Black Mold in Abandoned Buildings

2 years ago

Black Mold in Abandoned Buildings. How dangerous is it?

When you come across abandoned buildings, what would be your first thought? Probably ghosts right? Well, your answer is partially right, there is actually an invisible ghost that can cause real danger.

Don’t think too hard, it is none other than black mold. If you get into an abandoned building, there is a high level of probability that you will find black mold all over the walls.

Although black molds are not a direct threat to our life, they cause a lot of danger to our health and in some rare cases, that can even lead to death.

Is Black Mold Dangerous?

Black mold is a common type of fungus that appears in our indoor environment, although there are different scientific names for different types of molds, the most common term used by the general public is black mold.

Like all toxin fungi, black molds release mycotoxins through their spores. When you inhale these spores, it can cause serious respiratory issues.

Also, according to research done by Michigan State University researchers, toxins released by black molds can seriously affect our sense of smell, the research states that the black mold’s toxins kill the cells that are responsible for our sense of smell.

There are also many other issues that can be caused by black molds like:

Troubled Breathing
Depression
Headaches
Memory loss
Bleeding in Nose
Rashes in skin
Wheezing
Respiratory tract disease like idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage.
Sinusitis
Runny Nose
Losing sense of smell
Mood swings and numbness.

The above issues are just some commonly reported issues due to black molds, but there could also be more health defects due to black molds that have not been reported yet.

It can also cause severe allergic reactions for people with compromised immune systems. Also, if you are a person suffering from Asthma or any chronic respiratory disease then it is highly advisable to not go near black molds.

Since the mycotoxins released by black molds are neurotoxins, it can affect our nervous system to a great extent. There are also cases where people feel hallucinations, anxiety, and seizures.

So, if you are getting into an abandoned house and if you are seeing a ghost then it is most probably a hallucination caused by the exposure to the black mold’s mycotoxins.

On a serious note, if you are suffering from any symptoms like cough or sore throat or skin rash or itching sensation, then you have to consult a doctor immediately to avoid any further complications.

Why do abandoned buildings have Black Molds?

The major reason for the growth of black molds in the environment, black molds are actually a type of fungus and like all living beings, they also require specific environmental conditions to thrive.

Black molds are usually found in damp environments where there is a high level of moisture and limited exposure to sunlight. So, usually, when there is heavy rain, the water gets stagnant in abandoned buildings and this can become a perfect environment for the black molds to grow.

Since there is no maintenance in abandoned buildings, the black mold grows unrestricted. Abandoned buildings give a warm and moist environment for the black molds, also there is not much outside disturbance like wind or sunlight.

Who gets affected the most by black mold?

We can see from the above danger points that black mold can be a reason for a variety of health issues. But it is also important to note that black mold does not affect all people at the same rate.

Certain sects of people are susceptible to black molds more than others, they are:

Kids
Old people
People with a compromised immune system
People with Asthma or any other major respiratory complications

We can see from the above list that the people that are affected the most are the most vulnerable section of our society. So, it is important that people belonging to the list above should not go anywhere close to a black mold without proper protection.

Also, we should not come to the conclusion that people who are not on the above list are safe from black mold. Black mold can affect anyone, therefore it is important to be cautious when there is the risk of black mold.

How to protect yourself from Black Mold

There are many different ways to protect yourself from black mold, the simple answer is to wear a mask to avoid breathing in the spores, wear gloves when touching mold, and finally wear some form of eye protection. Protective equipment that has been time tested is an N-95 respirator and Gloves.

We can now understand the danger associated with the presence of black mold in abandoned buildings. With proper precautions and understanding of the effects of black mold, we can safeguard ourselves.