Types of Molds that Can Cause Lung Problems from Water under Your House

• Lung problems from water under the house can be triggered by mold allergy. Your body recognizes the inhaled mold spores as foreign invaders and develops antibodies to fight them that cause your allergy symptoms. Mold allergy symptoms exhibit in the lungs as congestion, coughing, wheezing and excess mucus.
  
  There are different kinds of mold, but only some cause allergy symptoms. The most common molds that cause allergies are Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium. You may be allergic to one but not another. Mold testing companies can detect particular mold species, so you know what types of mold are present in your house.
  
  

Lung Problems Due to Mold and Fungus in the Water under Your House

• The mold that accumulates in the water under your house you can cause lung problems such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. You may even develop mold-induced asthma when you inhale mold spores from the water. Another disease called allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, in which a fungal infection develops in the lungs, can develop in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis when they are exposed to the mold and fungus that grows in the water under a house.
  
  

Water under Your House Can Breed Deadly Bacteria

• Some molds contain toxins that are poisonous when they are released and inhaled. Damp and water prone buildings are prime environments for harmful bacteria, rodents, and toxic chemicals released from building materials. The bacterium Legionella pneumophila can cause Legionnaires' disease, a serious, life-threatening lung problem. Legionella bacteria can multiply when water accumulates in leaky pipes and other spaces under your house.
  
  

Immune-Compromised People Are at Risk for Lung Problems from Water under Your House

• Exposure to mold from water under your house can cause lung problems in people who have weakened immune systems. For those people who are on chemotherapy or immune-suppressing drugs, bacteria and fungi from water under your house can put them at risk of a mold infection. A rare disease called hypersensitivity pneumonitis may be triggered when mold spores from the water under your house causes inflammation in the lungs.
  
  

Infants Can Have Lung Problems from Water under Your House

• A mold known as black mold can cause bleeding in the lungs of infants called acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage. These molds contain toxins that are poisonous when eaten. More research is needed to learn if these molds release airborne toxins.
  
  

Prevent Lung Problems by Removing the Water under Your House

• To prevent lung problems from mold and fungus in water under you house, you must be aggressive about removing the water problem. Call a building contractor or plumber to determine where the water is coming from and how to repair the problem. You will also need to deal with and remove any mold and mold spores that have accumulated in your home. Run a dehumidifier to remove moisture from your basement. Raise the temperature in the basement to lower humidity levels. Throw away all items, such as clothing, books or newspapers, that have gotten wet or damp . Make sure all water coming from gutters and downspouts drain away from your house and foundation.