Mold in Your Home
Mold plays an essential role in our outdoor
ecosystem. Without mold, we would find
ourselves wading neck-deep in dead plant
matter. And we wouldn't have great foods and
medicines, such as cheese and penicillin.
However, problems arise when mold starts
digesting organic materials we don't want
them to, like our homes.
What are molds?
Molds are microscopic organisms that produce
two things:
1. enzymes to digest organic matter, and 2.
spores to reproduce.
With more than 100,000 species in the world,
molds can be found literally everywhere.
Molds are part of the fungi kingdom along
with mushrooms, yeast, moss and mildew. In
nature, mold plays a key role in balancing
the ecosystem by decomposing and digesting
leaves, wood, plant debris, and virtually
any other natural or man-made organic
materials.
When defining mold it is important to
distinguish between mold growth you can
visibly see on a surface, and mold spores
that cannot be seen with the naked eye but
are ever-present in the air. The mold you
can see growing on the surface of
construction materials can cause property
damage. The mold spores you cannot see
floating in the air can cause people damage.
Mold spores are regenerative cells
surrounded by a very tough coating that can
survive detergents, chemicals, bleach and
extreme temperatures. Invisible to the
natural eye, mold spores typically require
between 400 and 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 literally billions of mold
spores.
Molds reproduce by releasing spores.
Airborne mold spores are literally
everywhere - all the time, continually
floating in and out of the buildings we all
live and work in. Generally speaking, every
day levels of mold spores floating in and
out of buildings is not a problem unless
there is dampness somewhere in the building.
When airborne mold spores come in contact
with wet or damp construction materials,
such as wood, drywall, cabinets, carpet,
etc. they colonize (settle). When mold
spores colonize on a surface they can grow
and spread rapidly, significantly
multiplying indoor spore levels, giving off
a variety of odors, and exhibiting hundreds
of different colors and textures.
Where can
I find mold?
Molds thrive in warm and humid conditions,
but you can find them year-round in
virtually every type of environment, both
indoors and outdoors. You'll find them
outdoors in shady, damp areas and places
where leaves or other vegetation is
decomposing. Indoors you will find them in
basements, showers, sink cabinets and in
other areas where humidity levels are high
or moisture intrusion has occurred. It's
worth noting that you can use the terms
"mold" and "mildew" interchangeably. Mildew
is often applied to growth of fungi on
fabrics, window sills or bathroom tiles,
however, mold, mildew, moss, and mushrooms
are all just different variations of the
same thing - fungi or fungus.
People who live near the ocean or in areas
where it rains frequently often assume that
mold simply comes with the territory. People
who live in dry desert areas assume they
could never have mold problems. While both
assumptions may likely be true outdoors,
geography has nothing to do with indoor mold
growth. Any time mold is growing indoors it
is because something got wet.
How does
mold grow in my home or workplace?
Once mold spores settle in your home, they
need moisture to begin growing and digesting
whatever they are growing on. As long as
there is no dampness, excessive humidity, or
other of source water intrusion, indoor mold
growth should not occur.
There are molds that can grow on wood,
ceiling tiles, wallpaper, paints, leather
goods, clothing, furniture, carpet, drywall,
and insulation. When materials get wet or
damp because of high indoor humidity, which
is often caused by indoor humidifiers or
excessive moisture in concrete slab, roof
leaks, plumbing leaks, flooding, etc.,
conditions are often ideal for indoor mold
growth. Indoor mold growth can also occur
from sprinklers contacting exterior walls
over time, or from standing water next to or
under the structure. Realistically, it is
almost impossible to rid all airborne mold
spores from an indoor environment, however,
you can prevent mold from growing indoors by
controlling moisture.
How can I
be exposed to mold?
Illness from mold exposure can only occur
one of three ways; 1. through absorption
into the skin, 2. ingestion, or 3.
inhalation. While it is never good to have
mold growing indoors, if it is, you are not
necessarily exposed to a health risk just
because its there. Nobody gets sick looking
at mold on a wall. But when molds are
disturbed, their spores may be released into
the air. You then can be exposed to the
spores through the air you breathe. Also, if
you directly handle moldy materials, you can
be exposed to mold and mold spores through
contact with your skin. Eating moldy foods
or hand-to-mouth contact after handling
moldy materials is yet another way you may
be exposed. Other than small child who
doesn't know any better, most people would
not intentionally touch mold or knowingly
ingest it. But disturbing mold can easily
send billions of spores the air and create
an immediate health risk in an enclosed
indoor environment.
How is
mold disturbed?
An action as simple as cleaning mold that is
growing on a surface will send spores
airborne. Other ways include:
- Scraping or scrubbing mold off of
moldy surfaces
- Demolition or tear out of mold
contaminated construction materials
- Vacuuming moldy carpet (conventional
vacuum cleaner bags do not trap mold
spores - they blow them through the bag
and into the air)
- Running a furnace or air conditioner
with mold in the duct work
- Running fans in rooms where mold
with contaminated materials
- Opening doors an windows when a
house smells like mold. If a strong
breeze is blowing through it can stir up
a lot of settled mold spores into the
air.
How do I know
if I have a mold problem?
You may have seen white thread-like growths
or fuzzy blue-green clusters or small black
specks on surfaces in your house, or smelled
a "musty" odor. Obviously, if you see mold
or smell mold indoors, you have a mold
problem. However, you can't always rely upon
your senses to tell if you have a mold
problem. Hidden mold can be growing inside
wall, floor, or ceiling cavities long before
being detected.
Remember that all indoor mold growth is
caused by some form of water intrusion. Have
you ever had a flood, a toilet or bath tub
overflow, a roof leak, a slab leak, a
plumbing leak, a hot water tank leak, or
even a freak accident like a fish tank break
open? Does water pool under or next to your
house. Has water from sprinklers been
spraying on the building for a long time?
All of these things are what causes indoor
mold problems. If you answer YES to any of
them, it is possible that you have a mold
problem.
Common places to find mold are in areas
where water has damaged building materials
and furnishings. Mold can also be found
growing along walls where warm moist air
condenses on cooler wall surfaces, such as
inside cold exterior walls, behind dressers,
headboards, and in closets where articles
are stored against walls. Rooms with both
high water usage and humidity, such as
kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and
basements are often havens for mold. If you
notice mold or know of water damaged areas
in your home, it is time to take action to
control its growth. It's time for a
professional mold inspection.
How can I
control mold growth in my home?
Fix any moisture problems in your home:
- Stop all water leaks first. Repair
leaking roofs and plumbing fixtures.
Move water away from concrete slabs and
remove water from crawl spaces. Redirect
sprinklers that spray on exterior walls.
If you're not sure about current or
previous water intrusion sources, have a
mold inspection and moisture assessment
done by a Certified Mold Inspector.
- Increase air circulation within your
home, especially along the inside of
exterior walls, and ventilate with fresh
air from outside. Provide warm air to
all areas of the home. Move large
objects away from the inside of exterior
walls just a few inches to provide good
air circulation.
- Install and use exhaust fans in
bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
- Ventilate and insulate attic and
crawl spaces. Cover earth floors in
crawl spaces with heavy plastic.
- Clean and dry water damaged walls,
cabinets, carpets, clothing, bedding,
upholstered furniture within 24 to 48
hours, or consider removing and
replacing damaged furnishings.
- Invest in high quality Heppa vacuum
cleaner bags. Vacuum and clean your home
regularly.
How do I
clean up mold?
The time you are most likely to stir up
spores and expose yourself and other
occupants to potential health risks is the
very time you are trying to clean up your
mold problem. That's when you need to be the
most careful.
First, try to determine the extent of the
mold infestation. If you are absolutely
certain that the affected area is small and
well-defined, you can do the clean up
yourself, as long as you are free of any
mold allergies or health problems. However,
if you cannot be certain whether or not the
mold problem is extensive, such as between
the walls or under the floors, you should
leave clean up to a professional.
The best money you will spend before hiring
a mold remediation contractor is having an
independent, third-party, certified mold
inspector conduct a mold inspection and
moisture assessment.
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Advanced Mold Inspections and Environmental Testing
