Mold can grow anytime and anywhere in your home or working establishment. Most people assume that mold is not harmful and just affects the aesthetics of your home or business, but that is not the case.
Different types of mold require different kinds of treatments. The mold remediation professionals at ServiceMaster Restore by LoveJoy have compiled these mold facts for you.
Basic Facts About Mold
- Mold thrives on organic matter and moisture. It typically occurs in nature but can be a nuisance indoors, developing in damp, moist areas like bathrooms, basements, and areas that have recently experienced water damage.
- Mold forms new colonies through its spores.
- A musty, mildewy smell present in your home is most likely caused by mold due to water damage. It's best to locate it right away.
- To limit mold growth, keep indoor humidity levels below 45 percent. Condensation on hard surfaces, such as windows and walls is a sign of high humidity, which increases the potential for mold growth.
- Mold can grow in as little as 24 to 48 hours after a water damage event.
- Mold growth can either be obvious or invisible. It can remain hidden behind drywall, within insulation, on carpet padding, and even throughout the HVAC system.
- To reduce the likelihood of mold growth, add mold inhibitors to paint before painting.
- Safe and effective mold remediation can only be performed by mold remediation professionals.
Common Types of Mold Found in Homes
ASPERGILLUS
- Over 185 species of Aspergillus are appearing in many different colors and are commonly found in American households.
- Aspergillus has long flask-shaped spores that can form thick layers or walls of the mold. This creates long chains of mold growth on surfaces.
- Aspergillus is an allergenic mold, but it is also capable of becoming more toxic depending on the species and the environment affected. It can lead to symptoms like asthma attacks, lung infections, and respiratory inflammation.
ACREMONIUM
- This mold typically grows in humidifiers, cooling coils, drain pans, and window sealants. It first starts as a small moist mold that turns into a fine powdery substance.
- Acremonium is often pink, grey, orange, or white.
CHAETOMIUM
- Chaetomium is a mold commonly found in water-damaged homes and buildings. This mold is usually found in a damp or leaking roof, basement or sink and may be recognizable by its musty odor.
- Chaetomium causes health effects such as skin and nail infections.
AUREOBASIDIUM
- This mold can be found growing behind wallpaper, on painted walls or wooden surfaces.
- Aureobasidium usually develops in pink, brown or black color. As it ages, Aureobasidium typically turns into a darker brown color.
- This kind of mold can cause dermatitis or skin rash if directly touched with bare skin.
ALTERNARIA
- Alternaria is the most common form of allergenic mold in the world. It’s a velvet-textured mold with dark green or brown hairs.
- This mold typically grows wherever dampness occurs like showers, bathtubs, and leaking sinks.
- Alternaria is also a common mold species that appears as a result of water damage to a home or building
FUSARIUM
- Fusarium can be noticed in different colors, from tans and whites to brilliant pinks and purples.
- Fusarium also known as Quorn, is used as a meat replacement by vegetarians and vegans.
- These traditional fungi that develop in your home can provoke allergic symptoms since it is also fast-spreading and can generate structural deterioration within your home.
MUCOR
- Mucor is somewhat a yellow or white mold with cotton consistency usually found in the air of any establishment.
- This mold can be found nearly everywhere at home from house dust to dirty carpets.
- It is considered moderately low-risk unless you have a pre-existing condition. Mucor can heighten your symptoms and induce pulmonary diseases, gastrointestinal infections, or cutaneous infections.
PENICILLIUM
- Penicillium can be identified by its musty odor. It’s often found in blue-green, white, yellow, or pink hues and has a powdery texture
- It can be found where there’s indoor moisture and often contaminates leather and cloth items.
- While penicillin has beneficial properties, penicillium can cause allergies, including hay fever and lung inflammation.
TRICHODERMA
- Trichoderma is a white and green mold that could be concealing in your carpets, wallpaper, wooden furniture, and floors.
- This detrimental mold can cause any wood to disintegrate and can damage the structural integrity of your property.
- Trichoderma can be a threat to you and your family since it can provoke symptoms such as sneezing, asthmatic attacks, coughing, and lung infections. The genus Trichoderma longibrachiatum is considered poisonous to human health.
ULOCLADIUM
- Ulocladium is a mold that usually arises following flooding or water damage that contains allergenic strains.
- This type of mold is black and can grow alongside other types of mold that pose numerous health risks.
- Ulocladium requires a steady supply of water to persist, so if the materials on which it is growing dry out, the mold will usually die. However, spores can stay static and thrive with future dampness.
Health Risks of Mold
Molds are found almost everywhere. They are beneficial to the environment in terms of breaking down dead materials. You’re exposed to mold every day. Mold spores are usually harmless when inhaled in small amounts.
However, when they land on a damp area in your home, they can start to multiply. Spores can then be released into the air where they can be easily inhaled. You could experience health problems if you’re sensitive to them and inhale a large amount.
A person’s sensitivity to molds can increase through repeated exposure, causing more severe allergic reactions. These problems are worse indoors when they cause indoor air quality problems.
Those who have higher risks of illnesses caused by molds are those who live or work in establishments that are exposed to moisture and are not adequately ventilated. Infants, children, the elderly, immune-compromised patients, and those with respiratory problems are also at risk.
Mold and Structural Damage
- As mentioned, mold thrives on organic matter such as cardboard and wood. As it grows on organic building materials, it first causes surface damage.
- Mold is often not the direct cause of structural damage, but is only a symptom of high moisture buildup.
- Combined with uneliminated moisture, mold will gradually deteriorate the organic material it grows on, causing rotting and eventually severe structural damage.
Why is air quality testing recommended?
Mold inspectors may recommend an air quality test to determine the type of mold growing in your structure and the degree of infestation. Moreover, whatever the type of mold present, the CDC recommends that mold should be removed immediately to prevent future growth.
If you do decide to pay for environmental sampling for molds, before the work starts, you should ask the consultants who will do the work to establish criteria for interpreting the test results. They should tell you in advance what they will do or what recommendations they will make based on the sampling results. The results of samples taken in your unique situation cannot be interpreted without physical inspection of the contaminated area or without considering the building’s characteristics and the factors that led to the present condition.
Make an Appointment With One of Our Mold Remediation Technicians
As soon as you discover water damage in your home, call ServiceMaster by Lovejoy for water damage restoration and mold inspection, and remediation services.
ServiceMaster by Lovejoy will help you prevent mold from returning to your home. There is a more urgent need for awareness than just the aesthetics of your home or business. Mold has very real health concerns.
If you think you have mold, call us at (678)293-0297 immediately! We have the needed equipment, professionals, and experience to help you with your mold problems. Our Emergency Response Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We are servicing homeowners and business owners in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Decatur, Stockbridge, Conyers, McDonough, Stone Mountain, Covington, Social Circle, and Dekalb County and nearby counties.
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