Black mold can cause allergy (like watery eyes, cough and extremely irritable), toxicity and other health problems.

What Are the Dangers of Black Mold?

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Kimberley Jace

Kimberley Jace won state press association awards in Illinois, Indiana, and Florida during her 15 years experience in print journalism. She has been a freelance writer and editor for five years and has published more than 250 instructional articles online. Her motivational e-books are published by Ultimate Destiny University.

By Kimberley Jace, eHow Contributor

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Black mold is also called toxic mold because of the effect it can have on living things. This parasitic plant substance, which can be present in homes, schools and businesses, presents a variety of dangers. The poisons (called mycotoxins) released by mold can adversely affect the health of -- even kill -- every person and animal that comes into contact with it. Black mold also can destroy surfaces in the home; mold contamination can render a house uninhabitable.

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   Respiratory Risks

   
   
   
   
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     Toxic black mold can enter the body by touching or inhaling spores that the mold has released. As these spores lodge in the respiratory system, they can cause a variety of respiratory problems, including cold- and flu-like symptoms, sore throat, wheezing, nasal congestion, nasal drip and asthma symptoms. The most dangerous variety of mold for respiratory risks is aspergillus, which can form a "fungal ball" that lives in the lungs, releasing carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) that can be fatal.

     
     

     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   

   Nervous System Risks

   
   
   
   
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     Toxic black mold also can cause symptoms in the central nervous system, including depression, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Sufferers of these symptoms often do not connect them to the presence of mold until they notice the symptoms change dramatically when they are in a different environment: chronic fatigue clears up during a vacation, or dizziness occurs only in a mold-contaminated workplace and subsides when the worker is home. Stachybotrys, one mold variety, can cause serious neurological symptoms. The mycotoxin of Stachybotrys has been considered for use as a chemical warfare agent.

     
     

     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   

   Physical Damage

   
   
   
   
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     Black mold feeds on whatever surface it attaches to, eventually eroding the surface. Mold on the surface of a leather jacket hung in a humid closet can eat away at the leather, damaging its appearance. Mold also can cause dry rot in a wooden building beam, weakening it until it no longer supports the structure. Mold often grows and spreads behind walls and under flooring, causing extensive damage before it is detected.

     
     

     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   

   Building Contamination

   
   
   
   
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     Mold contamination in a building will increase over time as the mold colonies grow and spread. The greater the amount of mold, the higher the danger for that building's inhabitants. Moldy building materials cannot be cleaned; mold eradication involves tearing out and replacing all contaminated materials, a service performed by special crews wearing hazardous material-protection suits. The process is often more expensive than the value of the building. Mold-contaminated homes may be deemed uninhabitable, meaning they cannot be sold on the marketplace and must be razed.

     
     

     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   

   Considerations

   
   
   
   
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     The effects of toxic mold exposure are cumulative, becoming more serious over time. Mold-related illnesses often can be treated, but are more often misdiagnosed, because mold illness can appear to be a bacterial or viral infection. If you believe you are suffering from mold exposure-related illness, alert your doctor. If you believe you are living, working or going to school i