Mold in the Home

The first thing to understand about mold is that there is a little mold everywhere – indoors and outdoors.  It's in the air and can be found on plants, foods, dry leaves, and other organic materials.

It's very common to find molds in homes and buildings. After all, molds grow naturally indoors.  And mold spores enter the home through doorways, windows, and heating and air conditioning systems.  Spores also enter the home on animals, clothing, shoes, bags and people.

When mold spores drop where there is excessive moisture in your home, they will grow. Common problem sites include humidifiers, leaky roofs and pipes, overflowing sinks, bath tubs and plant pots, steam from cooking, wet clothes drying indoors, dryers exhausting indoors, or where there has been flooding.

Many of the building materials for homes provide suitable nutrients for mold, helping it to grow.  Such materials include paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood and wood products, dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

The importance of mold in the real estate market today

Much has been made of indoor mold in advertising and the media lately, so it’s a common concern for homeowners and buyers.  It's common to find mold even in new homes.  Whether you’re selling your current home or looking into buying one, it’s vital to get a mold inspection.  Presence of active mold can drastically affect the resale value of any home.

For homeowners, a mold inspection will either put your mind at rest or make you aware of any problems that could otherwise cause delays or deal breakers once you’ve entered negotiations with a buyer.  A professional mold inspection will give you a signed report from an expert before you put the home up for sale.  Imagine being able to show a “clean bill of health” to potential buyers that express concerns – they’ll be impressed by your thoroughness and commitment to your home.

For buyers, getting a mold inspection will ensure that you’re not surprised by costly clean up and the potential health hazards of mold.  If any mold is found to be present and active in the home, the mold inspection will allow you to ask the seller to do the clean up prior to buying the home.

Exposure to mold

Everyone is exposed to some amount of mold on a daily basis, most without any apparent reaction.  Generally mold spores can cause problems when they are present in large numbers and a person inhales large quantities of them.  This occurs primarily when there is active mold growth.

For some people, a small exposure to mold spores can trigger an asthma attack or lead to other health problems.  For others, symptoms may only occur when exposure levels are much higher.

The health effects of mold can vary.  The production of allergens or irritants can cause mild allergic reactions and asthma attacks.  The production of potentially toxic mycotoxins can cause more severe reactions, and in rare cases death.

Should I be concerned about mold in my home?

Yes.  If indoor mold is extensive, those in your home can be exposed to very high and persistent airborne mold spores.  It is possible to become sensitized to these mold spores and develop allergies or other health concerns, even if one is not normally sensitive to mold.

Left unchecked, mold growth can cause structural damage to your home as well as permanent damage to furnishings and carpet.

According to the Centers for Disease Control*, "It is not necessary, however, to determine what type of mold you may have.  All molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal."

Can my home be tested for mold?

Yes.  We offer thorough mold inspections that involve visual examinations of the most likely areas to harbor mold.  We also take air samples indoors and out to determine whether the number of spores inside your home is significantly higher.  If the indoor level is higher, it could mean that mold is growing inside your home.

More about Mold

What is Mold and Where Is It Found?

Molds are microscopic organisms, found virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Molds can be found on plants, foods, dry leaves, and other organic material. Also susceptible to mold growth are cellulose materials, such as, cardboard, paper, ceiling tiles, and sheet rock. Mold spores are easily detached and made airborne by vacuuming, walking on a carpet or sitting on a couch. In indoor environments, mold can grow in air conditioning ducts, carpets, pots of houseplants, etc.

How Can Mold Affect Your Health?

Exposure to mold is not healthy for anyone but the following individuals are at a higher risk for adverse health effects: infants, children, elderly, immune compromised patients, pregnant women, and individuals with existing respiratory conditions. When inhaled, even in small amounts, mold can cause a wide range of health problems including respiratory problems (wheezing), nasal and sinus congestion, watery and red eyes, nose and throat irritation, skin irritation, aches and pains, fevers, asthma, emphysema and in some cases even death.

Mold Can Be Found In Many Areas Of Your Home

• Attic
• Living Rooms
• Bathrooms
• (HVAC) Ventilation System
• Bedrooms
• Kitchens
• Basements
• Any Moist Areas
• Carpets
• Garage

How Can You Be Exposed To Mold?

When moldy materials become damaged or disturbed, spores (reproductive bodies similar to seeds) can be released into the air. The following are sources of indoor moisture that may cause mold problems in your home or office: flooding, leaky roofs, humidifiers, damp basements or crawl spaces, constant plumbing leaks, house plants, steam from cooking, shower/bath steam and leaks, wet clothes, and clothes dryers vented indoors. Protection...Testing Is Your First Line Of Defense

To find out if mold is a problem in your home or office, you must conduct a mold test!

The PRO-LAB Mold Test Kit utilizes a patented laboratory analytical method for accuracy and reliability. The easy to use do-it-yourself test allows you to determine whether toxic mold spores are in the air that your breath. Visual sampling may also be conducted. Optional lab analysis is available to indicate the type of mold present.

The Black Mold Stachybotrys Chartarum (atra)

Stachybotrys Chartarum (atra) is a greenish-black toxic mold that colonizes particularly well in high-cellulose material, such as straw, hay, wet leaves, dry wall, carpet, wall paper, fiber-board, ceiling tiles, thermal insulation, etc. Stachbotrys, before drying, is wet and slightly slimy to touch. There are about 15 species of Stachybotrys, known throughout the world. This toxic mold grows in areas where the relative humidity is above 55%. This type of mold does not grow on plastic, vinyl, concrete products, or ceramic tiles. It is not found in the green mold on bread or the black mold on the shower tiles.

Stachybotrys produces a mycotoxin that causes human mycotoxicosis.

This type of mold is thought to be a possible cause of the sick building syndrome. Children's exposure to Stachybotrys spores are thought most likely to cause pulmonary hemosiderosis (bleeding in the lungs). The following is a list of symptoms associated with exposure to Stachybotrys mold spores:

1. Respiratory problems, such as wheezing, and difficulty in breathing
2. Nasal and sinus congestion
3. Eyes-burning, watery, reddened, blurry vision, light sensitivity
4. Dry, hacking cough
5. Sore throat
6. Nose and throat irritation
7. Shortness of breath
8. Chronic fatigue
9. Skin irritation
10. Central nervous system problems (constant headaches, memory problems, and mood changes)
11. Aches and pains
12. Possible fever
13. Diarrhea
14. Possible hemosiderosis
15. Immune suppression