During the last few months, as rain has kept falling, mould is something that many have experienced. For the lucky ones, it’s just an annoying growth on shoes, coats, handbags etc. But for many, it’s been far worse after floodwater has inundated our homes, leaving a terrible legacy to deal with.
Mould grows indoors in wet or moist areas lacking adequate ventilation. These can include walls, ceilings, bathroom tiles, carpets (especially those with jute backing), insulation material and wood. If moisture accumulates, mould growth will often occur on indoor surfaces. Many different types of mould exist, and they all have the potential to cause health problems.
Thankfully, understanding mould and mould-related illness, particularly after an extreme weather event like we have just seen in NNSW, has been made easy. Dr Sandeep Gupta MBBS, FRAGP, FACNEM from Lotus Holistic Medicine and Nicole Bijlsma ND, BHScAc (HONS), Grad Dip OHS, PhD(c) have put together a webinar Preventing mould after floods and extreme weather.
We look at
- the mechanisms and timeframe for microbial growth after severe water ingress
- how to dry out your home,
- assessing the condition of your home,
- the porosity of contents,
- cleaning and disposal advice,
- mould inspection and testing,
- health issues of occupants,
- how to determine if you require the assistance of a mould remediator,
- insurance advice, and so much more.
You’ll also learn about the mechanisms for mould after flooding and some of the forms of mould-related illnesses. There are 4 main categories spoken about in greater detail.
- Fungal infection,
- Mould allergy.
- Whole-body inflammation.
- Mycotoxicosis
The spectrum of mould-related illnesses is vast. The take-home point here is that if you have had a flooded home or business and start developing new symptoms, you need to suspect mould-related illness as being a possible cause.
Listen to Bellymold on BayFM with Sister Rasela as she talks all things mould!