If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, such as certain areas of California, you should do what you can to protect your home from them. While it may seem pretty hopeless once a wildfire is on a path that will go straight through your home, there are some things that you can do to try and minimize the damage.
The first thing that you can do if you own your home is to outfit it with fire resistant materials. The roof is perhaps the most important surface that you should take care of, since it is the largest surface of the home that is exposed to sparks of fire that have become airborne. If there is a wildfire near your house, you should take your water hose and keep the roof wet as much as possible to stop this threat. Fire-resistant roofing materials are large in number and include tile, metal, and fiberglass. Any oil-based roofing material should be replaced and wooden shingles are a disaster waiting to happen.
Fire-resistant materials should also be used to build the walls and windows of the house, since this can impede the spreading of the fire to the interior. Stone, metal, and brick offer a decent amount of protection, but vinyl siding and wood provide extremely little. The windows are important because heat will radiate inside the house and possibly set drapes on fire, so having smaller windows in homes that are at risk is a good idea.
Another thing that you can do to your lawn if a wildfire is nearby is wetting it with the water hose. This can also slow the fire’s spread to your house some. Do not allow dead leaves and other debris to build up in the yard during wildfire season and try to get rid of any tree branches that are hanging over your house. You can even go as far as to have these trees that are close to your home removed, but that is a personal preference. It will help, but some people may not want to sacrifice them.
If you have to evacuate, realize that you cannot take everything with you. Take only the most important valuables and get out as soon as you can. If you have time and are leaving voluntarily, take the opportunity to wet your yard, roof, and the exterior of your house again. This is pretty much all you can do at this point and the rest is in the hands of nature.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Child Mold Allergy Problems
Allergies are an inconvenience for everyone who has them and there are billions of people in the world who suffer from them every day. Whether it is an allergy to pollen, grass, pet dander, or mold, the symptoms are usually about the same. They can be anything from a runny nose and a pair of itchy eyes all the way to swelling of the face and neck or even the entire body. Most allergy symptoms are only prevalent from the spring to fall, but allergies that are caused by things like pet dander and mold show themselves the whole year because they are not related to the outdoor growing season.
Mold living in your home does not freeze and lie dormant like it does in the outdoor environment and can pose a serious health risk for anyone, not just those members of your household that have allergies. People that have allergies, however, are more likely to feel the affects of mold exposure sooner than the rest of us. Mold exposure tends to aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions that already exist, like emphysema or asthma. You need to be particularly careful if you have an infant or a small child in your house when there is mold, since their immune systems are currently still very much in development. Disturbing this natural development process can damage the child’s immune system irreparably, so removing your child from this situation until the mold is removed is the best thing to do.
Infants exposed to mold have been known to develop a disease known as hemorrhagic pneumonia (bleeding in the lungs) and many times this ends in death.
Those who have allergies and are exposed to mold growth in the home or elsewhere will usually show an intolerance to certain foods that contain fungi, such as yeast, mushrooms, or mold. Cheeses such as blue cheese or Roquefort, bread, beer, mushrooms, and etcetera will typically make the normal allergy symptoms of the person even worse.
Note if the symptoms lessen or go away completely if you leave the home. This will be a sign that there is a problem in the home that is causing the symptoms to become worse and you may need to call a professional mold inspector if there is no visible mold issue.
Coming into direct skin contact with the mold will often leave rashes on even those who are not allergic. Take a good look around your house, especially in areas that are inherently moist like the bathroom, kitchen, basement, or laundry room. These are the areas that are most likely to harbor mold growth in your home.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Mold living in your home does not freeze and lie dormant like it does in the outdoor environment and can pose a serious health risk for anyone, not just those members of your household that have allergies. People that have allergies, however, are more likely to feel the affects of mold exposure sooner than the rest of us. Mold exposure tends to aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions that already exist, like emphysema or asthma. You need to be particularly careful if you have an infant or a small child in your house when there is mold, since their immune systems are currently still very much in development. Disturbing this natural development process can damage the child’s immune system irreparably, so removing your child from this situation until the mold is removed is the best thing to do.
Infants exposed to mold have been known to develop a disease known as hemorrhagic pneumonia (bleeding in the lungs) and many times this ends in death.
Those who have allergies and are exposed to mold growth in the home or elsewhere will usually show an intolerance to certain foods that contain fungi, such as yeast, mushrooms, or mold. Cheeses such as blue cheese or Roquefort, bread, beer, mushrooms, and etcetera will typically make the normal allergy symptoms of the person even worse.
Note if the symptoms lessen or go away completely if you leave the home. This will be a sign that there is a problem in the home that is causing the symptoms to become worse and you may need to call a professional mold inspector if there is no visible mold issue.
Coming into direct skin contact with the mold will often leave rashes on even those who are not allergic. Take a good look around your house, especially in areas that are inherently moist like the bathroom, kitchen, basement, or laundry room. These are the areas that are most likely to harbor mold growth in your home.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Child Mold Exposure Symptoms
If your home contains almost any kind of mold, your children and pets are probably going to be the first ones that show symptoms, especially if they have any allergies or respiratory conditions like asthma or become sick easily. If you notice your child having any trouble with his or her respiratory system and cannot seem to find the cause, checking your household for mold growth might be a good idea.
The symptoms of mold exposure are typically very similar to allergy symptoms, so you may initially mistake them for the symptoms of the child’s allergies. Your child’s pediatrician may claim that it is just seasonal allergies, but in reality, it may be your home that has the issue. Persistent respiratory symptoms like sneezing, hoarseness, rhinitis, eye irritation, and blocked noses can occur as well as dry coughing, productive coughing, and sometimes wheezing. Skin symptoms such as itching and redness also tend to arise in certain uncovered areas of the body, which suggests that the child has touched the growth.
Other symptoms like fever, joint pain, headaches, and excessive tiredness have also been reported. Your child also may show an intolerance to certain foods like mushrooms, bread, and cheeses, while older members of your household may show intolerance to things like wine and beer. Children that are in high-exposure mold conditions such as where the toxic mold Stachybotrys are concerned can exhibit things such as hemoptysis and nose bleeds.
Children in homes containing mold may also show more intolerance to things like cigarette smoke or household chemicals that emit vapors into the air.
If your child does not have any known allergies and they are showing these symptoms with no readily apparent cause, have your home tested for mold by hiring a professional or performing a do it yourself test.
If your home does have mold growth, your child needs to be removed from the area as soon as possible and relocated until the growth is removed. You should realize that even dead mold growth can cause allergic reactions and that until it is removed, your child’s health is at significant risk.
Any items in your home that have become moldy, especially if it is children’s toys such as stuffed animals or bedding, will need to be thrown away. Do not allow children to play with items that have been exposed to flood waters or mold growth.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
The symptoms of mold exposure are typically very similar to allergy symptoms, so you may initially mistake them for the symptoms of the child’s allergies. Your child’s pediatrician may claim that it is just seasonal allergies, but in reality, it may be your home that has the issue. Persistent respiratory symptoms like sneezing, hoarseness, rhinitis, eye irritation, and blocked noses can occur as well as dry coughing, productive coughing, and sometimes wheezing. Skin symptoms such as itching and redness also tend to arise in certain uncovered areas of the body, which suggests that the child has touched the growth.
Other symptoms like fever, joint pain, headaches, and excessive tiredness have also been reported. Your child also may show an intolerance to certain foods like mushrooms, bread, and cheeses, while older members of your household may show intolerance to things like wine and beer. Children that are in high-exposure mold conditions such as where the toxic mold Stachybotrys are concerned can exhibit things such as hemoptysis and nose bleeds.
Children in homes containing mold may also show more intolerance to things like cigarette smoke or household chemicals that emit vapors into the air.
If your child does not have any known allergies and they are showing these symptoms with no readily apparent cause, have your home tested for mold by hiring a professional or performing a do it yourself test.
If your home does have mold growth, your child needs to be removed from the area as soon as possible and relocated until the growth is removed. You should realize that even dead mold growth can cause allergic reactions and that until it is removed, your child’s health is at significant risk.
Any items in your home that have become moldy, especially if it is children’s toys such as stuffed animals or bedding, will need to be thrown away. Do not allow children to play with items that have been exposed to flood waters or mold growth.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Child Mold Exposure
When you have children, you realize that the most important thing to you at that point is making sure that they stay healthy and that if there is anything that you can do to improve the quality of their health, you make sure that you do that. No matter what happens, your foremost concern is their health and welfare.
Having mold growing in your home is a pretty heavy inconvenience for any homeowner, but for parents of small children, it can be a nightmare. The health of small children is very fragile at that point of their lives and most parents understand this, but do not tend to realize just how serious of a threat to their health can exist inside their own homes. We tend to be the most concerned with the threats that come from outside our homes, but one of the most serious threats can be growing almost anywhere.
The areas of our homes that are the most moist also tend to be the ones that we frequent the most, such as the bathroom and the kitchen, and unfortunately, these are the two areas of the home that are the most at risk for mold growth. The food that your children eat is not the only thing in your home that can become moldy. The ceilings, floors, and walls can become just as moldy as a stale loaf of bread, but you may not notice it until it is too late. Symptoms of mold exposure often show themselves in those members of our households that are the most sensitive to environmental changes, such as children, pets, and elderly people.
Symptoms of mold exposure are very similar to the symptoms of most allergies that involve pollen, grass, or pet dander and can include sneezing, runny noses, blocked noses, eye irritation, itchy skin, and etcetera. Infants are in the most danger and if you discover mold growing anywhere in the house, your baby needs to be taken to a clean environment quickly and needs to stay there until the contamination is removed. Infants are susceptible to developing hemorrhagic pneumonia from mold exposure among other conditions, so it should be taken very seriously. Even if the mold growth is old and dead, it can still cause allergy symptoms, reactions, and can aggravate any pre-existing respiratory conditions that may exist in your home.
To keep your children healthy, do not allow them to stay in a home that is contaminated with mold and any items in your home that are found to be molded, especially toys, should be thrown away. Porous items like stuffed animals and bedding need to be thrown away, since it is difficult to completely disinfect these items and small children often put these things in their mouths.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration companies across the united states.
Having mold growing in your home is a pretty heavy inconvenience for any homeowner, but for parents of small children, it can be a nightmare. The health of small children is very fragile at that point of their lives and most parents understand this, but do not tend to realize just how serious of a threat to their health can exist inside their own homes. We tend to be the most concerned with the threats that come from outside our homes, but one of the most serious threats can be growing almost anywhere.
The areas of our homes that are the most moist also tend to be the ones that we frequent the most, such as the bathroom and the kitchen, and unfortunately, these are the two areas of the home that are the most at risk for mold growth. The food that your children eat is not the only thing in your home that can become moldy. The ceilings, floors, and walls can become just as moldy as a stale loaf of bread, but you may not notice it until it is too late. Symptoms of mold exposure often show themselves in those members of our households that are the most sensitive to environmental changes, such as children, pets, and elderly people.
Symptoms of mold exposure are very similar to the symptoms of most allergies that involve pollen, grass, or pet dander and can include sneezing, runny noses, blocked noses, eye irritation, itchy skin, and etcetera. Infants are in the most danger and if you discover mold growing anywhere in the house, your baby needs to be taken to a clean environment quickly and needs to stay there until the contamination is removed. Infants are susceptible to developing hemorrhagic pneumonia from mold exposure among other conditions, so it should be taken very seriously. Even if the mold growth is old and dead, it can still cause allergy symptoms, reactions, and can aggravate any pre-existing respiratory conditions that may exist in your home.
To keep your children healthy, do not allow them to stay in a home that is contaminated with mold and any items in your home that are found to be molded, especially toys, should be thrown away. Porous items like stuffed animals and bedding need to be thrown away, since it is difficult to completely disinfect these items and small children often put these things in their mouths.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration companies across the united states.
Info on Mold Allergies
There are people who have allergies all over the world and no matter what the allergy may be, anyone with one will tell you just how much of an inconvenience it tends to be. Symptoms usually show themselves the most often during the early spring through the late fall, whether it is an allergy to grass, pollen, or mold. Pet dander can be a problem with some individuals and this is one of the only allergies that is really only an inconvenience year round. Molds living in your home can also aggravate your allergies and even bring about new ones and are also one of the only allergies that are a threat the whole year, since molds that live indoors do not freeze like those outside.
A high mold spore level in your home can do a lot to aggravate your already existing allergies and can even cause an allergy to the specific kind of mold living in your home to develop. The symptoms from mold exposure can range from a common episode of sneezing or a runny nose all the way to a reaction that requires an ambulance. Children and elderly people in particular need to pay careful attention to the level of their allergen that they expose themselves to every day. Watch the news for each of the pollen, mold spore, and grass counts. If the counts are high for that day, consider not letting children or elderly people with allergies or respiratory conditions go out that day.
If you have mold allergies and think you are having symptoms, you should avoid eating foods that contain mold, such as cheeses that are made with it, bread, beer, and even other funguses like mushrooms. All of these can make your symptoms even worse.
Most types of mold in the world are not harmful to human beings and while there are a few different ones that can cause serious medical conditions, only a few tend to cause allergic reactions immediately. The most common molds that produce allergic reactions are those in the Penicillium, Alternaria, and Clasosporium genii.
If you are concerned about mold living in your home, you should do your best to reduce the humidity level in it. Keeping your home bone dry is not practical, since air that is too dry can also cause problems like nosebleeds, but keeping it at a healthy medium is best for all. A home that is too moist inside is a breeding ground for mold.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut Mold Remediation services and
flood and water damage cleanup companies across the united states.
A high mold spore level in your home can do a lot to aggravate your already existing allergies and can even cause an allergy to the specific kind of mold living in your home to develop. The symptoms from mold exposure can range from a common episode of sneezing or a runny nose all the way to a reaction that requires an ambulance. Children and elderly people in particular need to pay careful attention to the level of their allergen that they expose themselves to every day. Watch the news for each of the pollen, mold spore, and grass counts. If the counts are high for that day, consider not letting children or elderly people with allergies or respiratory conditions go out that day.
If you have mold allergies and think you are having symptoms, you should avoid eating foods that contain mold, such as cheeses that are made with it, bread, beer, and even other funguses like mushrooms. All of these can make your symptoms even worse.
Most types of mold in the world are not harmful to human beings and while there are a few different ones that can cause serious medical conditions, only a few tend to cause allergic reactions immediately. The most common molds that produce allergic reactions are those in the Penicillium, Alternaria, and Clasosporium genii.
If you are concerned about mold living in your home, you should do your best to reduce the humidity level in it. Keeping your home bone dry is not practical, since air that is too dry can also cause problems like nosebleeds, but keeping it at a healthy medium is best for all. A home that is too moist inside is a breeding ground for mold.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut Mold Remediation services and
flood and water damage cleanup companies across the united states.
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