What Is the Best Mask to Protect Against Mold
Mold spores are everywhere, both indoors and outdoors, but aren’t visible to the naked eye. With increased exposure, especially in areas like construction sites and natural disaster zones, mold can pose a severe threat to your health.
That’s why you should consider wearing a mold mask to prevent yourself from inhaling any dangerous mold spores. The following is a guide to the best mask to protect against mold while you await mold removal services.
The Best Mold Respirator Mask to Prevent Inhalation of Mold Spores
The N95 respirator mask is the best respirator mask to prevent inhalation of mold. It has a built-in filtration system that is designed to prevent small mold particles from ever reaching your nose or mouth.
What’s more, the N95 respirator mask is currently the only mask that is approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This mask will keep you safe until mold removal can be performed.
Depending on the mold exposure concerns in your workplace, the N95 respirator comes in three protection levels, minimum, limited, and full. The protection levels increase with the level of mold exposure until you wait for mold remediation.
What Mold is the Most Toxic to Breathe?
The most toxic mold to breathe is black mold. It’s also possible for one to experience mold growth effects without ever knowing that it’s growing near their home or contacting mold removal services.
It’s also important to note that toxic black mold isn’t the only mold that takes on a dark hue. There are others that take on the same hue but are pretty harmless. That’s why it’s important to seek professional services when you spot any mold growth in your home so that the mold removal can be done quickly and properly.
If left untreated for an extended period of time, the symptoms of black mold can prove fatal to those affected. Common symptoms include difficulty in breathing, skin rashes, pneumonia, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and vomiting. Others symptoms include swelling or redness, bleeding in the lungs, and various neurological and mental conditions and disorders.
When Should You Wear a Mask?
As long as the right conditions exist, mold can grow pretty much anywhere. That said, there are some situations that can heighten the exposure to mold than others. And in such situations, wearing a mask is key to preventing inhalation while you await mold removal.
The following are examples of high-risk situations where you should have a mask when working:
- All home improvement projects, whether that is renovation, building or tearing down a structure
- When cleaning out a crawl space or a basement
- During clean up after a flood or any other natural disaster
- When getting rid of wallpaper
- During the installation or breaking down of walls and flooring
- When cleaning up a messy kitchen environment
Why Should You Wear Mold Masks or Surgical Masks?
Exposure to mold is known to exacerbate existing conditions and make you more vulnerable to illness. Examples of such existing conditions include asthma, allergies, cardiac disease, respiratory challenges, and lung disease. Healthy people should also be wary of the effects of black mold. It can make them sick or symptomatic.
Wearing a mask can provide the best line of defense against the effects of exposure to mold. The N95 respirator mask in particular can help clean and purify the air you breathe. Mold masks are a simple yet effective way to keep safe in a potentially moldy work environment, though you should contact your superiors about mold removal if you spot any.
How Should You Wear Mold Protection Equipment?
A mask will only offer protection against mold spores if it’s properly worn and consists of high-quality, durable materials. The following are some precautions to take when wearing an N95 respirator mask:
- Ensure that you have washed and dried your hands prior to handling the mask
- Ensure that the mask properly covers your nose and mouth without leaving out any gaps
- Check the fit and make the necessary adjustments
Also, consult your doctor first before wearing the mask if you have a medical condition preventing you from breathing well. Examples of such conditions are asthma and heart-related problems. If the N95 mask makes you feel dizzy at any point, remove it immediately and stay in a ventilated area.
Do All Masks Offer Personal Protection Against Mold Pollution?
The N95, N99 and the N100 are the only masks that are known to offer protection against toxic exposure to mold. Others provide little to no protection against mold, especially if they don’t cover your face properly.
Examples of masks that don’t offer you personal protection against pollution due to mold include cloth, knit, surgical, and dust masks, bandanas, and face shields.
Masks with particulate filters are the ones you should be looking for to keep you safe from a moldy workplace. The N95 is particularly designed for personal protection against mold, whereas the N99 and the N100 are designed to filter most gases and chemicals.
4 Tips for Wearing a Mask
Wearing a mask sounds simple, right? While that may be so, there are a few things you should know to stay safe and comfortable.
- Stay Safe - Do you have a medical condition or some trouble breathing that makes wearing a mask detrimental to your health? If so, consult with your doctor before wearing one. If asthmatic, always have an inhaler with you while working.
- Take Frequent Breaks - While wearing a mask, pause often to avoid overheating. Seek out places that have abundant fresh air.
- Stay Hydrated - Wearing a mask doesn’t cause dehydration, but you may drink less water when you’re wearing one.
- Seek Professional Help - If you have reasons to believe your home has mold, seek professional services. A good company will have the experience, tools, equipment and knowledge to get rid of any mold growing in your home. They will also provide you tips on how you can keep your home mold-proof to prevent an outbreak in the future.
- Wear Other Safety Gear - Airborne particles can make their way into your eyes. So, to protect yourself against airborne particles of mold, wear goggles until someone can remove mold from your environment.
Bottom Line
Mold is a common and sneaky issue in homes, and can be a health risk if left unattended. If you have reasons to believe your home has mold, seek professional help immediately.
Markham Services is a Central Florida mold inspection, assessment, testing and sampling company. Get in touch to learn more!
