What is Black Mold Doing to your home?
Molds are a type of fungus that reproduces asexually using spores. Some types of mold can grow indoors under certain conditions, using surfaces with a high cellulose content, such as wood, paper products, or even carpets, as a substrate. Many types of mold may be present in the home, but the most infamous type of mold infestation is known as the black mold. Black mold, also called toxic black mold, refers to the species Stachybotrys chartarum, also known as S. atra. This type of mold has a dark green or black appearance and has a habit of growing on drywall and wallpaper in homes.
Effects of Black Mold
Toxic black mold earned its name due to its association with specific health problems. Molds in the home produce allergenic spores that can decrease air quality, and some produce mycotoxins that can have ill effects on health. In people with weak immune systems due to other health problems, molds may be involved in an opportunistic fungal infection. The lungs of ill people are specifically susceptible to fungal infections of the lungs and related complications, such as a type of fungal pneumonia.
Black mold is explicitly related to allergies and chronic respiratory problems. Some individuals can have a severe allergic reaction upon exposure to mold spores. Black mold has also associated with an increased risk of pulmonary hemorrhage. The severity of black mold exposure symptoms is related to the extent of the mold infestation of the home, the length of exposure to the mold, and the residents’ sensitivity to mold. Some people are more likely to experience allergic symptoms upon mold exposure than others.
The toxic black mold species S. chartarum may be linked to more severe health problems than most other mold species that may invade the home, such as Aspergillus or Alternaria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advocates home mold removal for all mold species; however, because the spores of many species may cause allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals. Mold spores are very similar to pollen grains in that they are numerous, airborne, and very allergenic.
The best approach to mold removal is to control the indoor environment’s humidity because molds require a high moisture level to grow and reproduce. If mold removal from surfaces still contains high moisture, the spores in the air will likely allow the mold to recolonize, and the infestation may come back just as strongly as before. Dehumidifiers can help control the humidity of the air inside of a building. Mold removal with a fungi killer mold remover; the spores are harder to get rid of, but controlling the humidity can prevent them from growing into the mold. However, dead mold is still allergenic. If the mold damage to the home is extensive, professional mold remediation may be necessary to remove the mold and repair the building’s damaged structures.
How to Test for Black Mold
One of the plagues of high-humidity climates, black mold is highly toxic to some people and should be eliminated as rapidly as possible. There are many ways to test for and inspect black mold, from sight to smell.
Four types of mold tend to affect homeowners by their color:
- black mold
- white mold
- yellow mold
- green mold
There are more than 250,000 different species in the mold kingdom.
Black mold has the most toxic properties. If you believe you have a mold problem, hire a mold professional to inspect it immediately.
Mold inspection for Black Mold by visually locating it and the odor associated with it.
Black mold looks marbleized mixed with dark gray blooms growing on drywall, flooring, and furnishings. It typically flourishes in the dark, moist, hiding in out of the ordinary places. If it is allowed to thrive, it will eventually enter your ventilation system and may adhere to surfaces all over your house. Therefore, you should check every possible hiding place in your home.
Common locations for black mold include:
- Underneath carpeting
- basement corners
- Hidden inside sheetrock wall
- crawlspaces and attics
- Behind washer/dryers
- Behind wallpaper
- Between bathroom tiles
- Leaking Roofs
- Sweating Pipes
- Contaminated HVAC System
Visually locating black mold is, unfortunately, not a foolproof method. Mold may exist but not visible, or you may mistake superficial water stain damage for mold on a dark surface.
Testing for Black Mold by Odor
If you notice the stench of black mold in your house, your health is likely at risk if you are allergic. Black mold has a pungent dried-urine smell that can be quite strong. If there is a musty urine scent as a diffuse odor throughout your house, you may have different types of mold breeding in your air ducts or multiple places. Hire a licensed mold inspector to assess your home or office.
Testing for Black Mold by Kit
You can purchase a cheap mold testing kit from most hardware stores. Mold kits contain a swab for sampling an affected surface, send it into a lab, and receive a report indicating what it is. The kits typically include a petri dish, a sterile cotton swab, and a mold spore attractant medium like agar.
Put the medium in the petri dish and wait about an hour for it to stick to the bottom. Acquire personal protection equipment to protect your eyes, face, and respiratory system. You will be exposing yourself to the toxic mold, and you don’t want to breathe any.
Go to the area of the mold and gently agitate it with your sterile swab. Make sure you get a visible sample of the mold on the swab but don’t spend too much time trying to get a lot of the specimen. The lab needs a small amount of sample for accurate test results. Be cautious about unsettling the mold, as this may cause spreading mold spores to other areas of your home or office.
Once you have the sample on your swab, gently transfer it to the petri dish. Mail the container to the specified by the kit. It usually takes a few weeks to receive your test results.
This type of mold test is proven to be unreliable since there is no control sample for outdoor mold counts to compare the indoor results. There is nothing to compare it to, and surface sampling for mold visually found is a waste of money. Hiring a mold professional for mold testing and inspection will provide a Texas accredited laboratory analysis, a proper mold protocol for remediation, and a mold clearance for no mold once the mold removal and repair is completed. A licensed mold inspector is respected by:
- Mortgage Companies
- Insurance Claims
- Litigation
IAQ Environmental
We are mold experts, and our inspectors have years of construction knowledge. Our specialty is controlling moisture in wet areas such as showers, bathrooms, and kitchens. We offer waterproofing solutions for your mold remediation protocol. There are very few mold inspectors that can offer this knowledge. Reach out to us at (713) 931-8378.
