[Stevensteven]

Some man that was in my house the other day fixing something scared the hell out of me! He said he can sense mold in my house and that there must be standing puddles of water in my basement?

I am from ontario canada would mold only be a problem here in the summer as it freezes in the basement in the winter?

My basement is a crawl space like 3 feet and im sure its easy for water to get down there but im not sure if it would cause actual puddles?

What are the chances on toxic mold growing in a basement like this? This is a really old house! I have noticed bits of mold in the bathroom nothing crazy tho.

One thing i am scared about is i have

Personality disorders

Anxiety

Lethargy

Stuffed Nose

But the truth is i had these before eve nwhen i lived in a bran new house as a child and in my early 20s ive always had this issues so i can't say the toxic mold caused them not that i know its toxic anyway

There is so much confusing information on the internet about it I just want to know the chances on my basement creating toxic mold because water can get through? I have seen rats down there! I am freaking out someone help me im so scared

[Toxic]

Hello Steve,

First of all, basements are growing fields for mold so, yes, you do have reason to be concerned. If I were you I would hire a licensed, insured, bonded mold inspector. I am not sure if there are any listed in Canada but you might try www.mold-help.com and look it up. If you can't find one in your area, try the IAQA.org and see if you can find a good inspector there. It is important to have the place tested and ensure they do viable testing as opposed to non-viable testing. It can determine health effects better. Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers,
Susan
_________________
The information on this website is strictly layman's advice and should not be construed as professional information. For more information, please view our online resources at www.mold-help.org, www.mold-help.com, and www.mold-survivor.com before posting your question. Additionally, for a small donation we can call you for assistance. See front page of www.mold-help.org for more information.

[Stevensteven]

hello thanks

Is mold as serious in ontario (cold) as it is in humid areas like texas?


I contacted one company they told me if i have been living here 5 years and still not noticed any health issues im probably safe from toxic mold?

How common is the deadly kind? It is so hard to find this information online as it does not exist! :(

[Toxic]

First of all, geographically, it doesn't matter where you are, if there is a water intrusion problem, you will most likely have mold. In a recent survey we conducted, in over 5,000 homes that contained toxic mold, all of them had one thing in common' water intrusion. Construction defect and lack of maintainence are the biggest factors. We take better care of our cars than we do our homes, which is quite sad.

If you have lived in the house for 5 years with no health problems, it is irrelevant. What if there was a maintainence within the last year or so? Then, the problem would occur sooner or later.

And when mold begins growing, it starts with aspergillus/penicillium, then more virulent molds begin to thrive, so, again, it doesn't matter where you are located. If I were that worried about toxic mold growing in my home, why don't you try the self test kits located at www.mold-help.org/content/view/768/. The test is inexpensive and thorough. Good luck.

Cheers,
Susan
_________________
The information on this website is strictly layman's advice and should not be construed as professional information. For more information, please view our online resources at www.mold-help.org, www.mold-help.com, and www.mold-survivor.com before posting your question. Additionally, for a small donation we can call you for assistance. See front page of www.mold-help.org for more information.

[Stevensteven]

ok thanks so much for the reply

Do you think in the time being having a window open would be better for me? I am just trying to figure things out and prove to my landlord that it needs to be done.

[Toxic]

Yes, during the meantime, having the window open will help temporarily. You must take care of this problem as soon as possible.


By the way, Mold Help is a non-profit and we do accept tax deductable donations. We are always happy to help, but help from the public would also be appreciated.

Cheers,
Susan
_________________
The information on this website is strictly layman's advice and should not be construed as professional information. For more information, please view our online resources at www.mold-help.org, www.mold-help.com, and www.mold-survivor.com before posting your question. Additionally, for a small donation we can call you for assistance. See front page of www.mold-help.org for more information.