Allergen: Any substance like pollen, mold, or animal dander can trigger an allergic reaction in humans and pets.

Antimicrobial Coating: A protective antimicrobial coating applied to building materials such as wooden studs, framing eaves, or gables. Once the moldy building materials are removed, cleaned, and disinfected with a fungicide. 

 The best and safest is EPA registered Tim-bor.

Chain of Custody: A mold laboratory form completed by the Mold Inspector. He collects the mold samples to record the mold sample’s work details and documents both the transfer of custody of the mold samples directly from the inspector to the mold lab & their receipt by the analysis lab.

Dormant mold: Mold is inactive and awaiting future moisture and food to begin mold growth and reproduction. 

Fungicide: An effective, safe, and rapid indoor mold killer and mold disinfectant like Coverage Plus registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Fungus: A parasitic fungi kingdom of species. It is a plant lacking chlorophyll, a rigid cell wall, leaves, real stems & roots. Multicellular. It is composed of thread-like hyphae—the fungus breeds by seeds or spores. 

Hyphae: Filamentous fungi, with single filaments, termed hyphae. Fungal hyphae grow and the branch to make a filament network [mycelium].

Mold Allergy: A human allergic reaction [such as skin rashes, open sores, and respiratory problems] from exposure to airborne mold spores and indoor mold growth.

Mold Analysis Laboratory: A microbiological mold laboratory or microbiology laboratory specializes in or provides the analysis, identification, and quantification of mold species from mold samples and samplings.

Mold Decontamination and Mold Detoxification: Safe, effective & total removal of mold spores & mold growing in buildings and personal possessions.

Mold Inspection: The thorough physical examination of a building by a Mold Inspector to find & locate visual & hidden mold growth & water problems enables mold spores to grow into mold colony infestations includes mold testing & mold laboratory analysis of collected mold samples and samplings. Certified mold inspection and mold tests are often necessary to file a mold insurance claim.

Mold Inspector: A mold professional specially trained in detecting toxic mold contamination in homes, condos, apartments, offices, & commercial buildings. 

The mold expert inspector uses inspection devices such as moisture meter [to find water problems hidden inside walls, ceilings, and floors], fiber optics [to look inside walls & ceilings for mold infestation], timed mold culture plate impactor, air sampling pump & cassettes, & hygrometer [to check for the high-level humidity that mold can grow in].

Mold Investigation: Advanced, in-depth mold inspection, and mold tests to find all mold infestation inside a building. 

Mold Lawyer: An environmental attorney, environmental lawyer, or mold attorney specializing in prosecuting or defending mold-related legal problems and lawsuits.

Mold Maintenance: Mold prevention requires effective and regular building mold maintenance to prevent roof leaks, water leaks, water problems, mold causing high humidity, and toxic mold expansion.

Mold Remediation: The safe containment, record keeping & complete killing & removal of mold spores & mold colony growth from mold-contaminated homes and other buildings. Mold remediation usually requires removing mold-damaged building materials and using a fungicide to kill mold and an antimicrobial coating to eliminate future mold growth. Mold removal is done by a  Mold Remediator or Certified Contractor. 

Mold Remediator: A mold professional specially trained as a mold remediation specialist for toxic mold detection, mold decontamination, mold inspection, mold testing, mold sampling, mold prevention, mold remediation, mold removal, and  Mold Remediator.

Mold Report: A written presentation from a Mold Inspector to his client. He was investigating a physical building inspection findings & mold sampling, mold lab results, detailed analysis thereof, and recommendations for specific mold remediation & removal steps to eliminate any mold problem documented in the mold report. 

Mold Spore: A tiny reproductive cell that is resistant to an unfavorable environment such as no water & can mold reproduction fungal growth when water & organic materials for food.

Mold Test Kit: a DIY sampling of room & HVAC air, & physical sampling of visible mold growth into easy use mold culture plates for lab identification.

Mold Testing: Collection by a Mold Inspector of direct physical samples of visible mold and indoor viable air samples. Investigation for rooms, attic, crawl space, basement, & heating & air conditioning equipment & ducts. Mold samplings are grown by a mold lab in mold culture plates [viable mold testing] to breed full-grown mold colonies by specific species for mold lab analysis & identification by the mold laboratory.

Mold Training and Mold Education: Mold curriculum, education, & certification at a professional toxic mold school that is accredited by the State of Texas. An accredited mold class, mold seminar, or mold course for mold inspection, mold testing, mold remediation, mold removal, mold prevention, and mold business practices.

Mold: A fungus that consumes and grows on and in damp or high moisture or decaying organic matter. Synonym: mould.

Sick building syndrome: an unhealthy house or other building contains mold infestation or biological contamination resulting in serious health problems for its occupants.

Toxic Black Mold: A fungus that emits toxic mycotoxin poisons that become airborne & cause severe human health diseases. Toxic mold & black mold are brain-damaging Stachybotrys toxic mold [often misspelled Stachybotrys].

Viable mold test: Immediate microscopic analysis of collected samples to determine: (1) whether it is mold or not; (2) if mold, how many mold spores exist in the sample; & (3) where possible, to identify the few mold species visually identified without the highly accurate viable mold lab analysis done after 2-3 days’ mold culture plate growth.