Mold and Mildew (The Difference) and
Your Health and Home It is important to understand the differences between mold and mildew for many reasons involving your health, the condition of your home, the air quality of where you work and live, and how to test for both in order to begin the processes of having these dangerous toxics removed. Mold and mildew are natural and basic parts of the natural environment, but can cause serious health problems if not addressed. It is important to understand about how to prevent a mold or mildew problem and address it in your home.
For starters, in the most basic sense, mold is a growth on organic matter coming from fungi, while mildew is mold in its early stages that grows on and in organic surfaces. Molds reproduce through the spread of microscopic mold spores that move through the indoor and outdoor air continually, and when these spores land on moist organic material, they can potentially grow on the material. The best way to control these mold spores is to limit the amount of moisture that is in your home.
One of the biggest problems that arises from mold are the health issues that come from the toxic chemicals that are produced by mold called mycotoxins. In high concentrations, they can cause systems to people who do not even have allergies. The most common health problems caused by molds tend to be with individuals who already suffer from asthma and chronic sinusitis, and the toxics can weaken a persons’ immune system, therefore increasing sociability to other diseases. Other common symptoms include nose and throat irritation, nasal and sinus congestions, watery, reddening and burning eyes, sneezing, headache and fatigue.
Mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. The mildew spores use the decomposing organic matter in order help in its own growth and reproduction. Like mold, mildew also cause health problems, but is more unpleasantly unsightly and has an odor. Naturally, mold and mildew can come from damp areas, but more serious causes are from flooding, sewage back-up, overflows from sinks and bathtubs, and more simple daily items such as steam cookers, dryer vents, and humidifiers. If a house has been damaged by water, there is a good possibility that mold and mildew will be an issue before hand, and a costly one if a previous owner or current owner has not fixed the problem. Rotting wood can be very costly in repairing a home.
Locating mold is crucial to recognizing a problem and beginning to fix it if there has already been water damage done to property. In the case of non-preventative options, leaking pipes should be fixed, water seepage should be prevented, and crawlspaces should be covered with plastic. After doing so, it is very important to your health to be very careful in beginning the process of repairing the damage and removing mold. Some important tips to remember include making sure that your work area is well ventilated, make sure you wear protective glasses, gloves, and a face mask, and then test an area for mold. Mold test kits are available for purchase. If you feel that the mold problem is substantial, do not hesitate to call a professional to take care of the problem. If not, disinfected hard surfaces with ammonia and hot water, or use a %10 bleach solution. With soft surfaces, it might be best to throw them out instead of risking health issues due to mold damage.
In the case that water damage has not visibly occurred, in order to prevent mold and mildew in ones home, it is important to keep things clean, especially in areas where mildew is likely to grow, such as closets and basements, or where clothes are stored. Also, controlling the temperature of a home is very important, since humidity allows the growth of mildew. As with mold, a humidifier is helpful in controlling the amount of moisture in the air, and preventing a mold or mildew problem before it happens. Controlling moisture from the outside of a home can also help with mildew and mold problems. In instances where there outside air is less humid than inside a home, opening windows and creating ventilation can help with air circulation and keep mold spores from settling. On the same note, during the summer and winter months, sealing a house properly with weather stripping can help.
The most effective ways of dealing with mold and mildew are keeping areas clean and dry. Although mold is essential to our environment in decomposing matter, it can be deter-mental to people in high doses. Understanding what mold and mildew is and knowing how to look for it can save lots of time, money, and resources for a person and their home. Preventing the problem a head of time will save you time and money on correcting issues that could arise with damage to your home and your health. |
| Indoor Air Quality: Testing for Mold No building is completely immune to mold, whether it be your home, your office, or your child’s school. Symptoms of over-exposure to mold spores can range from relatively mild headaches or sniffles to life-threatening ailments. “Toxic mold”, molds which produce high levels of mycotoxins, are particularly damaging, producing symptoms that are often misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated. You can lower your risk of contracting mold-related health issues by reducing or eliminating dampness inside the building, performing indoor air quality testing for mold, and performing regular building maintenance.
Mold can grow anywhere there is sufficient moisture; in between walls, behind ceiling tiles, or below the floor. The spores released are invisible and often odorless. Some spores are light and travel through the air, drifting on air currents until they find a new place to take hold and grow new mold colonies. Other spores may be sticky, clinging to whatever touches them to be carried to a new location. Mold spores can remain dormant for years, producing new mold colonies only when the conditions are right. Allergic reactions occur due to allergens carried in the spores and on them, and not because of the spores themselves. Therefore, whether alive or dead, mold spores can trigger allergic reactions.
Mycotoxins are not spores, but are liquids or gasses that can be carried by them. The so-called “toxic mold” spores can be inhaled or ingested, transmitting the mycotoxin to a human host. In some cases, the spores can land on exposed skin, and the mycotoxins can be absorbed that way. Inhalation produces the most severe reactions. Asthma attacks might be triggered, headaches, nausea, or coughs might result. In more serious cases, central nervous system damage might result, or liver damage can occur. Mycotoxins have even been known to cause cancer in some individuals. Over 200 types of mycotoxins are known to exist; not all of them are harmful to humans, and research is ongoing.
Naturally, any occurrence of visible mold is a problem and can be addressed without resorting to any type of testing. However, as many molds grow well in dark or dimly lit locations, visual identification of mold is not always possible. There may be a musty smell associated with some kinds of mold growth but this smell alone is not necessarily sufficient to consider mold a problem that requires mold treatment. If you are unsure, it’s best to have a professional company perform indoor air quality testing for mold.
Testing might also be a viable route if there is a high incidence of respiratory infections in a building, or if occupants with allergies note more severe symptoms or more frequent outbreaks while inside the building. Asthmatics may also have more severe or more frequent reactions, and may find themselves relying more often on any inhalers or prescribed medications in buildings where mold is a problem. Skin allergies are not uncommon; if multiple occupants are complaining of rashes or itching, you might want to consider having the building tested.
Neither the EPA (the Environmental Protection Agency) nor OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has set any standards for “safe” exposure to indoor mold. However, the EPA does recommend that professional analysts of indoor mold levels should follow the guidelines set by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), which suggests that the levels of indoor and outdoor mold spores be taken and compared. The levels of mold types in both locations should be roughly equivalent. An overabundance of one or two types of mold spores found in the air inside a building as compared to outside that same building could indicate a problem that will need to be addressed. Make sure the company you choose is associated with a lab that’s AIHA EMLAP-certified.
Whether you choose to use a professional who specializes in mold clean-up attend to any problems, or if you do it yourself, you should have the air inside the building re-tested. If you use the same company that performed the original survey, you can compare your results after the clean-up with the results attained previously, and can then assess how much might remain to be done. Along with visual mold inspections and proper building maintenance, routine indoor air quality testing for mold should be implemented in any building that has had a problem with mold in the past.
Although it is impossible to eliminate mold and mold spores entirely from any environment, there are ways to reduce the levels of contaminants in the air you breathe daily. Fixing leaks, ensuring good air circulation, and reducing humidity levels are excellent preventative measures. Testing the air quality inside your building can give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing your walls, ceilings, and floors are free from toxic levels of mold you cannot see, and that just might help you breathe a little easier. |
