Tag Archives: NYC Mold Removal

Can You Get Skin Lesions from Mold Exposure?

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It's Time to Get Stern with Your Mold!

It’s Time to Get Stern with Your Mold!

Mold can cause severe respiratory problems, eye irritation, chronic headaches, and skin lesions. As unpleasant as it may be to think about, human skin can be an ideal growing surface for mold. Mold needs warmth, moisture, and food to thrive: 1. Your skin is a biodegradable surface, much like wood or sheet rock; 2. The average human body temperature is between 97.7 °F and 99.5 °F; and 3. The only other thing mold needs to reproduce and grow on human skin is moisture.

Common causes of mold growth on skin

• If you don’t dry thoroughly after bathing, the moisture can create an ideal condition for mold growth on your skin.
• High humidity levels in your home can result in your skin remaining moist long after you’ve finished your bath or shower.
• Consuming a diet high in yeast can create too much yeast in your blood and cause a yeast infection and mold on the skin.
• Any infection or immune system problem that compromises the natural defenses of your body can give mold a toehold and lead to serious skin lesions.

Why NYC mold removal?

People allergic to mold spores may develop a skin rash in response to exposure. The red, inflamed areas of the skin can be itchy and painful. Because the skin is already damaged, it doesn’t take much scratching to break the skin and open the door to infection and severe skin lesions.

The old medical idiom “prevention is the best cure” applies to all the possible health risks of mold. Contact the experts at Stern for a consultation on their patented method of NYC mold removal. MoldExterm is a fast and affordable.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Treatment, NYC Mold Removal

Mycotoxin Information for Manhattan Building Managers – Part Two

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We are NYC's mold treatment experts!

We are NYC’s mold treatment experts!

Do you regularly have your building inspected for mold? If you discover a need for Manhattan or NJ mold treatment, you should be informed regarding the dangers of mycotoxins in order to protect residents, employees and customers.

Mycotoxins in the News

During the 1990s, as more was learned about the health risks of mycotoxins, a number of high-profile toxic mold settlements raised public awareness. Even expensive celebrity homes were not immune from mold damage and mycotoxins.

The Center of Integrative Toxicology at Michigan State University conducted a study regarding damp building-related illness (DBRI), where it was discovered that Stachybotrys is possibly a contributing factor. Animal testing has demonstrated that sensitivity to S. chartarum can produce inflammation and allergic symptoms of the upper and lower respiratory tracts.

How Does Mycotoxin Exposure Affect Humans?

There are some “good” mycotoxins that affect other fungi or bacteria, with penicillin being the most well-known example. With humans, the most common reactions to mycotoxin are respiratory allergies and inflammation and weakened immune systems. Scientists are also finding a possible connection between mycotoxin exposure and neurological damage.

Mycotoxicosis is the general term for poisoning from exposure to mycotoxins. Oral ingestion, skin contact and inhalation are the avenues through which mycotoxins enter the body, where they circulate via the bloodstream and lymphatic system.

Stern Mold: Effective Manhattan and NJ Mold Treatment

Mold exposure is nothing you should leave to chance. Our professionally trained technicians usually complete our non-toxic MoldExterm treatment in one day, with no removal of building materials and minimum interruption to your routine.

Call 888.887.8376 to schedule a free mold inspection of your home or building.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Identification, Mold Information, Mold Remediation, Mold Treatment, NYC Mold Removal

Mycotoxin Information for Manhattan Building Managers – Part One

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Mold in an Office Building is No Problem for Us

Mold in an Office Building is No Problem for Us

How “healthy” is your Manhattan building? If you need Manhattan mold treatment service, you should be aware of mycotoxins and the health effects they can have on residents, employees and customers.

What Are Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are chemicals produced by mold and other fungi. They’re considered a secondary substance because they’re not necessary for the organism’s existence.

Just as mold comes in a wide range of different species, there are a number of different types of mycotoxins. A particular mycotoxin may be produced by many species of mold, or a specific type of mold may generate numerous mycotoxins.

Where Are Mycotoxins Found?

Moldy crops are a common source of mycotoxins. Aflatoxins, one of the more common varieties, is usually found in commodities such as peanuts, spices, pistachios and maize. Food-borne mycotoxins present a danger to both humans and livestock.

Buildings are the other major source of mycotoxins. Stachybotrys chartarum has the highest mycotoxin content of indoor molds, while Apergillus also produces many of the more frequently found mycotoxins.

Low levels of mycotoxins are not generally risky. Problems arise when a mold infestation develops on an interior surface, creating prolonged exposure to mycotoxins. This happens when microscopic mold spores, which are always present in the air, land on a damp spot which provides the optimum conditions for growth.

Restore Your Building’s Health with Manhattan Mold Treatment by Stern Mold

Cleaning your building isn’t enough to remove the risk of mycotoxins and mold-related illnesses. The mold must be removed completely and steps must be taken to prevent future occurrences.

Visit our website for information about our proprietary two-step MoldExterm process and schedule a free mold inspection.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Identification, Mold Information, Mold Remediation, NYC Mold Removal

NYC Parents Be on the Watch for Black Mold Exposure Symptoms in Infants

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Mold Isn't Just In Old Buildings, Find Out if You're Safe Before It's Too Late.

Mold Isn’t Just In Old Buildings, Find Out if You’re Safe Before It’s Too Late.

Black mold problems are bad enough in adults, but they can be far worse in infants. One of the worst problems is bleeding in the lungs. Because an infant’s lungs are still developing, they cannot readily rid themselves of the toxins from black mold. Symptoms include coughing up blood, nose bleeds and/or difficulty catching their breath, particularly in infants less than 6 months old.

Lung problems are serious, and if these symptoms are occurring, a physician should be contacted immediately.

Intestinal Problems

Virtually all kids will have nausea and vomit on occasion, but if these symptoms continue for any length of time, black toxic mold may be the cause. Diarrhea and abdominal pain may also accompany these symptoms, and lack of an appetite and loss of weight may also be seen.

As these conditions may potentially be life threatening, a visit to the doctor is recommended to find out whether or not toxic mold is the problem.

Rash

Rashes occur for many reasons, but they can also happen if your child comes into physical contact with black mold. Generally, a redness will appear where the child touched the mold, but a rash may develop on any part of the body after contact. Regular creams and ointments used for rash treatment will have virtually no effect on a black mold rash.

If the rash doesn’t go away, a physician should be consulted and NYC mold treatment may be needed.

Learn More

For questions and answers or to learn more about toxic black mold, please contact Stern Mold. We offer a free mold inspection and have been the NYC mold treatment specialists since 1995.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, NYC Mold Removal

Why is Mycotoxin Toxicity Information Important to NYC Co-Op Owners?

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Inhaled Mold Spores Can Be Detrimental to Health

Inhaled Mold Spores Can Be Detrimental to Health

Everyone is familiar with the term “toxic mold,” but it doesn’t apply to every form of fungus found in a home or building. Here is some vital information about mold and toxicity that all NYC co-op owners should know.

What Makes Mold Toxic?

“Toxic mold” refers to species that excrete mycotoxins, which are metabolites produced in the presence of certain levels of temperature, water activity and pH balance. One of the more prevalent forms is aflatoxin, which is produced by Aspergillus, a commonly-occurring mold both indoors and outdoors.

Mycotoxins are found on mold spores as well as on the mold itself, causing them to spread to the surface where the infestation is growing. This prevalence can lead to mycotoxins entering a person’s system through inhaling, ingestion or skin exposure.

Mold also produces volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that are responsible for the distinctive musty smell of fungi. While they are not technically mycotoxins, experiments have provided an increasing amount of evidence that VOCs can have toxic properties.

Mycotoxins and Your Health

Prolonged exposure to mycotoxins can result in physical and neurological problems. Studies suggest that these effects are the result of mycotoxins triggering the immune system and causing chronic inflammation. Up to 25 percent of the population is thought to have a genetic predisposition to the risks of mycotoxins.

Stern Mold: Your #1 Source for Effective NYC Mold Treatment

Any mold found in your co-op should be removed promptly, regardless of toxicity. Our two-part NYC mold treatment process safely eliminates mold and protects against recurrence.

Contact us today to make an appointment for a free mold inspection conducted by our friendly and professionally-trained technicians.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, NYC Mold Removal
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