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So you’re finally fed up with your damp, moldy home. You want to go outside, and breathe in some fresh, clean, mold-free air. You decide to head to a ball game and enjoy the stadium, peanut-vendors, and camaraderie of the athletic competition. Here, you believe you can enjoy a day without mold. But you’d be wrong.

There is seemingly no escape as a recent review by ESPN found mold, mouse droppings, and cockroaches infesting pretty much all of our nation’s biggest sporting arenas. They reviewed health department inspection reports from 2009 for food and beverage outlets at 107 professional arenas and stadiums, places where we go to watch live baseball, football, and hockey teams.

Sometimes, more than half of those arena concession stands or restaurants were cited for “critical” or “major” health violations. Among other things, mold was found on ice where food and cold drinks are stored. It makes sense; mold loves food and water, so it’s no surprise that these food vendors are creating an ideal ecosystem for mold to thrive.

The worse sports venue? The Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Here every single one of its vendors were cited for violations. So when you watch a Washington Capitals game, don’t forget to order a moldy hotdog with a side of mouse droppings. Yum!

While this study was limited to mold on food, I would also be curious about mold growing in the HVAC systems, bathrooms, and other water-rich places in these arenas. Hockey arenas are probably very susceptible to mold since they are climate-controlled and literally filled with frozen water.

I would encourage these facilities to look into mold removal companies and specialists that can offer an inexpensive mold removal estimate. Guardian Preservation offers a unique approach on mold removal that uses a naturally-occurring enzyme to seek out, break down, and eliminate mold. It’s safe, effective, and cheaper than older alternatives.

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The Asthma & Allergy Foundation recently ranked Louisville, KY one of the worst cities in the nation for allergy sufferers.  Louisville residents, along with all other allergy sufferers around the nation, are preparing themselves for the dreaded mold and allergy season that is now upon us.

When the warmer weather comes, mold spores take advantage of the moisture in the air and begin to multiply.  Mold can cause many allergy-like symptoms such as itchy watery eyes, scratchy throat, and nasal congestion. Along with the health effects, indoor mold can also cause catastrophic property damage. So if you have any type of water damage such as flooding or water leaks, that will only intensify the mold growth.

Allergist offices are swamped with appointments for allergy shots and requests for medications. Many sufferers are also turning to acupuncture for treatment, saying it keeps them clear with no clogged sinuses.  

No matter what treatments are used, the mold and allergy season is here whether we like it or not, so make sure you are ready! If you’re feeling symptoms or think you may have a mold problem in your home, it is critical to take immediate action and have the mold professionally removed before your health conditions worsen.  Contact Guardian Preservation Services for more information on mold and mold removal or check out our website to get free mold facts.

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A family in Alabama is left homeless after their home was condemned due to toxic mold. The family, originally from Ohio, found their home on Craigslist and was looking to make a new start for themselves. Unfortunately, they didn’t realize that fresh start included not so fresh toxic mold.

When the family arrived at their new home in Alabama, they found quite the surprise waiting for them. Not only were workers who were supposedly repairing their home actually living in it, but the house had holes in the walls, black mold, birds living in the kitchen, and rooms that had no floors. While trying to call the owners to get their money back, city officials stepped in and condemned the home because of its unlivable conditions, structural issues, and electrical hazards.  This poor family just wants to get to the bottom of the matter and have a safe home to live in.

The one thing the family can be truly thankful for is that they did not have to spend one single night in that home. Toxic black mold is a serious health threat that could have endangered the entire family. Breathing in the toxic mold spores could have caused anything from allergic reactions to depression and memory loss.

If you have a mold problem, call a mold removal expert immediately. Mold does not go away on its own, so the longer you wait the problem and risks will continue to grow. Check out Guardian Preservation Services for more information on the harmful health effects of toxic mold and the safe and efficient way to get rid of your mold problem for good.

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Artist Ethan Gold‘s new album, appropriately titled “Songs from a Toxic Apartment” was literally written and recorded by Gold while he was living in a toxic apartment. The album, complete with 12 songs, is an interesting mix of emotions  and sad lyrics all that came about while Gold was hallucinating from exposure to mold and asbestos in his dilapidated apartment.

The album is a combination of natural and electronic sounds, and talks of feelings about isolation and angst. He also sings about being depressed, and as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, depression is a known side effect from mold exposure.

Though Gold was forced to eventually vacate the apartment because it was condemned, it’s very clear when listening to this album that the toxic mold in his apartment was severely harming his health and mental state.  There is no telling what damage could have been done if he stayed in that toxic apartment, even if it did make a good story line for his music.

Don’t endanger your health or the safety of your loved ones because of a mold problem. If you or anyone you know is living with toxic mold, call a mold removal expert immediately. Check out Guardian Preservation Services to learn more about the health effects from mold and the permanent damage it can do if not properly treated.  Unlike many mold removal companies, we use an organic mold removal method that is 100% safe, natural, and effective.

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Gulls in the San Francisco area have been dying at an alarming rate over the past decade. Several dead birds have been found along Pier 94 which prompted a state investigation that turned up some very interesting results. Researchers found deadly mold inside all the dead bird’s lungs.

Residents are blaming waterfront rendering plant, Darling International, which makes biodiesel as the reason for the death of the birds. However, a preliminary California Department of Fish and Game investigation claims that the plant is not the cause.

According to the California Fish and Game Warden William O’Brien, the department finds 15 to 20 dead or dying gulls every month. When the department performed autopsies on several dead birds, they found a mold called Aspergillus growing inside their lungs which means all of the gulls died from suffocation. Aspergillus mold can cause serious respiratory problems along with chest pain in human beings, just imagine what it could do to small animals in large quantities.

The mystery remains as to where the source of the mold is coming from. Warden O’Brien believes the mold is coming from a number of industrial businesses along Pier 94, but because of the wide stretch of territory that is covered by the gulls, it’s very difficult to locate where exactly the birds are inhaling the mold from. The birds are dying because they are either eating or inhaling the large amounts of the mold.

No matter where the deadly mold source is, there most likely is an underlying problem that is making the animals susceptible to the mold. Does this problem have something to do with a poor eco-system? Can air sampling be done at the plants in the area to help determine the mold source? Could the EPA get involved in this matter? There are a number of thoughts that come to mind when I think about this situation.

Most of the bird rescuers are convinced it’s the Darling International plant due to finding a number of birds near the plant with oil covered feathers. But there is no real answer or solution yet, hopefully they will find the source soon before more innocent birds die due to toxic mold. To learn more about the health effects of mold and the harm it can do, visit the Guardian Preservation Services mold facts webpage or check out our mold myths videos.