17 Facts You Should

Know About Mold

1. Mold are forms of fungi that are found indoor and outdoors all year long.

2. If you can smell or see mold in your home, you should take steps to remove it.

3. Just about every home has mold in one form or another. There are several thousand kinds of mold that vary in color from brown, gray, green, black, pink and purple.

4. There are no established standards for acceptable levels of indoor mold.

5. People who are most vulnerable to mold are those who have a respiratory disorder like asthma, allergies, a chronic pulmonary disease, cancer, allergies, HIV, young children , the elderly or pregnant women.

6. Ideal mold growth are temperatures from 68° to 86° Fahrenheit. However, certain molds will grow at any temperature range. For instance, if you leave a piece of cheese uncovered in your refrigerator over a period of time, it will produce mold.

7. Mold does not need darkness or stale air to grow.

8. Turning on lights or stopping air movement will not stop mold growth. 

9. The most common reaction to mold exposure is similar to allergic reactions , flu like symptoms or skin rash. However, if you have health concerns concerning mold, you should always consult your doctor.

11. Some molds produce toxins called mycotoxins. However, there health effects are not well understood and they are currently being studied by scientists.

12. Indoor moisture can lead to mold problems. Flooding, leaky roofs, sprinkler sprays hitting the house, plumbing leaks, overflow from sinks or sewers, damp basements or crawl spaces, steam from showers or cooking, humidifiers, wet clothes drying indoors, clothes dryers exhausting outdoors and other moist conditions can contribute to mold growth.

13. Warping floors and discoloration of walls and ceilings may be an indication of moisture problems.

14. Unchecked mold growth can cause serious structural damage to your home and furnishings and it should be properly removed.

15. Most experts do not recommend mold testing as a first step. Reliable air sampling is expensive. Also, there are no available standards for judging what is an acceptable quantity of mold. 

16. However, if you have immediate concerns about mold growth in a particular area, there is a low cost mold test that involves counting the number of mold colonies that are growing a particular area. It's available for about $10 at most Home Depot and Lowes stores. It's made by Pro-Lab. The self-test takes about 48 hours .

For an additional $30 lab fee, the firm will identify the types of organisms present in your home or office. You can contact Pro-Lab directly at 800-427-0550. 

17. Should you feel that further professional testing is justified, you should ask a testing company to give you a written cost estimate for extensive analysis. If a firm specializes in mold removal and detection, it should have at least 80 to 100 million dollars in current liability insurance. Ask to see proof that the firm has current liability insurance. If you hire an individual consultant, mycologist, industrial hygienist or a microbiologist, make sure he or she has an accredited academic degree, specializes in mold detection and removal, and carries a current multi-million dollar errors and omissions insurance policy. You should then ask for 15 to 20 references with phone numbers. Make sure you call all the past clients in your area to insure that they were satisfied with the testing results and or the mold removal procedures. You should also check the reputation of any contractor or consultant under consideration with your local Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Affairs Division of your state Attorney General's office. To find an industrial hygienist that specializes in mold in your area contact the American Industrial Hygiene Association in Fairfax, VA. The phone number is 703-849-8888. 

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