What is Mold?

According to EPA, molds can be found almost anywhere. They grow on virtually any substance when moisture is present. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment. The way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.  Mold grows where there is moisture, warmth and food.  Showers, plants, cooking, clothes' dryers, roof and plumbing leaks are sources of moisture. Proper ventilation in your home is the only way to eliminate excessive moisture. Venting your bath into the attic or the clothes dryer into the crawl space are two great ways to promote mold in your home. Cellulose materials like wood  and paper or paper products are very conducive for the growth of mold. Other materials, like drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, commonly support mold growth.  Mold wants to reproduce; it does so by sending out into the air mold spores that land on surfaces of damp cellulose or wood. Most molds are not dangerous, but they can cause an allergic or asthmatic symptoms such as wheezing or runny nose. Mycotoxic molds emit a toxic gas and can cause serious health effects in humans.  A 1999 Mayo clinic study pegged nearly all the chronic sinus infections afflicting 37 million Americans to mold. Other recent studies also have linked molds to the tripling of the asthma rate over the past 20 years. It is difficult to identify mold type without proper testing.