Harmless – and dangerous – molds can be found almost everywhere. They live year round in indoor and outdoor environments. They enter interior structures through doors, windows, vents, and cracks. They can begin growing anytime, anywhere – no matter how clean you keep your environment. And they can threaten your health.
At SafeAir Certified Mold Inspection, our mission is to help you, as an owner or inhabitant of a residence or other building structure, understand, detect, and document mold issues through our professional mold inspection and mold testing services.
Mold defined
Mold is a living biological organism that generally thrives where there is moisture and no circulating air. The more than 200 species of mold produce microscopic single-celled reproductive seed-like spores that are extremely tiny and lightweight, allowing them to travel through the air. Invisible to the human eye, mold spores require magnification to be seen. Acting as Nature’s decomposer, molds break down dead materials.
Living mold spores land and reproduce new mold growths (or mold colonies) when they locate in the right conditions. Molds range in color – white, orange, green, brown, or black—and you cannot always see or smell mold or mold spores. The fact is, mold spores always are present in your breathing environment.
Once mold is established inside a structure, it can reproduce rapidly and spread. If left unattended, it can cause tremendous damage. Large numbers of certain types of mold and fungus can weaken and destroy the structural integrity of the house or building, plus cause a variety of health problems.
Health risks
To reproduce, mold and fungus release mold spores into the air. When toxic mold spores float in the air, they pose inhalation risks to everyone who inhales them. They are considered a major allergen, ranking with pollen as the main source of air contamination for allergy sufferers.
People react differently in their sensitivity to airborne mold spores. The elderly, children, those with respiratory problems and compromised immune systems, are the most vulnerable to ill health effects of mold. But, even healthy individuals may have adverse reactions to high concentrations of mold in their environment. These reactions can be…
- Nasal and sinus congestion
- Nose bleeds
- Asthma
- Sore throat
- Irritated eyes
- Skin rash
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Tremors
- Brain damage
Mold is a likely factor in the so-called “sick building syndrome” (SBS), which occurs when occupants of a building experience ill health problems that are linked to the time spent inside the building. (For more information, click on Health Effects of Mold.)
How mold grows
Unfortunately, homes and buildings provide an ideal breeding environment to support colonized mold growth. To reproduce, colonize, and grow, mold spores require…
- Dampness
- A dark place
- An organic porous material as a food source
- The right high temperature
Sources of indoor moisture
The typical sources of moisture detailed in a SafeAir Certified Mold Inspection report include…
- Flooding
- Leaking roof
- Damp basement or crawl space
- Constant plumbing leaks
- Steam from cooking
- House plants
- Shower/bath steam and leaks
- Wet clothes on indoor surfaces
- Humidifiers
- Clothes dryers vented indoors
- Backup sewers
- Mud and ice dams
- Combustion appliances, such as stoves not exhausted to the outdoors
Along with sources, conditions that help trigger mold growth include…
- Humidity in the range of 50% or greater
- Uncirculated air
- Airtight construction
- Areas already infested by mold
- Low nitrogen levels in the air or ground
Molds’ Enemies
Even though mold has flourished for millions of years, it does have enemies — conditions, elements, compounds, and procedures — that keep it at bay. Among these negative influences that prevent, reduce, and remove mold are…
- Wind, sun, rain, and other atmospheric conditions
- Direct sunlight or a high wattage UV bulb
- Dry indoor conditions with humidity below 50%
- Air circulation, especially in crawl spaces and basements
- Inspection and testing for mold
- Corrective action to eliminate mold
- Appropriate remediation (clean up) of the problem
- Fungicides or chemicals called “quats” (quaternary ammoniums)
- Anti-microbial chemicals that contain metallic oxides
- A high concentration of salt (although it is not useful in removing mold from walls or for disinfecting mold fungus)
- Mothballs that produce a vapor
- Bleach (not recommended for larger mold remediation clean-ups)
Mold Types
Toxic mold can be extremely dangerous to people’s health – especially those with a weak immune system and existing health problems. There are many classifications in the black mold family.
- Stachybotrys chartarum, the most common species of toxic mold, can produce harmful airborne toxins that can be found inside buildings where there has been a water leak. Often described as “green-black and slimy,” it sometimes produces different types of mycotoxins, which protect against other competing organism like bacteria that may try to grow in the same area. Not all black organic matter is toxic mold, and other common species of black mold may have low or no toxicity.
- Mycotoxins, when produced, are attached to mold spores. When the spores are inhaled or come into contact with the skin, an allergic reaction may result. Currently, there are no regulatory standards in regard to the amount of stachybotrys that are considered unsafe. However, unusual levels of mold are stated in SafeAir Certified Mold Inspection reports.
- Memnoniella echinata, a member of the stachybotrys family, is another black mold that is very toxic, irritating, and easily airborne.
- Fungi – usually brown, white, blue, black or green — will start to grow at moisture levels of 28% or greater. Some species are toxic. Fungi grow and reproduce on and throughout wood and wood byproducts generally found in basements, crawl spaces, and attics. When left to grow, fungi feed on wood until there is no structural integrity left. It can be difficult to know where the damage is occurring. Fungi can also be classified as “dry rot” and “wet rot.”
- Dry rot (or “brown rot”) is the most common and often is found in older homes that have bacterial activity. While not life threatening, dry rot also is the more dangerous mold fungus because it can be located far away from its water source, and it can reduce wood to dry brown dust, causing serious damage to wood and a building’s structural integrity if not eliminated.
- Wet rot requires a very humid condition. It is easily recognized by the dark brown threads spread over the surface of the timber. (SafeAir Certified Mold Inspection reports include and emphasize any rot that is found on structural components.)
- Aspergillus penicullium, Claviceps pupurea, and cladosporium are other species of mold that pose health risks when allowed to grow and flourish inside living areas.
A professional laboratory analysis is necessary to determine the species of mold and mold spores that are present, and whether or not the particular species is potentially harmful to human health. Mold remediation and repairs to buildings affected by toxic mold should be performed only by certified biohazard contractors.
