Mold is a fungus found indoors as well as outside. There are many species of fungi, but only a few amongst them are responsible for degrading the indoor air quality. That is why it is essential to understand the mold.

Mold and Its Effects on People

Generally, water molds such as Stachybotrys, Memnoniella, Trichoderma, Chaetomium, and Ulocladium are responsible for imposing a health threat. These molds grow in regions where there are high humidity levels. Molds release spores containing mycotoxins, which can cause allergies. Children, aged people and those who have pulmonary disorders or a weakened immune system are most affected.

Common medical issues related to mold exposure are shortness of breath, anxiety, headache, visual loss, depression, memory loss, muscle pain. Some people may also experience gastrointestinal disorders.

Based on human responses, Mycologists classify molds into three groups:

• Allergic molds –Not life-threatening but can cause a problem to asthmatics.
• Pathogenic molds –responsible for infection such as Aspergillus fumigatus.
• Toxigenic molds –produce mycotoxins that can cause life-threatening disorders.

The mycotoxins produced by Toxigenic molds interfere with the RNA synthesis and then damage the DNA. Therefore, if there is the presence of mold in your house, you need to get rid of it as soon as possible. You need to know why it is present and how you can eliminate it from reoccurring in the future. You will have to get your house inspected by an experienced mold testing Long Island company. The mold accessor will not only detect the type of the mold, the threat level, but also the amplification of mold in the indoor environment.

Few Things to Understand Before Hiring a Mold Tester

• Water indicator molds such as Stachybotrys or Ulocladium rarely or sometimes do not show up in the air. The spores of these molds release only if there is a mechanical agitation or physical disturbance caused to them. If these spores show up in an air sample, they are often mistakenly identified, or they may have an outdoor origin. Do not allow the mold tester to sell you fear if he discloses Stachybotrys spores in the air sample. This is an indication that the mold tester doesn’t know what he is doing.
• Beware of people selling “mold testing” or “mold sampling” products. These people do not possess a license of a Mold Accessor by the State. A licensed company for mold inspection Long Island NY assigns a mold tester, which will do the mold testing of your property without offering you to buy any mole testing item.
• Make sure that you check for the license of the mold accessor that the company sends for your property inspection.

The mold testers take a sample of indoor as well as outdoor mold genus. These samples are then tested in the laboratory to determine whether your home is mold elevated or not. This method is the ‘Reference Method’ of airborne sampling.

Stachybotrys and acremonium release their spores during the rainy season. If the mold tester pulls an air sample containing these spores following rain, then there can be a possibility of few spores of Stachybotrys, but this doesn’t mean that you have a severe mold issue.

Alternaria, epicoccum, and Cladosporium release spores on dry and windy days. If the mold inspection is being done on a dry, windy day with the windows and doors open, then it would result in elevated counts of these molds.

Ascomycetes and basidiospores release spores when there is a drop in relative humidity. Samples taken early in the morning or following rain will always show increased counts.

Few Examples of When You Don’t Need a Mold Assessment

• You had a broken water pipe, toilet overflow, or any such water event. Remove the damaged material and do the required plumbing, and do not forget to dry the area. Unless you see visible mold growth, you do not need to call or hire any mold remediation company.
• If you see a mold-like growth on a metal surface. Remember, mold cannot grow on a metal surface as there is no food source. Clean the surface with a dishwashing detergent.
• The common mold present beneath the kitchen sinks or bath sinks never cause or relate to any mold issue. These are opportunistic mold spores that settle on wet dust due to plumbing leak. Get the leak repaired by a plumber and clean the area with Lysol.
• Something like ‘black mold’ that may appear on the air handlers or the ceiling around the AC vents. This isn’t mold but wet dust. This indicates that your AC system is not working correctly in terms of removing excess water, vapor, or humidity from the air.
• Mold found on clothes in your closet indicate and relates to the poor air ventilation. This mold is mostly aspergillus. Wash the clothes, handbags, or shoes present in the closet. Throw away the leather goods with significant mold growth as you cannot clean them.

Do not go for re-insulation of your home without understanding how it may affect the indoor air quality. Mold often grows in an area that has an inappropriate ventilation system. Maintain the cleanliness and indoor air quality of your house to avoid any kind of mold growth.