WHAT IS MOLD?

As you read this you are surrounded by mold spores. They are on your desk or table, your computer or mobile device, your hands, and in the air you are breathing. With over 100,000 mold species it is no wonder that the world is bathed in spores. As with many other particles and types of organisms in our world, the molds (fungi) we encounter on a daily basis will rarely cause a problem. Many molds are quite beneficial. Without molds playing their role in the decay process of dead plant and animal matter our world would soon be buried in dead leaves, trees, bugs, birds, and everything else that just seems to disappear without any effort on our part. Without molds (again, fungi – but it’s often easier to just use the term mold) we wouldn’t have mushrooms for our pizzas, nor would we have penicillin to treat numerous infections.

But not all molds are immediately beneficial to humans, particularly if we permit them to grow in our indoor environments. Mold need three things to grow and thrive: a source of food; a comfortable temperature range; and water. Because mold can subsist on the smallest amounts of organic matter for food, it is almost impossible for us to eliminate the many sources of food that molds can use. Mold can grow on a fine layer of dust on a surface, as that dust is likely to contain bits of cellulose, skin cells, and oils. It is also very difficult to create an environment based on temperature that is prohibitive for mold growth; in general, mold likes the same basic range of temperatures that we do. Water is the one thing we can remove from their list of needs, and it’s the one thing that almost always leads to all indoor environmental mold contamination problems. At the heart of every mold problem is a moisture problem, a roof leak, a flood event, a section of missing insulation on a cold water line, an uninsulated bit of duct work, etc.

There are currently no EPA or OSHA standards or regulations that cover mold or mold exposure. This is due to several factors. There are far too many types of mold to easily define them all for regulatory purposes. There is a wide variation in reaction from person to person to mold exposure, similar to the variations we see in the levels of allergic reactions people have to spring pollen levels, certain foods, or being around certain animals. The scientific and medical communities are still working at better correlating actual cause-and-effect relationships with mold exposures. With that being said, there is a growing consensus that human exposure to elevated concentrations of many types of molds may be potentially harmful to human health. In general, building owners and building managers are advised to remediate mold growth in a proper and timely manner, and correct those conditions that can lead to mold growth (fix the water problems).

WHAT IS MOLD?

As you read this you are surrounded by mold spores. They are on your desk or table, your computer or mobile device, your hands, and in the air you are breathing. With over 100,000 mold species it is no wonder that the world is bathed in spores. As with many other particles and types of organisms in our world, the molds (fungi) we encounter on a daily basis will rarely cause a problem. Many molds are quite beneficial. Without molds playing their role in the decay process of dead plant and animal matter our world would soon be buried in dead leaves, trees, bugs, birds, and everything else that just seems to disappear without any effort on our part. Without molds (again, fungi – but it’s often easier to just use the term mold) we wouldn’t have mushrooms for our pizzas, nor would we have penicillin to treat numerous infections.

But not all molds are immediately beneficial to humans, particularly if we permit them to grow in our indoor environments. Mold need three things to grow and thrive: a source of food; a comfortable temperature range; and water. Because mold can subsist on the smallest amounts of organic matter for food, it is almost impossible for us to eliminate the many sources of food that molds can use. Mold can grow on a fine layer of dust on a surface, as that dust is likely to contain bits of cellulose, skin cells, and oils. It is also very difficult to create an environment based on temperature that is prohibitive for mold growth; in general, mold likes the same basic range of temperatures that we do. Water is the one thing we can remove from their list of needs, and it’s the one thing that almost always leads to all indoor environmental mold contamination problems. At the heart of every mold problem is a moisture problem, a roof leak, a flood event, a section of missing insulation on a cold water line, an uninsulated bit of duct work, etc.

There are currently no EPA or OSHA standards or regulations that cover mold or mold exposure. This is due to several factors. There are far too many types of mold to easily define them all for regulatory purposes. There is a wide variation in reaction from person to person to mold exposure, similar to the variations we see in the levels of allergic reactions people have to spring pollen levels, certain foods, or being around certain animals. The scientific and medical communities are still working at better correlating actual cause-and-effect relationships with mold exposures. With that being said, there is a growing consensus that human exposure to elevated concentrations of many types of molds may be potentially harmful to human health. In general, building owners and building managers are advised to remediate mold growth in a proper and timely manner, and correct those conditions that can lead to mold growth (fix the water problems).

Mold Remediation in Flooring

What adverse health effects are associated with exposure to mold?

Again, the medical researchers are still working to understand the effects of mold exposure; however, there is a general consensus that mold exposure can aggravate upper respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis. Individuals with existing respiratory problems, allergies, the elderly, the young, and the immunosuppressed, are generally at greater risk of experiencing adverse health effects from mold exposure, although anyone may develop allergies, hypersensitivity, or even infections from mold exposures.

A little clarification is warranted here. Despite what you may have heard on the news, read in a newspaper, or read on some other website, there are really no “toxic molds”. That’s a term that has unfortunately crept into usage and causes confusion. Many molds give off various toxins, but these are typically in such minor quantities that we don’t worry about them. Also, the term “black mold” is misused. Just because a mold is black in color does not mean that it is Stachybotrys. Remember, there are over 100,000 molds. Moreover, Stachybotrys was found by the CDC to not be as potentially hazardous as it was originally considered. That does not mean that we shouldn’t care if we have mold in our indoor environments…

Because all mold problems are moisture / water problems, any mold issue is an indicator of another problem. Because people react so differently to molds, and because molds destroy materials, we never want to have molds growing in our indoor environment. If the conditions are suitable for molds to begin growing, they are unlikely to get better without some form of remediation, and will in fact almost always worsen over time.

What adverse health effects are associated with exposure to mold?

Again, the medical researchers are still working to understand the effects of mold exposure; however, there is a general consensus that mold exposure can aggravate upper respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis. Individuals with existing respiratory problems, allergies, the elderly, the young, and the immunosuppressed, are generally at greater risk of experiencing adverse health effects from mold exposure, although anyone may develop allergies, hypersensitivity, or even infections from mold exposures.

A little clarification is warranted here. Despite what you may have heard on the news, read in a newspaper, or read on some other website, there are really no “toxic molds”. That’s a term that has unfortunately crept into usage and causes confusion. Many molds give off various toxins, but these are typically in such minor quantities that we don’t worry about them. Also, the term “black mold” is misused. Just because a mold is black in color does not mean that it is Stachybotrys. Remember, there are over 100,000 molds. Moreover, Stachybotrys was found by the CDC to not be as potentially hazardous as it was originally considered. That does not mean that we shouldn’t care if we have mold in our indoor environments…

Because all mold problems are moisture / water problems, any mold issue is an indicator of another problem. Because people react so differently to molds, and because molds destroy materials, we never want to have molds growing in our indoor environment. If the conditions are suitable for molds to begin growing, they are unlikely to get better without some form of remediation, and will in fact almost always worsen over time.

Mold Remediation in Walls

Why do we see so many mold problems now?

There are numerous reasons that as a society we find ourselves dealing with indoor environmental mold issues that were virtually unheard of in previous generations. In the broadest sense, many more of us spend much more of our time indoors, our indoor environments have become more and more complex, and our homes are larger and contain many more items than they did years ago. Beginning in the 1970’s, efforts began to tighten up houses for energy conservation reasons, an effort that has seen a renewed vigor in the most recent decades. As we tighten our houses for efficiency purposes, we become more dependent upon mechanical means of ventilation. Many people are simply dependent upon ventilation systems for which the proper maintenance demands are too great. As a society, we have moved away from honoring proactive maintenance and moved towards being increasingly disposable. Instead of taking care of a lawnmower, the average homeowner runs one for a few years and then just buys a new one. This same disregard for maintenance on many smaller things has overtaken how we treat our homes and buildings. When was the last time you heard of, or saw, a family empty the majority of the contents of their home during what they referred to as “spring cleaning”? We simply don’t give our environments that type of care anymore.

Homes are commonly built over crawl spaces. Out of sight, out of mind, crawl spaces are often damp and neglected. Hydrostatic pressure can force groundwater into the crawl space, or through the masonry block forming the perimeter of the foundation (this includes a below grade basement walls). Polyethylene sheeting vapor barriers are often placed on the crawl space floor, moisture still infiltrates the space. Elevated humidity in crawl spaces often triggers mold growth. Many crawl spaces and basements would benefit from the installation of either a dehumidifier or exhaust fan to maintain ideal relative humidity levels.

Why do we see so many mold problems now?

There are numerous reasons that as a society we find ourselves dealing with indoor environmental mold issues that were virtually unheard of in previous generations. In the broadest sense, many more of us spend much more of our time indoors, our indoor environments have become more and more complex, and our homes are larger and contain many more items than they did years ago. Beginning in the 1970’s, efforts began to tighten up houses for energy conservation reasons, an effort that has seen a renewed vigor in the most recent decades. As we tighten our houses for efficiency purposes, we become more dependent upon mechanical means of ventilation. Many people are simply dependent upon ventilation systems for which the proper maintenance demands are too great. As a society, we have moved away from honoring proactive maintenance and moved towards being increasingly disposable. Instead of taking care of a lawnmower, the average homeowner runs one for a few years and then just buys a new one. This same disregard for maintenance on many smaller things has overtaken how we treat our homes and buildings. When was the last time you heard of, or saw, a family empty the majority of the contents of their home during what they referred to as “spring cleaning”? We simply don’t give our environments that type of care anymore.

Homes are commonly built over crawl spaces. Out of sight, out of mind, crawl spaces are often damp and neglected. Hydrostatic pressure can force groundwater into the crawl space, or through the masonry block forming the perimeter of the foundation (this includes a below grade basement walls). Polyethylene sheeting vapor barriers are often placed on the crawl space floor, moisture still infiltrates the space. Elevated humidity in crawl spaces often triggers mold growth. Many crawl spaces and basements would benefit from the installation of either a dehumidifier or exhaust fan to maintain ideal relative humidity levels.

Mold Remediation in Drywall

HOW DO I TREAT MOLD?

Mold remediation is not an exact practice. Unlike asbestos-containing materials, contaminated materials within a mold remediation site may not visually appear any different than non-contaminated materials. Accurately defining the boundary between the contaminated and clean areas and materials can be difficult. It is not uncommon for the scope of a project to expand after work begins, as the initial phases of remediation may expose or reveal contamination that was hidden during the original assessment. It can also be difficult to initially assess whether the remediation efforts have been completely effective upon completion of the original scope of work. On occasion, the results of post-remediation sampling (generally collected by a third-party consultant), reveal that some level of contamination is still present even after a contractor has completed all of the tasks set forth in a project’s scope of work, or remediation plan, and the area has passed a post-remediation visual inspection. In these cases additional work may be needed if it is found that the initial efforts were not aggressive enough to completely eliminate the contamination.

Remember that the remediation is only a portion of the work needed to effectively return a space to an uncontaminated condition. Eliminating the conditions of excessive moisture must be performed in conjunction with efforts made to remediate microbial contamination. Completion of a successful remediation effort without correcting the factors that contributed to the growth will only leave open the likely potential for future re-contamination. At the risk of over-simplifying the explanation of this critical issue, completing the remediation without fixing the moisture/water issues would be akin to re-inflating a tire that has a hole in it, without ever attempting to patch the hole.

HOW DO I TREAT MOLD?

Mold remediation is not an exact practice. Unlike asbestos-containing materials, contaminated materials within a mold remediation site may not visually appear any different than non-contaminated materials. Accurately defining the boundary between the contaminated and clean areas and materials can be difficult. It is not uncommon for the scope of a project to expand after work begins, as the initial phases of remediation may expose or reveal contamination that was hidden during the original assessment. It can also be difficult to initially assess whether the remediation efforts have been completely effective upon completion of the original scope of work. On occasion, the results of post-remediation sampling (generally collected by a third-party consultant), reveal that some level of contamination is still present even after a contractor has completed all of the tasks set forth in a project’s scope of work, or remediation plan, and the area has passed a post-remediation visual inspection. In these cases additional work may be needed if it is found that the initial efforts were not aggressive enough to completely eliminate the contamination.

Remember that the remediation is only a portion of the work needed to effectively return a space to an uncontaminated condition. Eliminating the conditions of excessive moisture must be performed in conjunction with efforts made to remediate microbial contamination. Completion of a successful remediation effort without correcting the factors that contributed to the growth will only leave open the likely potential for future re-contamination. At the risk of over-simplifying the explanation of this critical issue, completing the remediation without fixing the moisture/water issues would be akin to re-inflating a tire that has a hole in it, without ever attempting to patch the hole.

Mold Clean-Up