Are you at risk for mold exposure? video

April 25, 2009

Are you at risk for mold exposure?

April 24, 2009 09:24 PM EDT

KVBC - Las Vegas,NV,USA

Video

On Thursday, we told you about a Southern Nevada Health District worker whose

family is suffering symptoms of mold exposure. The very same exposure they

believe killed him.

News 3's Hetty Chang explains how it could happen to anyone, especially if your

immune system is weak.

It has everything you can ask for in a nice Valley neighborhood: neatly

manicured homes along a quiet street. So you can see why a bank-owned home

stands out like a sore thumb. Outside, you'll find the obvious signs. But it's

what lurking inside the home on Sickle Lane that will make your stomach turn.

" It's a pretty nasty smell in there, " Craig Herrmann with Mold Eliminators

points out. " Banks call us all the time for coming out and doing mold

inspections. "

Before going into the house we had to put on protective masks which kept us from

breathing in whatever is airborne inside the home.

But the masks couldn't protect us from the smell. We're told the previous owner

had a lot of pets and never bothered to clean up after them. " They just

destroyed it - pets peeing everywhere, " said Herrmann. " This is urine stains

from the dog. You can even see there's fungal activity. "

The mold is everywhere: growing on exposed floors, underneath the bathroom

tiles, and all over the kitchen cabinets. Explained Herrmann, " If you see your

well board starting to rot and look funny, that's an indication something is

going on. "

And that something, microscopic fungi, can have deadly consequences. " It's toxic

to the person whose immune system doesn't react well to it - if you have a

newborn child, immune system still developing, if you recently went through

chemo. "

Even breathing the air could be harmful. " If you have anything greater than a

one foot square, you don't want to handle it yourself. You want to hire someone

to do a remediation. "

The job could cost several hundred to several thousand dollars. It's not cheap

but experts say leaving the problem there could do permanent damage to your home

and your health.

Recognizing the symptoms of mold exposure can be tricky because light symptoms

are similar to allergies. More serious health problems include respiratory

infection, seizures, and even cancer.

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