Black Mould
Black Mould is an extreme case in instances of water damage and must be treated with caution.
The term "Black Mould" is generally referring to the Stachybotrys Chartarum species, which can have serious health effects on those exposed to it.
In this article, we are going to discuss symptoms relating to Stachybotrys and demystify its background to help understand how it can affect you.
Symptoms (Pinto, 2000)
- Dizziness
- Memory Loss
- Fatigue
- Tingling or burning of the mouth or nose
- Nosebleeds
- Cold and flu symptoms
- Sore throat
- Neurological disorders
- Personality changes
- Bleeding in lungs
- Damage to organs
What is it?
To better understand how Stachybotrys Chartarum affects you, it is important to understand its background. Stachybotrys Chartarum helps decay organic matter outdoors. However, there is a particular species of Stachybotrys that is prone to growing indoors. It is allergenic, produces mycotoxins, and is normally found on materials that have been wet for an extended period of time.
What Does it Look Like?
It is generally dark brown or black in colour (see the picture).
How do you know if you have it?
Environmental sampling is considered the best way to identify it. It is important to know what you are dealing with if you are suffering health effects.
There are a few ways to conduct sampling, and testing for Stachybotrys usually involves a combination of air and surface sampling. For a comprehensive review of reasons to test for mould, signs of mould, kinds of mould testing, and our mould testing services, please read our "Mould Testing Explained" article. To book in-person mould testing, please contact us.
What if I suspect the presence of Black Mould?
The following steps will help mitigate the damage and help protect your health before full remediation is undertaken:
- Isolation of the room where the mould is
- Isolation with affected areas with tape and plastic sheeting
- Use of at least a P2 mask (available from stores such as Bunnings)
- Shut down any air conditioning
- Use a HEPA air scrubber to help filter mould spores out of the air (available for hire here)
How to remove Black Mould?
The black mould removal process is more involved than simply wiping the walls and hoping for the best. It is always recommended you engage a mould professional to do the job for you. If this option is not available then refer to accepted industry guidelines for mould remediation in Australia.
Australian Mould Guideline 2010 (IICRC S520)
The Australian Mould Guideline is an easy-to-understand guideline that shows step by step the process of remediation. This book is about $30 and represents a good investment if followed properly.
More information
For a comprehensive review of reasons to test for mould, signs of mould, kinds of mould testing, and our mould testing services, please read our "Mould Testing Explained" article. To book in-person mould testing or mould remediation, please contact us.
