How Common Is Black Toxic Mold in Toronto

If you live in Toronto or its surrounding areas then there is a very high chance that you have heard about black toxic mold and you may also have heard about many of the dangers that are associated with it. But, if you are like most residents of the city, you probably did not bother too much to find out about this kind of mold and the risks that it could pose to you and members of your family. As with most of the other health risks like asbestos or lead poisoning, it is always easy to dismiss the mold concern as a non- issue until it arrives at your doorstep and you learn first-hand just how serious the problem really is. Unfortunately by then it might be too late and there might be very little that can be done to prevent the health risks involved.

What Is Black Toxic Mold?

Scientists now believe that there are more than 1000 different species of mold that can be found in North America alone. What’s more, it is also a fact that mold has been around since way before humans first arrived on this planet and will probably continue to be here long after humans are gone. The secret to their long survival can be explained by their survival tactic or what has come to be known as the mold triangle. Mold only needs three things in order to survive and thrive; they need warmth, moisture and a source of food which could be any organic material. This means that mold can grow literally anywhere it is able to find these conditions and black toxic mold is most prevalent in areas where there is a lot of moisture. In a city like Toronto where all the conditions are already in place black mold can thrive and spread all over the house before you even begin to suspect its presence in the house. This problem is particularly common in the older houses which may have been affected by mild to severe water damage since they have more moisture present inside and the conditions are perfect for the growth and development of black mold.

Black toxic mold is the term that is commonly used to describe the Stachybotrys mold- also considered the most dangerous type of mold for human beings. However, the term black toxic mold can be quite confusing especially for people coming across it for the first time. Not all toxic mold is going to be necessarily black in color and most of the time it will take on a slimy green color instead of the dark color that most people expect. In addition, not all black mold is toxic in nature. It will require an expert eye of a trained individual to be able to distinguish between black toxic mold and mold that are less toxic.

What Are The Health Risks Of Black Toxic Mold In Toronto?

Because of its blend of new and old houses and its favorable humidity and temperature levels, the city of Toronto has a relatively high prevalence of black toxic mold. Unfortunately, it was not until sometime in the early 2000’s when mold related lawsuits started being filed and won in court that residents of the city really started becoming aware of the prevalence of black toxic mold and the dangers that it posed both to them and to the people that they lived with. Since then there has been considerable effort by home owners to hire experts who can help them get rid of the mold and also help them with the problem of mold remediation- a necessary component if you are to get rid of all the mold and keep it from coming back in future. The full extent of the health risks associated with black toxic mold has not yet been fully uncovered. However, the known ones include the following;

  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Bleeding in the nose and lungs
  • Vomiting

Not that the list of health issues associated with black toxic mold above is nowhere near conclusive and there are many others that are still being discovered to date.

How Does Mold Become A Health Risk?

It is worth noting at this point that most of the known mold species are relatively harmless. In fact some mold species like penicillium, from which penicillin is obtained, have tremendous health benefits. However even useful mold species like penicillin can be very dangerous for individuals who are allergic to it.

It is not easy to accurately determine the prevalence of black toxic mold in Toronto for a number of reasons, the biggest one being the fact that mold exists as microscopic spores and only becomes visible to the naked eye once it has piled and accumulated for a while. This means that there are hundreds, probably thousands of residents of the city who may be having a black toxic mold problem and who are not aware that they do. The only way around this problem is to have your house inspected by professionals like the experts at Canada Restoration Services who have the skill and equipment to detect mold even at its earliest stages of growth and deal with it accordingly.

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