 9

Its bad for babies it can cause Asthma.