Aussies warned after tradie's 'horrific' discovery in rental home: 'Not pleasant at all'
Plumber Michael Schulze visited a Brunswick property in Melbourne on Monday, where not one, but two mushroom clusters the size of his fist had been growing for months, indicating significant property dampness.
"It was very, very wet. On a scale from 1 to 10, it was a 10 for sure," he told Yahoo News. "It's not pleasant at all."
Michael, who owns the leak detection company 1300FINDLEAK, explained that an unattended leak from the bath had caused several litres of stagnant water to build up underneath it. The dampness had spread through the walls and across the property. Now, with mushrooms growing in the lounge area, toxic spores were wafting across the property and posing significant health risks to those residing inside.
"The tenants didn't seem to fussed about it, but most people don't really know the dangers of breathing in mould and being around damp areas. You can get really sick," he warned.
Mushrooms pose significant health risks to residents
Not only do mushrooms indicate extreme dampness inside a property, which in turn could result in structural damage to the building, but they also pose health risks to those living with them.
Inhaling mushroom spores can cause respiratory issues and prompt allergic reactions, while mycotoxin exposure can inflict various health issues, such as nausea, vomiting and even abdominal pain, according to Health Victoria.
Michael has experienced this firsthand. He explained he was enduring a prolonged bout of illness last year until he discovered mould was growing underneath his bed.
"I was just getting sick all the time," he explained.
How to avoid getting mushrooms inside your home
Michael said there are some telltale signs that water is building up in your home, and you want to address it long before mushrooms start sprouting.
"First signs to look out for would be bubbling paint or discolouration of paint," he explained. Mould or black mould are definite signs that your property is damp, and the situation has likely got to crisis mode by the time mushrooms arrive.
"There's a lot of people out there with leaks, but when people have them, they don't seem to get a leak detector... They just call a plumber... But we look at leaks all day every day," he said, urging people not to suffer in silence.
⛈️ Aussies warned over widespread danger emerging in homes after relentless weather
😷 Resident in affluent suburb found living for years with dire mould problem
🌊 Tenant blasts property manager's response after daughter's room floods
It's not the first time Australian residents have been living with mushrooms inside their home. A Sydney woman told Yahoo News previously her son was concerned aliens were taking over their home after mushrooms appeared in the crevice of a bedroom overnight.
Dr Tom May, from Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, told Yahoo residents, "definitely don't want a mushroom inside your house releasing spores" after a fluorescent mushroom sprouted up in another resident's bathroom in 2023.
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