Problems with surface mold growth can usually be seen and smelled.
MOLD GROWTH
- We see spots or fuzzy growth on surfaces.
- We find moldy window sills, walls, attics, basements, below sinks.
- Mold growth indicates excessive moisture that permits amplification.
- Mold indoors is usually limited by water availability (also needs food & light).
- Mold colonies start from seedlike “spores” or fragments, and grow out rootlike hyphal threads to form circular spots, then forms a mat of “mycelia” or “mildew”.
- Mold odor is useful evidence of damp mold growth that is active (not dry, dormant).
MOLD CONCERN
- We expect that molds growing on surfaces can get airborne.
- We should fix mold problems, and avoid airborne mold.
- Mold growth indicates a problem with moisture, and maybe other wood destroying organisms (WDOs) such as wood rot fungus or insects (beetles, termites, ants).
AIRBORNE MOLD
- Mold throws out spores when mature, when humidity is high enough.
- Mold particles (spores and mycelial fragments) get airborne when disturbed.
- Disturbing dry mold can release much of it into the breathing air.
MOLD TYPES
- We find a few of the many natural molds growing indoors.
- Some types grow mostly outdoors; their spores are often found indoors.
- Mold types that grow in the wettest conditions may be worse for humans.
>see also Mold & Moisture
Mold & Moisture Problems in Buildings
The following pages are details about “Mold and Moisture Problems in Buildings“:
- What About Mold from Moisture Problems in Buildings
- Mold & Moisture Inspections in Buildings
- Mold Hypothesis Testing in Buildings
- Mold Testing: Results & Analysis
- Avoiding Mold Growth in Buildings by Controlling Moisture
- Cleaning Up Mold & Rot: Building Remediation
©Richard Knights, Blue Sky Testing LLC
Salem, OR & Seattle, WA, http://www.inyourair.com
