First of all, before we discuss the types of mold and whether you should get mold testing done. Let’s start at the beginning regarding mold growth in your home or place of business. Mold is present around you every day, it is naturally in our air, and whether your indoors or outdoors, it’s there. These days, everything from mainstream internet, to social media platforms, and even commercial advertisement are putting some folks in a frenzy. Especially regarding the dreaded “Black Mold” (Aka Stachybotrys).
The reality is yes most of us have been exposed to some form or types of mold. How it affects each person can be different. Some types of mold species are considered more toxic than others. Some spores can be irritable in greater numbers. All should be taken seriously. In the event you come across suspected mold in your home or business, however, it is always much better to be safe than sorry. Give us a call at (949) 888-8409 to provide free on site inspection to better determine whether or not a mold remediation or pre-testing is even necessary.
Some Common Types Of Mold
The most common household mold. There are over 185 species and 22 are known to cause human illness. They can be found in almost any home or office. Consequently, most are allergens or toxic.
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Penicillium | Types
– chrysogenum / roqueforti / digitatum / camemberti / marneffei / more species not listed.
Penicillin can cause hypersensitive pneumonitis, allergic alveolitis, and asthma in certain individuals. Penicillin is used extensively in food processing. It is used in the creation of Camembert, Roquefort, Brie cheeses; to improve the flavor of sausages and other meats and to control the growth of other molds in the food making process. It is also widely used medically as an antibiotic in treatment of various infections.
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Cladosporium | Types
– herbarum / cladosporioides / more not listed here.
Over 30 species of Cladosporium including the most common: C. elatum, C. herbarum, C. sphaerospermum, and C. cladosporioides. These fungi are known to cause skin lesions, keratitis, nail fungus, sinusitis, asthma, and pulmonary infections.
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Basidiospore
Dry rot, wood rot and brown rot are all the result of basidiospores producing fungi. However, in the vast majority of cases, basidiospores detected in air samples are not from indoor growth. They are typically brought in through windows and doors. Because of this, mold remediation is typically not required.
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Ceratocystis/Ophistoma (Aka “Bluestain” mold)
This is a harmless, cosmetic-only mold that does not damage the lumber and is not a pathogen for humans. Here’s a good example of the observation that not all “black mold” is “toxic black mold”. It will be totally hidden when the ceiling drywall is installed.
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Stachybotrys (the “ Toxic Black mold”)
Stachybotrys Chartarum produces “mycotoxins”, these are what make you feel sick when you’ve been exposed to certain types of mold. When it is living, its spores are not airborne, but if it dries up then the spores can float away and create a mold problem somewhere else in your house. As a result, this type of mold creates bad health symptoms like runny nose, coughing and feelings of fogginess in the brain. If the exposure is severe enough, there can also be more severe symptoms and circumstances which may lead to death in some of the most extreme cases.
Furthermore, do not try and clean up black colored mold yourself. You might just release the spores in the air which will expose you and your family to even more mycotoxins. Contact us here at 24/7 Restoration and we will be able to help you with your toxic mold problem. more info >
Do I Need Testing For Mold?
Is testing for any types of mold needed? In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary. There are no EPA or other federal limits for mold or types of mold spores. Therefore, testing cannot be used to check a building’s compliance with federal mold standards. However, air and surface testing may be useful to determine if an area has been adequately cleaned and removed.
Hence testing for mold will be conducted by a professional environmental hygienist. This is because of their experience in sampling methods and interpreting results. Sample analysis should follow methods recommended by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other professional organizations. more info >
So give us a call for more information.
(949) 888-8409
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