DID YOU SAY MOLD?!

10/9/2024 - 3 MIN ​​

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Is it a big deal? It sounds like a big deal. I heard it was not a big deal. Is it really a big deal?

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I hear many different opinions on whether or not mold is a big deal, ranging anywhere from "Mold, oh it's nothing" to "OMG, it's so awful". It appears people don't really understand the impact it can cause unless they understand how mold works, or they, or someone close to them has been affected by it personally.

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So let's set the record straight. The answer: It CAN, ABSOLUTELY be an enormous deal.  See Our Story - A Deeper Dive. Mold can damage your house and your health (not to mention your finances!), but how much damage depends on a number of factors:

• Mold species - they can be allergenic, toxigenic, or pathogenic  

• Mold levels of the space

• Duration of exposure 

• Your body’s ability to process the mold

 

Health issues can result not just from the spores, but also from the toxins, fragments, and chemicals that mold produces. Even if the mold is "dead" (not active), it can still induce symptoms. Some effects of mold include: Asthma, allergic reactions, cognitive issues, mental health issues, and immune system and inflammatory issues. 

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Molds are everywhere, and there are thousands of species. Their spores are spread via air, so any place that air goes, mold spores go too.  Mold spores will start to grow and colonize when 3 things are present:

• Moisture (this can be bulk water, like a roof or plumbing leak, flood, humidity, or condensation)

• Oxygen

• Food source (wood, leaves, paper, household dust, etc) 

Molds survive by digesting the thing they are growing on and will eventually destroy it. The crucial piece of information here is that moisture is the control mechanism.

 

While mold is a common occurrence outside, it should not be growing inside of a building. If it is growing inside, mold levels can exist in much higher concentrations than you would experience outside. Therefore, the critical steps to protect your health and the health of your house is to find the moisture source, fix the moisture source, and remove the mold. Removing the mold, without fixing the moisture source, will not solve the problem. Despite what some sources may tell you, killing the mold with bleach or other killing agents (like fungicides, ozone, UV, etc.) is a bad idea. The agents many times can be toxic themselves. They can also create more dangerous situations by producing very high concentrations of smaller fungal fragments and unsafe, unpredictable chemicals in the air.

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