With the right conditions for growth, mold can thrive into a problematic infestation. Mold loves moisture and warmth to get going and if the source is not addressed, it could prove challenging to rid your property of it entirely. When confronted with a mold situation, you must adhere to the recommended safety guidelines and procedures to avoid disturbing the attached mold spores and the risk of illness. When cleaning mold, you should wear some kind of personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent mold from settling on your clothing or entering your eyes and nostrils. You want to prevent an allergic reaction or protect your lungs. Should you wear a mask when cleaning mold? The simple answer is, yes.
CDC on Wearing a Mask When Mold is Present
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, you should protect your mouth and nose against breathing in mold spores by wearing at minimum a disposable, NIOSH-approved N-95 filtering facepiece respirator (often called an “N-95 respirator” or “N-95 mask”). It recommends wearing a reusable half-face respirator or full-face respirator if you plan on spending over 4 hours working in mold, removing contaminated items like furniture or drywall, or performing a cleanup.
Health Problems From Mold Exposure
Not only is mold unsightly but it can potentially cause health issues. Inhaling or touching mold can trigger allergic responses in individuals who are sensitive to the allergens that the mold produces. Mold can trigger such common allergic responses as fever-like symptoms, such as runny nose, sneezing, red or itchy eyes, and skin rash. A person’s immune system can overreact when exposed to mold, seeing it as a danger, and the symptoms can leave them feeling uncomfortable. An allergic reaction to mold may not be immediate and could take several hours to manifest itself.
Mold exposure can also trigger an asthma attack in some people suffering from asthma. In this case, the person is likely allergic to mold. It could trigger a severe case of asthma, which could be an emergency. Breathing in the mold spores affects the airways and the lungs. Signs of an asthma attack include coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing.
Types of Mold Safety Masks
Selecting a type of mold safety mask is dependent, in part, on the size of the mold-affected area. Types of mold safety masks include:
- N-95 Respirator Mask – filters out 95% of mold spores and is ideal for small mold removal jobs -10 square feet or less.
- N-99 Respirator Mask – filters out 99% of mold spores and is ideal for small mold removal jobs -10 square feet or less
- N-100 Respirator Mask – filters out 99.97% of mold spores and is ideal for small mold removal jobs -10 square feet or less.
- Half-Face Respirator – ideal for mold removal jobs of 100 square feet or less.
- Full-Face Respirator – ideal for mold removal jobs of 100 square feet or less.
For your biggest mold removal job, let Bay State Mold Removal help eradicate the mold from your property. We’ll help to restore your space to a livable and breathable environment. Call today and get a free quote.
