There's No Escaping Mold!
Experts believe that there may be over 250,000 different species of mold. Most grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions, but a few can also be found in harsh dry environmentss. Outdoors, mold play a vital role in our world by breaking down dead organic matter such as leaves and trees, but their presence indoors should be avoided.
Mold reproduces by releasing tiny spores that are invisible to the naked eye. These spores are so small that they easily float thru the air around us while looking for a moist place to call home.
Allergens, Irritants & Mycotoxins
When moldy material is damaged or disturbed, tiny spores are released into the air and an allergic reaction may occur when someone touches, inhales or ingests these spores.
The most common symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. Those with hay fever may see their symptoms worsened and exposure can cause those with asthma to have an attack. Prolonged exposure may also irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs and depending on the person's vulnerability may cause fevers and respiratory problems to occur.
Some types of mold can also produce chemicals called mycotoxins and exposure to large quantities of these can cause illiness in those who have sensitivities to them. Severity is dependent on the type of mold present and the duration of exposure.
Please keep in mind that many of these same symptoms are also associated with other illnesses or allergen sources, but if you suspect that mold is the problem, you should contact your physician. To aid in their diagnoses, be sure to provide your physician with as much detail as possible including the duration of the symptoms, how frequently they occur, when they most often occur and where they most often occur or they are worsened. You should also note any recent activity such as pest control, construction activities, changes in personal hygiene or cleaning products, etc. that the affected person(s) may have been exposed to.
Some Common Types of Mold Found Indoors
Aspergillus - A type of fungus that is commonly found in organic materials in tropical and sub-tropical regions can be found almost everywhere else as well. Its spores are generally air dispersed.
Cladosporium - Frequently found in both indoor and outdoor air samples taken worldwide, this species likes soil, dead plants and fallen leaves, textile fabrics, food, lumber and other building materials.
Penicillium is commonly found in composting piles, organic material, wood, paper, and grain products, Indoors it can also be found in carpet, wallpaper and internally insulated (fiberglass) duct work.
Stachybotrys Chartarum - (aka Black Mold) is a greenish-black mold that is commonly found outdoors in dead organic material. Indoors it can be found on materials with a high cellulose content such as wallpaper, drywall, ceiling tiles or wood that have been exposed to long term moisture problems. Please note however that not all black mold is stachybotrys and typically the black mold found in bathrooms is not. Positive identification of any type of mold can only be done in a lab and the sample collection should be done by a trained professional.
Stachybotrys can cause cold like symptoms, sinus problems, rashes, inflammation of the eyes and asthma attacks. Exposure may also affect your concentration and energy levels, but generally these symptoms will disappear when the mold has been removed.
While uncommon there have been some studies done that link prolonged exposure to Stachybotrys in severely contaminated buildings with pulmonary hemosiderosis in infants less than six months old. Pulmonary hemosiderosis is a conditiion that results from bleeding in the lungs.
Should You Have Your Air Sampled For Mold?
The Center For Disease ControL (CDC) does not recommend routine sampling to determine what species of mold are present. Their studies have shown that: