Mold All Kinds of Goodness Or All Kinds of Badness?

They are grown by the millions, but the wrong kind can kill you. They can threaten to destroy your home and even your body. Some can even have well known hallucinogenic effects on your mind. In death Molds will consume us all. Mold is natures great decomposer. There are fungus among us. There are at least 100 different kinds of fungus that grow with-in us on a regular basis. The most common types of fungus are penicillin, yeast, and mold. Over 25,000,000 people suffer from some kind of mold related allergic reaction based illness. Mold releases Mycotoxins and a unknown amount will be kill people everyday.

Mold remediation is a 3 billion dollar a year business. The goal of a remediation job is to lower the interior spore count so that it is lower than the exterior. It is impossible to obtain a mold free environment. Before mold remediation begins it is important to have a mold inspector on site to investigate the area of concern. Once the inspector confirms the presence of mold, he will take samples and send them to the lab for cross contamination evaluation as well as identification.

While the spore is the molds means of transportation it is also its main reproductive body, similar to a plants seed. From a spore, a hypha or a branch grows, a collective of the hyphe known as a mycelia is the molds root system. The part of the mold visible to the naked eye. The mycelia emits enzymes to break down its food, which in residential cases is a wall or kitchen cabinet.  More spores more mold. Many people fear the notorious black mold. In fact many types of molds are black and even the numerous types of colorful molds are equally dangerous. Like a snake when threatened some molds will only release their toxins when they feel that the mold is in danger.

Mold needs two ingredients to thrive, nutrients and moisture. Moisture can be found in basements and bathrooms where humidity levels often rise above the 40%-60% acceptable level. The faster an area is dried the less likely it is that you'll have mold growth. Even bathroom mildew carries the same risks as any other mold growth, but is usually easier to clean.  When cleaning mold..DONT USE BLEACH. The first step is to locate the issue and repair it. The second step is to dry the effected areas and kill the growth to ensure that it will not come back. The third and final step is to clean the area with any household cleaner besides bleach.  Not all molds are dangerous in fact scientists are developing ways to use fungus to attack the common household termite. The only way you'll know for sure is to call a licensed mold inspector to determine the species and spore count that occupies your home.

Mold spores

What is this heavily litigated and alleged
health hazard?

·                             Mold is from the Fungi kingdom.  Fungi get their nutrition by breaking down organic matter. Fungi can live in many places such as soil, plant litter, wood, drywall, live plants, insulation, etc, and play a vital role in the environment as a decomposition of dead-plant matter and the creation of new growth. Mold is referred to often as mildew, molds, black mold, fungus, spores is a subset of fungi. Molds can grow when humidity reaches 60% in any given area.

• Mold in all forms are constant and can be found every where, in the air and on every surface.
• Mold is the most common form of fungus on earth,  and may grow at accelerated levels in closed indoor conditions where it will facilitate growth due to high moisture factors and most importantly proper nutrients, temperature, and light. 
• Molds can cause a variety of reactions in hypersensitive individuals.
  
•  Allergic reaction 
• neurological damage
• respiratory aggravation
• skin rashes
• a variety of other illnesses               

Why is mold growing in my home?

Molds are part of the natural environment.  Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided.  Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air.  Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet.  There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

Can mold cause health problems?

Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing.  Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).  Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.  Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common.  They can be immediate or delayed.  Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.  Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold.  Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.  This brochure provides a brief overview; it does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional.  You may also wish to consult your state or local health department.

How do I get rid of mold?

It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust.  The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present.  Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors.  If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem.  If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.

Resources:http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldbasics.html#Can%20mold%20cause%20health%20problems