Mold FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mold?

• Any of various fungi that produce a superficial growth on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter. Growth often appears fuzzy, cottony, woolly, or powdery and can be a variety of colors (white, grey, red, yellow, black, brown and green). Molds produce spores that are poorly visible or not visible at all to the naked eye and that in most species are specialized to become airborne.

What causes mold to grow?

• There are two basic requirements for all mold growth.

  • Moisture

  • external food source

Whos most at risk?

• Elderly

• Infants

• Any one that might be immune suppressed

Are some Molds more hazardous than others?

• Yes some Molds are more hazardous than others.

  • There are about 100 species that are identified as pathogenic (pathogen – an agent that causes a disease, especially microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi) to humans.

How does mold affect my health?

• There are many different types of mold and they can effect you in many different ways.

Does mold affect everyone the same?

• The severity of the allergic response (a reaction by the immune system to a foreign material) can vary from person to person.

How much mold exposure is harmful?

• There are two types of mold exposure acute and chronic.

  • Acute Effects - Effects that occur immediately upon exposure.

  • Chronic Effects - Effects that occur after repeated, long-term exposure and are seen months or years after initiation of exposure.

What health symptoms are common with mold exposure?

• A large body of medical research has confirmed that exposure to elevated levels of fungal materials can cause significant health problems. However, identification of the problem and diagnosis is difficult due to the fact the mold can impact the human body in a number of ways.

  • Fungal spores and by-products, such as bits of hyphae and mycelia mat, are recognized allergens. Regardless of the genus or species, exposure to elevated levels of fungal material can result in allergic reactions such as....

    • congestion

    • watery eyes

    • running nose

    • sneezing

    • constricted air ways

    • skin rash

    • sinus pressure

    • headache

    • asthma attacks

    • abrupt onset of fever

    • flu-like symptoms

    • respiratory symptoms within hours of a single heavy exposure

Are there reliable tests to indicate the presence of mold?

• Sampling is a crucial part of mold remediation work because most, if not all, bio aerosols are invisible to the naked eye. Sampling of visible colonies of fungal growth is not necessary if prompt remediation is planned.

  • Having a sampling scheme or design in place before samples are collected is critical since fungal sampling can be impacted by a variety of constraints.

• Viable sampling

  • identifies fungal materials that are capable of growth. Must be cultured for 7-12 days.

• Direct read sampling

  • Identifies all fungal spores (viable and non-viable) and other microscopic particulates. Generally 24-hour to 3-day results.

• Surface samples

  • Bulk, micro vacuum, tape, wipe, swab, or scape. Confirm or quantify presence of fungal contamination.

• Air samples

  • Sampling equipment and supplies dependent upon the type of analysis that is desired. Viable samples use Petri dishes with nutrient agar. Direct read samples typically use commercially manufactured impaction cassettes.

If mold is present, what is the best way to get rid of it?

• Bad mold remediation is worse than no remediation at all.

• If mold is present you should call a mold remediation specialist immediately.

Should I use bleach to get rid of mold?

• Perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of bleach when proposed as a cleaner or sanitizing agent is that its effectiveness is greatly reduced in the presence of organic material. Despite the fact that the chlorine odor may linger for some time after use, bleach loses strength so quickly that it is not considered to have a residual effect that would prevent future bacterial or fungal growth.

How do I know when the mold clean up is finished?

• When all water intrusions are identified and corrected.

• The mold cleanup is finished when there is no visible mold remaining and there is no dust or dirt remaining in the remediation area. In most cases air samples are collected to determine airborne spore levels. Once the samples have been analyzed by an environmental company, they will specify if the environment is suitable for re-entry. After these goals are achieved then the mold remediation process is completed.