Mold is a Common Asthma Trigger in Puerto Rico and Resources to Mitigate Exposure Risks

There are many known asthma triggers, but one of the more common ones is exposure to elevated levels of mold. This information is important for asthmatics, especially those living in Puerto Rico which has some of the highest asthma rates in the United States.

Across the entire country, asthma caused 5.8 million physician office visits and 1.6 million emergency department visits as recently as 2021. Tragically, there were also 4,145 deaths due to asthma the year before. These figures highlight the toll that asthma has on individuals and families, as well as lost time in classrooms, decreased productivity in the workplace and the tremendous medical costs associated with the disease.

These are all reasons why identifying and mitigating exposure to mold and other common asthma triggers is so vital. Not only can mold trigger asthma attacks in some people with the disease, inhaling or touching mold may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. These allergic reactions are quite common and can be immediate or delayed. Repeated or a single exposure to mold, mold spores or mold fragments may even cause non-sensitive individuals to become sensitive to mold, and repeated exposure has the potential to increase that sensitivity.

“With most people spending up to 90 percent of their time indoors, one of the best ways to manage asthma is to stay away from asthma triggers such as mold,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “At Zimmetry, our indoor environmental quality and industrial hygiene professionals are here to help. We offer comprehensive building inspections, testing and monitoring for mold and moisture problems. Our experts also provide testing services for a wide range of other known asthma triggers, airborne allergens and respiratory irritants. If an issue is discovered, steps can then be implemented to eliminate or mitigate exposure concerns.”

Zimmetry also recently sponsored an educational video about mold as an asthma trigger that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/LKb4pVrztM0

To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their mold, indoor air quality, environmental, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .

About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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