Category Archives: Mold Tips

Aspergillosis – a Lung Infection Caused by Exposure to Mold

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Lungs And Mold

Lungs And Mold

Inhaling mold spores on a regular basis can irritate your throat and nasal passages, causing allergic reactions such as sneezing and coughing. A more serious threat lurks for people who have low resistance or pre-existing lung conditions.

Aspergillosis: When Mold Turns Infectious

Aspergillus is one of the more common types of mold, occurring frequently both indoors and outdoors. Chances are you inhale Aspergillus spores on a daily basis with little or no adverse effects.

However, individuals with weakened immune systems or who have a lung disease are at risk of developing aspergillosis, which is an infection resulting from exposure to Aspergillus spores.

Types of Aspergillosis

There are more than 180 identified species of Aspergillus, but fewer than 40 of them cause infection. Different forms of aspergillosis include:

• Allergic bronchopulmonary and allergic sinustis cause inflammation that triggers allergic reactions but no infection.

• Aspergilloma, or “fungus ball,” is a ball of Aspergillus mold that grows in the lungs and sinuses.

• Chronic pulmonary causes cavities in the lungs, and may occur in conjunction with aspergilloma.

• Invasive is an infectious form that usually affects the lungs, although it can spread to other parts of the body.

• Cutaneous develops when Aspergillus spores enter the body via the skin, such as through a cut or wound.

Live in Northern NJ or NYC? Schedule your Free Mold Inspection from Stern Mold.

If you suspect a mold infestation in your home, it should be treated immediately regardless of the type of fungus. Contact us today to schedule your free mold inspection by our professionally trained technicians. We can deal with mold infestation quickly and effectively using our eco-friendly MoldExterm process.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Tips, News

Mold 101 What You Need to Know for Your Family

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Keep Your Family Safe

Keep Your Family Safe

Toxic black mold can happen any place where a humidity factor of 70%, or greater, exists. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements and crawl spaces are prime areas where mold can occur, and they should be checked regularly for mold infestation.

Health Problems

The biggest issue with a mold invasion are the upper respiratory, and other health problems, it can cause from the spores that are present in the air. Wheezing, runny nose, itchy watery eyes are just some of the complications when exposed to mold spores. However, if the mold comes into contact with skin or it has been accidently ingested, then a wealth of digestive conditions may happen including nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite and stomach cramps.

Mold Removal

There are no two ways about it. If you find mold in your house, home, apartment or other dwelling, it must be removed. Although there are many over-the-counter mold removal chemicals, washes and other treatments, the only sure way to get the mold out of your living space is through professional mold remediation. Getting it professionally removed assures you that the mold will be gone and that the health risk from toxic black mold will no longer effect yourself or your family.

The professionals at Stern Mold are NYC mold treatment experts to protect your household from black mold complications. We are part of the Stern Environmental Group and we will answer all of your questions or schedule a free mold inspection at no charge to you. For NYC mold treatment at its finest, count on Stern Mold. Serving the New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island areas since 1995

Posted in Mold Information, Mold Tips, Mold Treatment, News

Mold Testing Kits Are Available for Region’s Flood Victims

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Mold Flourishes in Damp Environments

Mold Flourishes in Damp Environments

Flooding in homes and buildings creates a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. In response to massive flooding in Midwestern states, organizations are providing free mold test kits to assess trouble spots.

Mold: A Common Result of Flooding

During the tail end of 2015, unusually severe storms resulted in swollen rivers that caused flooding in Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. Iroquois County in northeast Illinois is one of the areas that was hit particularly hard.

Mold doesn’t appear immediately post-flooding. Instead, it may take hold in hidden spaces that stay damp for a long time. In July 2016, the Iroquois County Long-Term Recovery Committee announced that they will begin providing free mold test kits to homeowners who suspect a problem.

Moisture + Spores = Mold

Moisture is a necessary ingredient for mold growth. Mold spores are always present in the atmosphere, and it takes only one spore landing on a damp spot to start rapidly reproducing. Excessive humidity in areas like basements and bathrooms serves to hasten the process.

A lack of visual evidence doesn’t rule out the presence of mold. It can flourish inside cabinets, behind walls, under carpeting or in crawl spaces. Musty odors, rather than visual sightings, are frequently the first tip-off to a mold infestation.

Schedule Your Northern NJ or NYC Free Mold Inspection

Have you recently experienced flooding or leaks in your home? When it comes to mold, out of sight is not out of mind. Contact Stern Mold for your Northern NJ or NYC free mold inspection performed by our friendly, professionally trained technicians.

Posted in Mold Tips, Mold Treatment, MoldExterm, News

Toxic Mold May Trigger Psychiatric Symptoms

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Depression Linked to Mold

Depression Linked to Mold

Experts regularly warn about toxic mold as a risk to your physical health, particularly the upper respiratory system. A noted mental health professional recently spoke about the lesser-known link between toxic mold and psychiatric symptoms.

Mold and Biotoxin Illness

Dr. Mary Ackerley of Tucson is an integrative psychiatrist who uses alternative treatments with patients who don’t respond to traditional methods. She is also certified in the Shoemaker Protocol for treating biotoxin illness and chronic inflammatory response.

While Dr. Ackerley was originally unaware of the dangers of mold, she had her first experience with a patient who presented with depression and brain fog along with stomach pains and chronic sinus infections. It turned out that remodeling of the woman’s home had uncovered extensive mold.

The Mold-Brain Connection

Cytokines are proteins that regulate the body’s immune response to foreign organisms. When cytokines are at elevated levels, such as during prolonged exposure to mycotoxins in mold, they can result in neuroinflammation, triggering these psychiatric symptoms.

Dr. Ackerley cited another case of a woman who began suffering from extreme depression and anxiety when her husband performed DIY mold remediation at their home. The doctor pointed out the irony of these patients being told depression is “all in their head” only to discover that there are clear physical causes.

Stern Mold: Effective Mold Remediation for NYC and Northern NJ

As in the cases of these patients, traditional mold remediation can actually aggravate toxic mold symptoms rather than relieve them. Contact us to learn more about our non-toxic, non-invasive MoldExterm process and schedule your free mold inspection by our experienced professional technicians.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Remediation, Mold Tips, Mold Treatment, MoldExterm, News

Scientific Study Shows that Young Children’s IQ is Impacted by Mold Exposure

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Don't Let Mold Exposure Impact Your Child's Future

Don’t Let Mold Exposure Impact Your Child’s Future

Sometimes we think of black mold as a nuisance and that there isn’t a danger other than some respiratory distress when the spores are inhaled. But a new study from the Bio-ethical Committee of Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland, has released some alarming information regarding the effects that toxic black mold has on kids.

The Findings

After a 6-year follow up of children who were exposed to toxic mold, here are the findings from the college. “The group of children who completed the 6-year follow-up consisted of 277 babies born at term. Out of the whole sample, 52 children (18.8 %) lived for shorter periods (<=2 years) and 15 (5.4%) for longer periods than 2 years in mold-contaminated homes. Children who were exposed for longer periods to indoor molds had significant cognitive deficits of about 10 points. The results showed that longer exposure to indoor molds tripled the risk of low IQ scoring (OR= 3.53; 95%CI: 1.11 – 11.27) compared with the group with no exposure.”

Don’t Take Chances

Toxic mold has now been proven to be detrimental to younger children by lower cognitive skills and lower IQ scores. Protect yourself and your loved ones and get rid of any toxic black mold by mold remediation that will rid your house, home, or apartment of mold infestation.

The professionals at Stern Mold are experts at mold remediation to protect your family from black mold complications. We’re part of the Stern Environmental Group and we will answer all of your questions or schedule a free mold inspection at your residence. Serving the New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island areas since 1995.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Tips, News
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