Molds are microscopic organisms found virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Most people think that mold is slimy, blackish-green discolorations that gradually increases in size, but found only in dirty, unkempt homes or apartments. The truth is, mold and spores can flourish in sparkling clean environments as well.
No one really knows how many species of mold exist but estimates range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Spore production is characteristic of molds in general to reproduce. A spore is a small reproductive body that is capable of growing into a new organism, producing bacteria, fungi, and algae. Most spores are filamentous (thread-like) organisms so small that 250,000 of them can fit on the head of a pin. They stay airborne indefinitely, drifting from one room to the next, landing on food, clothing, appliances, table tops, carpeting and furniture, walls and woodwork. Any wet, damp or humid surface becomes a breeding ground for mold colonies and more spores.
Where mold can be found.
We’ve all seen mold; ugly stains of white, orange, green, brown and black spreading on walls, floors and other surfaces. But the most dangerous mold is the mold we don’t see. Mold and mildew is inside your sink and dishwasher cabinets and probably in your bathrooms and laundry areas. There is an 86% chance of mold growing somewhere in or on your refrigerator. Its nestled into the microscopic crevices of clothing, furniture fabric and in your carpeting. There is little doubt that mold spores exist in your heating and air conditioner system ductwork from where mold is continually dispersed throughout a home or building looking for a place to “plant” its self and grow. It can be found in your window sills, basement, crawl space and attic, office desk, indoor plants, kitchen counter space, on the TV, in your fireplace and countless other places.
Mold exposure risks vary.
The above incidences could be everyday, ordinary “low-risk” and “acceptable level” occurrences of mold—or not. Each person has their own level of tolerance to the mycotoxins (poisons) emitted by mold. And those with higher levels of tolerance to mycotoxins can eventually become sensitized to these poisons from prolonged exposures.
Signs of increased health risks to mold exposure.
“Higher risk” mold conditions are more easily recognized by the sudden visual appearance of emerging mold. Another and unmistaken evidence of this kind of mold problem is the presence of a pungent mildew or musty odor, even when mold is not visually evident. The faintest whiff of this odor should immediately prompt one’s concern about mold exposure and to take quick action to identify and correct its cause and clean up the mold and mildew damage! Our mold consultants are prepared to assist you in necessary planning and cost-effective corrective actions to take. Some molds have been more closely associated with specific health problems. One example is Stachybotrys atra, a greenish–black mold often referred to as “toxic mold.” It grows on material with high cellulose content (e.g. drywall, wood, paper, dust). Stachybotrys becomes a problem when it emits mycotoxins capable of producing toxic effects in humans and animals. Many Aspergillus species of molds also produce mycotoxins.
Some molds release volatile compounds into the air, producing an unpleasant odor. Scientists label these compounds “microbial volatile organic compounds” or “mVOCs” (Moisture Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, Environmental Protection Agency, March 2001). Exposure to mVOCs has been associated with headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
Mold growth can not only lead to structural damage to your home (like sagging floors), but it can also adversely affect your health. You can be exposed to mold by touching moldy materials, eating moldy foods, and breathing in microscopic mold spores in the air. You can inhale over a half million spores per minute without even knowing it. Mold allergy symptoms may include skin rash, runny nose, irritated eyes, cough, congestion, and aggravation of asthma.
A 1999 Mayo Clinic study found that allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) was diagnosed in 93% of cases of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), a condition that affects an estimated 37 million Americans. According to a 2005 study, exposure to mold in damp homes can double the risk of asthma development in children.
Most health problems caused by molds are related to allergic reactions; however, molds can also invade the body as agents of infection. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is a serious lung disease similar to pneumonia in which mold colonizes and grows in asthmatic mucus within the lungs. People with chronic lung diseases and compromised immune systems are more prone to fungal pulmonary infections.
