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These are some of the most frequently asked question
about mold.
WHAT
IS MOLD?
Mold is a generic name for over 100,000 different kinds
of fungus. Essentially, molds are living organisms that
make up a large portion of the fungi kingdom. Once
thought to be part of the plant kingdom, molds make
spores instead of seeds which float in the air like
pollen. Spores are regenerative cells surrounded by a
very tough coating that can survive detergents,
chemicals, bleach and extreme temperatures.
Mold spores are microscopic in size, typically requiring
600X magnification to identify. It is has been said that
250,000 mold spores can fit on the head of a pin. A
visible patch of mold the size of a quarter can
represent billions of spores.
Molds reproduce by releasing spores. When mold spores
colonize (settle) on a surface they can grow and spread
rapidly, giving off a variety of odors and exhibiting
hundreds of different colors and textures.
ISN'T MOLD EVERYWHERE?
Mold is part of the natural environment and is virtually
everywhere, all the time, indoors and out. It would be a
grievous mistake, however, to assume that just because
mold is everywhere, it's not a problem.
Outdoors, mold plays an important role in nature by
breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves
and dead trees. Indoors, mold can be a significant
problem, destroying property and posing a number of
serious health risks.
[see
more on mold and property damage]
HOW DOES MOLD
BECOME A PROBLEM?
Since mold spores are everywhere all the time, we are
always exposed to mold. At any given time, outdoor air
will have as many as 100 different types of mold spores
floating about, along with a number of other airborne
pollutants. Because mold spores are ever-present in the
air, they drift freely in and out of buildings through
doors, windows, attic vents, HVAC systems, etc. On any
given day, airborne mold spore levels indoors should
always be about the same as outdoors, unless mold is
originating indoors.
Increased spore amounts:
When airborne mold spores find something damp to
stick to, they colonize (grow) and release new spores.
Mold growing outdoors is seldom ever a health risk. But
when mold grows indoors, spore levels can reach
concentrations significantly higher than outdoors and
cause a number of adverse reactions in people and
animals, including rashes and itching skin, eye - nose
and throat irritations, chronic headaches, respiratory
infections, nausea, and trigger asthma attacks.
Increased spore types:
In addition to increasing the amount of
spores indoors, mold growing indoors on wet construction
materials tend to produce different types of spores that
are not found outdoors.
For example, it is rare to find Stachybotrys outdoors.
However, Stachybrotrys is commonly found growing indoors
on drywall and carpet after a flood or other water
intrusion has occurred. Stachybrotrys is often referred
to as "black mold" and can be toxigenic. Exposure to
high concentrations of toxigenic mold spores inside a
building can present a wide range of very serious health
risks to the occupants.
[see
more on Health Effects & Risks]
While you cannot control Mother Nature, you can
certainly limit the potential for indoor mold growth by
limiting moisture sources and responding rapidly to
every water intrusion issue. The biggest mistake people
make is ignoring minor issues until they become major
problems. Early detection and assessment can minimize
the risk of exposure to toxic molds and save thousands
of dollars in repair costs.
IS ALL MOLD BAD?
To answer that question you must first understand
that mold has two faces;
There's the face you can visually see (mold growing on a
surface), which can cause property damage.
Then there's the face you don't see (mold floating in
the air), which can cause people damage.
In both cases, the level of damage is directly related
to the level of infestation.
Surface mold has the potential to cause significant
property damage.
Molds spores secrete digestive enzymes that decompose
the surfaces they live on. For that reason, all mold is
bad. The longer mold is allowed to infest any surface,
the more damage it can cause. That is why hidden mold is
such a tremendous threat. It's potential to cause damage
is devastating because a great deal of time can pass
before it is detected.
[see more on
Hidden Mold]
The visual appearance of mold on construction materials
and personal contents indoors is an obvious indication
of a mold problem. The pungent mildew or musty odor of
mold indoors is another obvious indicator, even when
mold is not visibly present. If you suspect you have a
mold problem in your home or office, immediate steps
should be taken to identify and correct the cause. The
longer mold is allowed to grow, the more damage it will
cause to your property and the more it will cost to
remediate. Prompt action can mean the difference between
a few hundred dollars in repairs or several thousands of
dollars.
Considering the potential mold has to damage and
depreciated the value of property, all molds have the
potential to be bad.
[see
more on Mold & Property Damage]
Airborne mold has the potential to cause adverse health
reactions.
Since airborne mold spores are everywhere all the time,
indoors and out, we are always exposed to mold at some
level. In an open outdoor environment we are seldom
exposed to any significant levels of spores because the
air is continually moving. But indoors, where
ventilation is restricted and air is often recycled
through heaters and air conditioners, the exact same
molds that don't bother anyone outdoors can cause severe
reactions indoors, especially when levels are
exceedingly higher than outside.
When mold is growing indoors, the amount of mold in the
air can be significantly higher than outdoors. Exposure
to high concentrations of molds in enclosed spaces such
as residential homes, commercial buildings, schools,
automobiles, airplanes, etc., can trigger asthma
attacks, cause respiratory infections, bronchial polyps,
and a number of other reactions.
Exposure to extremely high concentrations of airborne
mold over extended periods of time can over-come the
lungs capacity to filter out spores. Once mold enters
the bloodstream the severity of symptoms and reactions
increase exponentially.
Considering the potential health risks of airborne mold
spores indoors, all molds have the potential to be bad.
[see
more on Mold and Health Effects]
SHOULD YOU
BE CONCERNED ABOUT MOLD?
Absolutely! Eventually, mold destroys whatever it grows
on. It can ruin furnishings, destroy cabinets and cause
serious damage to the structural elements in your
property. It can trigger asthma attacks in people with
asthma and give asthma to people who don't have it.
Asthma kills 5,000 people every year in the U.S. alone
and most of them are children. Of course you should be
concerned about mold.
The best time to respond to mold is before it gets to do
it's worst damage. Eliminating leaks and moisture can
slow the spread of mold, but a professional inspection
by a qualified specialist and testing in accordance with
industry standard protocols is the only way to properly
identify the problem and create an appropriate action
plan.
FYI
Whether you had your property inspected for mold before
you recently moved in, or had a mold inspection a year
ago, you should be aware that mold can begin growing
anytime, anywhere, no matter how clean you keep your
casa.
If you haven't had a mold inspection within the past 18
months, now might be the perfect time have a
professional mold inspection - even if there are no
visible signs of mold infestations. A professional
certified mold inspector can help you identify potential
mold problems and save thousands of dollars repairs
costs that occur when indoor mold is ignored or goes
undetected.
Some people think mold only grows in dirty, unkempt
buildings. Not so. Though poor household hygiene
certainly contributes to mold problems, mold can
flourish in sparkling clean environments as well.
Some people mistakenly think that properties near the
beach naturally have mold and that properties in dry
desert climates don't. Not so. The vast majority of
indoor mold problems have nothing to do with climate
conditions. There are just as many mold problems in the
desert as there are at the beach, and just as many
mold-free properties at the beach as there are in the
desert.
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