How a Roof Leak Can Affect Your Health and Wellness
One thing we get a lot of here in Miami-Dade and Broward County is rain and humidity. And when it rains, it can also pour into your home from a roof leak.
Maybe you’ve noticed water stains on your ceiling or a soggy area on your carpet. Or maybe your roof is leaking, but it’s gone unnoticed as the damage grows.
A roof leak is more than a water mess. It can cause unseen dangers and damage to your home and your health. The real danger comes from the environment a leaking roof creates, which makes a perfect home for mold, mildew, and fungi.
Mold, mildew, and fungus love water and humidity. And a roof leak gives it the perfect opportunity and environment to grow.
There are many different molds, mildews, and fungus that can grow from a roof leak.
Most people worry about toxic molds. And there are toxic molds – often referred to as “black mold” – that can grow in your home, but the toxic kind are rare. The only way to determine the type of mold present is to have it tested.
But don’t worry yet.
Just because mold is present doesn’t mean it’s producing mycotoxins (the thing that makes it toxic). And thankfully, there are treatments if you or your family have been exposed to a toxic mold.
What if the mold or fungus growing in your home isn’t toxic? Should you still worry about your health?
YES.
Mold, mildew, and fungus can have a direct impact on your health, especially your respiratory system. It can aggravate health issues like asthma, allergies, and environmental sensitivities. And can expose people with compromised immune systems to fungal infections.
The main complaint of people dealing with mold relates to allergies and irritation. You or someone in the house may develop a cough or sore throat, which could show an allergy to indoor mold. If someone has a higher sensitivity to mold, their reaction can be more severe.
These damp, moldy conditions brought on by a roof leak can further affect the health of those dealing with asthma or other respiratory conditions. The elderly, infants, and kids are also more susceptible to moldy environments.
But it doesn’t have to be raining for a leaking roof to impact your home and health – humidity can also penetrate your home through a damaged roof. Even if the humidity doesn’t cause mold or mildew to grow, it can still make a person with asthma or other respiratory issues uncomfortable.
When combining a roof leak with the humidity we experience in the Miami-Dade and Broward County areas, the impact on asthma or allergies rises.
On top of the concerns about your health and the health of others living in your home, mold will destroy any organic material over time creating unpleasant smells, degrading air quality, and causing damage. As mold grows, it spreads throughout the home by getting into your HVAC system. From there, it will spread to walls, carpets, and furniture.
If your roof is leaking or you’re unsure about the health of your roof, get a roof inspection!
Health is wealth. And there is no reason to worry and stress about whether you have an unseen roof leak affecting your health, your family’s health, or the health of your home.
Call a professional roofing company to inspect your roof to diagnose any roofing problems – like a leak – and help identify if it’s allowing mold, mildew, or fungus to grow.
Because the more the mold grows, the harder it is to remove, the more costly the repair, and the higher impact on your health.
With a roof inspection, you can have the peace of mind that your home and health are protected.
Send M3 Roofing a message or call the office – (305) 265-5000 – to set up an inspection with one of our roofologists. We service homes throughout the Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.