can the black mould from damp everywhere in my damp house cause illness?

Question

I have been getting chest infections for over a year now i put it down to the black mould i keep trying to clean but council just dismiss this. what can i do, also my house is subsiding

Answer 1

It will be the spores from the mould which exacerbates illnesses like chest infections. Living in a damp house will more often than not take its toil on your health, through the stress as well as physical factors.

You should make a complaint to you council, seek medical advice (get it on record that you have been unwell). You could also speak to Citizens Advice. Councils are generally slow to act but you must keep on at them.

Although not a cure do continue to clean down surfaces with mould (wear a mask as you will release spores when wiping) and ventilate you home as much as you can stand.

Answer 2

Mildew is what you are seeing in your home. If you own your home, you are in for an expensive repair bill. Mildew is very toxic and can permanently harm your family. You should not be breathing the stuff. You say your house is subsiding, does that mean it is sinking off the foundation? or are you on a government subsidy? If you are in a rental, take photos of the walls before and after you clean them. then again 1 month later, if the mildew returns.
Use a mild bleach and water solution to clean the walls. (a spray bottle with 1/2-1 cup liquid bleach and fill with water.)
Keep ventilation going like a fan or open windows.
Use a product like Damp-rid or some other dampness reducer in each room.
Keep a diary of the days you or your family are sick and if you go to the doctor to get treatment. If you lose work document that too.
Show the council your evidence after 3 months and tell them you are compiling for a suit against them.
If you show that you have done your part to keep the mould at bay and they have not helped you, file a lawsuit. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

That black mold is probably Aspergillus, which can cause respiratory infections, and is quite common. Go to the doctor the next time you have a chest infection and ask them to do a sputum culture, and bring a sample of the fungus with you.

I don't know what you can do about getting it out of your house other than the anti-dampness measures others have mentioned, if you don't own the house (it's unclear what you mean by "subsiding" - do you mean you live in subsidised housing?) The best thing to do is clean it all off while wearing a surgical mask, and then try to keep everything as dry as possible. If you can prove that it is actually making you sick it'll probably be easier to get something else done about it.

Answer 4

hell yeah!!! its actual bacteria!!! sugar soap and hot water or salt and hot water will remove some of it. Then rub the affected area with sand paper. Unfortunately it sounds like your house is letting in the damp. If i were you i would seek advice and information from a proper source asap. If left untreated it could result in costing you a lot of money to fix or even worse it could cause you some kind of illness!! Good luck.

Answer 5

Are you serious? There are certain types of molds that can KILL. You should definetely get some sort of mold expert in your house ASAP. And I would also advise not going near it, and if it spread or smells bad, check into a hotel until its fixed.

Answer 6

I would probably say YES!! Have it checked by a repairman that is certified in mold control. You may have to make a few calls to find one, but it will be worth it.

Answer 7

you have answered your own question it will cause serious chest problems especially in children elderly or for someone who is already ill you can treat it with undiluted bleach which will kill it but there are effective anti fungal treatments on the market

Answer 8

don't try to treat black mold yourself and get really away from it. your local health depot needs to be notified so they can send specialist to clean it . its a heath hazard and by law they need to be notified. information would have your local health dept number . get out now and call asap. good luck
http://www.startremodeling.com/Mold_Midew_Page.htm

Answer 9

yes it can affect your lungs, try a letter from your gp to the council, it often works, in the meantime, there are crystals you can buy which absorb moisture from d i y shops, try them in your bedroom so at least it's dry in there

Answer 10

it most definitely can=if you are renting you can make your landlord pay to have someone to clean it up=there is a chance it could come back though=I would try to find somewhere else to live