Health Impacts of a Water Damaged Ceiling

If your business has been damaged by a flood, pipe burst or leak of any kind, then you know how devastating water damage can be. Water gets everywhere, and even when it is pumped out or dries, water damage is often still present in the ceiling, on the walls, and on your floors. You may not realize it, but in addition to being unattractive, this sort of damage can become very hazardous to your health and the health of your employees and customers.

When considering repairs after a water damage event, repainting and relaying floors are priorities that are often high on the list. Because ceilings are above our heads and are less frequently observed, they can be put off or forgotten about.

However, mold loves to grow in dark, roomy, undisturbed areas, and getting that water damage in your ceiling repaired may actually be a lot more important than you first thought.

By leaving a water damaged ceiling unrepaired, you may be putting someone’s health at risk. Read on to learn about the potential health problems that can be caused by water damage ceiling mold.

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Health Risks of Water Damage in Your Ceiling

Not everyone is immediately susceptible to the effects of mold. When exposed to mold, those who are allergic may quickly develop allergy symptoms such as coughing or wheezing, difficulty breathing nasally or eye or skin irritation.

However, just because you do not experience any immediate symptoms does not mean mold isn’t present. Some people are not allergic to mold, but they can still be affected by long term or ongoing exposure.

A 2004 study by the Institute of Medicine found clear evidence that indoor exposure to mold from water damage can and does adversely affect people’s health. There are many symptoms and conditions that this study definitively linked to mold exposure.

• Individuals with asthma will experience more frequent and more intense asthma symptoms when indoors where mold is present.

• Otherwise healthy people will experience upper respiratory tract symptoms such as sore throats and nasal congestion.

• When in an indoor space with mold, healthy people may cough and wheeze more frequently.

• A rare, immune-mediated condition called hypersensitivity pneumonitis could arise as the result of indoor mold exposure in a person susceptible to it.  If left untreated, this condition can be quite serious, and there is no effective treatment or cure for it yet. People who suffer from hypersensitivity pneumonitis may develop scarred lungs from breathing in particles such as mold and dust.

The study also found that there were other health conditions that mold from a water-damaged ceiling may cause, but there was insufficient evidence to release anything conclusive.

• Some evidence suggested that exposure to mold can cause respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.

• It’s possible that mold hiding in water damaged ceilings cause shortness of breath in people of all ages.

• Researchers found that there may be a link between mold from unrepaired water damage and the development of asthma in susceptible people who did not have signs of the condition previously.

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Mold Remediation For Water-Damaged Ceilings Is Vital

If you have water damage in your business, you must call a professional for an assessment to determine if mold is present. If there is water damage in your ceiling, and mold has begun to grow, it is crucial that you move to get it removed before it spreads further.

Mold remediation is not something you can put off until next year; it must be done right away to protect your health and the health of those you care about.

Please contact us today. Our professionals will help you take care of this problem so that you can go on with your business unencumbered, healthy and mold-free.

If you live in an area that may experience flooding or heavy rains, consider calling us at Unlimited Restoration for tips even if you have not yet suffered a water damage event. We will be happy to give you a free evaluation of your space and will put you on our preferred list. If and when a natural disaster occurs, we check in our preferred customers first.

We’re here to help. Please contact us today.