Molds and its Types- A Toxic Substance
While considering molds, people often think that these only arise in old houses. It is not true. There are more than 100,000 different kinds of molds that grow in houses indoor and outdoor and many of them are harmful to us.
Molds are toxic and harmful living substances that grow in our houses over time. They arise typically because of water damage or moisture in the walls, floors, ceilings, etc. While these are commonly known to be harmless, if they are left untreated they can become dangerous for us. Moreover, molds are not age-dependent; they can grow anytime whether it is an old house or a new house.
Molds have been categorized as pathogenic, allergic, and toxigenic. We can also call them unwanted fungi that can grow in bathrooms, basements, damps, or dark places.
While determining the mold type, it is crucial to understand the health effects of the mold that is present in your house and how you can deal with it. Mold has been seen in almost every house and many times they grow in such vast areas that it becomes quite impossible to manage all of it. Therefore, in such situations availing the need for professional mold removing services will help in stopping the damage to your health as well as your home.
In this article, you will learn about molds, their types, danger to health, and how you can prevent them in the first place.
How to Avoid Mold in your Home?
You must have heard about the term- Prevention is better than cure. Well, it is highly true when it comes to treating mold or preventing them from arising. Commonly, mold arises due to water leakage, or damps that are not cleaned and dried regularly causing fungi to grow. Therefore, it is necessary to take precautionary measures before molds become a threat to your health.
- Make sure to fix all the leaking pipes, consistently clean out the floors, carpets and dry any wet areas around the house.
- Before buying an old house, make sure that you thoroughly check the house and identify if there is any mold problem.
- Using an air purifier is the best solution to dry up the wet areas or to solve mold problems at your home. Thus, buy a new air purifier to fix mold issues.
- There are plenty of air purifiers that have special technology that prevents the mold spores from opening again and contaminating your home. It is recommended to use such air purifiers since these will eliminate mold problems at once.
- Control the humidity around the home, ventilating the water-prone areas, and fixing the house after flooding.
Types of Molds
Mold is mainly a type of fungi that can grow anywhere and today, mold has become a major topic because of the harmful effects it can have on our health. There are nearly 100,000 types of molds and every kind of mold has its cause of occurrence and side effect on humans. Even some molds are not dangerous for us but still living among them is not fruitful.
When you are dealing with mold at your home, it is necessary to ascertain the type of mold because they have their growth pattern, side effects, and intensity of harm they can cause. Also, you should be aware of the common places where the likeliness of growth of molds is high so that you can eradicate the spreading of these fungi. Common places such as bathrooms, roofs, ceilings, windows, etc., should be thoroughly checked and looked after timely.
Molds that are harmful and toxic for us can be divided into three types-
- Pathogenic– Pathogenic molds are harmful to those who are suffering from acute illness as they can cause serious health problems.
- Allergenic– Allergenic molds usually lead to allergies such as asthma attacks, itching, etc.
- Toxigenic– Toxigenic molds are very harmful and produce toxins that can cause life-threatening illnesses.
As you are now aware of the classification of molds, the following types of molds will provide you with a detailed description and where you can find such molds in your home.
- Alternaria-
Alternaria is one of the most common allergenic molds found in the world and usually occurs in dampen areas. It has brown hairs with dark green color and typically looks velvet-textured. You can find this type of mold in bathroom sinks, showers, or bathtubs. It arises due to water leakage in-home or building and is very familiar.
Since it is an allergenic mold, it causes asthma or respiratory illness especially through the nose or mouth and it spreads quickly when it starts growing. Thus, removing it early will be beneficial.
- Chaetomium
This type of mold is generally found in houses that are damaged due to water leakage. It looks like cotton and can shift its color from white to grey to brown and turns into black over time. You can find chromium in leaking roofs, damp areas, sink areas, or you can even recognize it because of its rusty odor.
Chaetomium is crucially dangerous for those people who have a weak immune system as it can produce mycotoxins and can cause skin or nail infections. Since it grows in persistently moist or wet areas, it is of utmost importance to fix the water damage issues before this fungus starts to grow. Cutting off the source of water leakage can prevent this mold from occurring.
- Aspergillus
This type of mold can form thick layers or walls of the mold and has flask-shaped structured spores. It can also create long chains of mold on the surface and is often found in American homes. Moreover, there are around 185 different types of aspergillus, thus it can vary in size and color.
It is a type of allergenic mold but can become more toxic for a human depending on the intensity and environment where it grows. It can cause harm to the respiratory organs, asthma attacks, and lung infections.
- Penicillin
This fungus is also an allergic one and can be easily recognized by its blue and white featured velvet texture. It is mostly found in wallpaper, carpets, mattresses, or ducting. The spreading of penicillin mold is very fast. If penicillin grows inside the house, it can be a cause of respiratory problems as the spores of this mold are airborne-meaning they can be inhaled by children or pets and can travel throughout the house.
Additionally, this mold can lead to asthma and inflammation and if it stays for a longer time in the house it can result in chronic disease. People who are prone to immune disorders should stay away from this type of mold since it can increase the density of immune disease symptoms. Thus, fixing any water drainage or leakage quickly is necessary to keep this mold from occurring.
- Mucor
It is also an allergenic mold that occurs in thick patches with its whitish and greyish color. The intensity of its growth is usually fast and is commonly found near ducting, HVAC systems, or air conditioning because of moist areas. Moreover, if there are any old or damp carpets at your house, mucor spores can also grow in them.
Mucor mold causes respiratory problems along with others such as worsening existing asthma or causing asthma. It can also lead to malaise or fever in a person. The worst thing about mucor is that if a person is exposed to the mold for a longer duration then the likelihood of contracting mucormycosis is very high. It is a type of disease that damages the brain, lungs, and sinuses. It also has dangerous effects on the nose and eyes of a person. Therefore, mucor mold is a life-threatening mold and should be prevented at any cost.
- Trichoderma
This type of mold has 5 different types of species. They are wooly textured structures with white color and green patches. They commonly contract with wet carpets, wallpaper, or damp fabrics. You will find Trichoderma mold often near the moist areas like where your AC is fitted.
Since this mold type, if non-pathogenic, it can lead to liver or pulmonary infections. Moreover, they destroy the building if they spread in the entire house because it contains an enzyme that can destroy paper or wood products along with textiles. Therefore, Trichoderma can be dangerous for your home as well as your health.
- Fusarium
Fusarium can grow at even colder temperatures and is both a toxigenic and allergenic mold. It means that it is quite dangerous for a human and you can find it near carpets, moist fabrics, carpeting, etc. The fusarium looks white, reddish, or pink colored and usually grows on food items.
Since this type of mold grows on food products, it can cause serious health infections such as running nose, sore throat, dermatitis, itchy eyes, etc. It can even lead to life-threatening diseases like brain abscesses or bone infections. This mold type contains certain toxins that directly impact the nervous system causing internal bleeding or brain hemorrhage.
This mold type spreads very quickly. You won’t even imagine it spreading from one room to another in a short time. Thus, preventing it from growing can prevent you from contracting health problems.
- Cladosporium
It is a unique type of mold that can grow in both cold and hot weather. It commonly arises in indoor materials such as carpets, fabrics, or upholsteries, floorboards, or cupboards. It has a suede-like olive green and brown colored structure.
This is an allergenic mold that can cause allergy to skin, throat, eyes, or nose. Moreover, it can also lead to sinusitis, asthma, lesions, skin rash, or lung infections. Though there are no toxic traits in this mold type, one should be aware of handling it directly since it can irritate the lungs and skin.
- Acremonium
It is a toxigenic mold type whose appearance can grow over time. It is typically found in moist areas with a powdery substance. The color of this mold can vary as it can grow in orange, pink, white, or grey color. Additionally, you will find this type of mold in window sealants, humidifiers, drain pans, or cooling coils.
If one is exposed to acremonium, they can have lifetime health disease in the immune system, organs, and bone marrow. Sometimes this mold type can also cause damage to brain function. This is a unique mold that also grows with other types of mold such as Stachybotrys that is also one of the dangerous molds found in homes.
- Ulocladium
This mold type is commonly black in color and lives in wet or watery areas. You can find this mold type in houses or buildings very often with acute water damage. Moreover, they can also grow in bathrooms, basements, kitchens, or around the windows.
Ulocladium has its own two species that can result in serious health problems. If a person is exposed to this mold for a longer duration, they can contract immune disorder or allergies such as hay fever. Some people might get asthma or skin infections because of this mold type.
- Aureobasidium
It is an allergenic mold type that can be found behind the painted surface or wallpapers. It commonly occurs in brown, black, or pink colors. If it persists for a longer duration it can turn into a darkish brown color that can cause nails, skin, or eye infection. Moreover, this mold type causes dermatitis, therefore it should never be contacted directly with skin or bare hands.
How can a Professional help in Mold Removal?
Removing or eliminating mold is a quite difficult and impossible task for a household. Not only removing it, even staying near the mold is dangerous. One cannot identify the mold type and thus its effect on humans. Consequently, a professional uses special equipment for mold removal that prevents mold from recurring and eliminates it. Acquiring help from a professional is a must when your home is covered with mold and is dangerous for you. This can ensure the safety of you, your house, as well as your family from contracting any health illness from such molds.