Toxic Black Mold Removal
This page is about toxic black mold removal (also known as Stachybotrys). To remove ordinary mold which is not toxic see the Mold Removal page.
Toxic Black Mold Inspection
If you think you could have a toxic black mold problem in your home you need to take steps to have it removed as soon as possible.
If you haven't yet found the mold colony then the first thing you should do is have a thorough mold inspection of your home performed. Of course it's best to hire a professional mold inspector to find toxic black mold for you.
Mold inspectors use both their experience and sophisticated equipment to find any and all hidden mold, with minimal disturbance to your home. This way you can be sure that if there is toxic mold in your home it will be found.
If you have to do the inspection yourself you need to look into hidden areas like inside of wall cavities. Toxic black mold needs a lot of water to grow so especialy check spots where there could have been water leaks.
There is more information about mold inspecting in general at Mold Inspection.
Signs of Toxic Black Mold
Some reasons to think you have a toxic black mold problem include toxic black mold symptoms or recent water problems.
Toxic Symptoms From Toxic Black Mold
The symptoms of toxic black mold are described at Toxic Black Mold Symptoms. The symptoms are much more severe than the allergic reactions caused by common non-toxic mold.
Water Problems can Cause Toxic Black Mold
Toxic black mold needs materials to be very wet for at least a week before it can begin to grow. If you've had a flood or a large water leak that went unnoticed then toxic black mold could be in your home.
More Signs of Mold in the Home
Testing and Identifying Toxic Black Mold
If you have found black mold growth in your home which looks as if it could be Stachybotrys (aka toxic black mold) don't try to kill it or disturb it. If toxic black mold is harmed or disturbed it can release millions of mycotoxins into the air making your home uninhabitable.
The first thing you should do is have the black mold professionally tested to find out whether it is actually toxic mold (eg Stachybotrys or some other toxic mold species) which is capable of producing mycotoxins.
More information on mold testing in general is at the Mold Testing page.
Hire a Professional Toxic Black Mold Removal Service
Once the mold in your home is confirmed to be toxic you should talk to a professional mold remediation and removal service to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Never try to kill or remove toxic black mold yourself. Mold that is toxic should only be removed by a professional mold removal service experienced in remediating toxic mold. The correct methods of toxic black mold removal are needed to contain the spread of spores and mycotoxins during the remediation process.
Remediate Toxic Black Mold Problems Quickly
People often do not act quickly to remediate a toxic black mold problem. As soon as you find toxic black mold in your home you should take steps to have the mold removed and move out, especially if you have any toxic symptoms. Ignoring the problem will only allow it to become worse.
Do not Underestimate Toxic Black Mold
Don't underestimate the harm toxic black mold can do to your health and the danger you are in while you remain in an environment with toxic mold. Most people don't realize how badly toxic black mold can ruin their health until it has already happened. Every day you are exposed to the mycotoxins from toxic black mold could be potentially causing you long term chronic health problems and permanent damage.
Although toxic black mold does not produce mycotoxins all the time, for the sake of safety you should assume any toxic black mold growth in your home is producing mycotoxins.
Moving Because of Toxic Black Mold
If you have black mold in your house which you have had professionally tested and confirmed to be a toxic mold species then it is recommended you immediately move out of your home. Ideally you should not take any things when you leave because they can carry mycotoxins in them with you and continue to make you sick.
You should not return to your home until you have had the toxic black mold properly removed by a professional mold remediation and removal service experienced in removing toxic black mold. Stay in a hotel or some other temporary accommodation while the mold is being removed.
Some experts believe that toxic black mold and its mycotoxins can never be completely removed from a house which has been contaminated. There have even been cases of home owners who ended up burning down their mycotoxin-contaminated houses as a last resort.
Toxic Black Mold Cross Contamination
If your home has been badly contaminated with toxic black mold mycotoxins and you decide to permanently move then you should be very careful about what you take with you.
Experts recommend you should not take belongings with you because mycotoxins cannot be removed from most objects and will be carried in your belongings with you when you move. Even if there is no mold growing in your new home the mycotoxins left on your belongings can cross contaminate the house and make you sick.
Removing Toxic Black Mold Mycotoxins
The mycotoxins of toxic black mold are extremely stable and it can be several years before they break down naturally. There have even been cases where toxic black mold has been detected in the human body up to nine years after the original exposure.
Combined with their microscopic size (as small as 0.1 microns) the resilience of toxic black mold mycotoxins can make them next to impossible to remove completely from houses and belongings. This is why it is important to act quickly to remove toxic black mold before its mycotoxins spread and to hire an experienced toxic black mold remediation service trained to contain mycotoxins during removal.
More About Toxic Black Mold Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins has general information on mycotoxins produced by different species of toxic molds.
Toxic Black Mold Spores and Mycotoxins talks specifically about the spores and mycotoxins which Stachybotrys produces.
Trichothecene Mycotoxins are a family of mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys.