6 Dangerous Types of Mold That Might Be Lurking in Your Home
Category: Indoor Air Quality
As a Fort Pierce homeowner, you may be concerned about mold, but how do you know when you should really worry? If you’ve noticed mold growth or experienced a spike in allergy symptoms, consider hiring a duct cleaning company for mold removal services. Researchers aren’t sure of the exact number of mold species on the planet, but they have identified many that are either harmless or extremely hazardous to human health. Mold cannot be completely obliterated, but duct cleaning and mold removal services from an experienced contractor can significantly decrease the amount of mold in your home.
Mold Testing and Removal
Every type of mold has its own characteristics and can produce different reactions in humans. Some people are more susceptible to mold than others, and they may experience severe reactions while others have only mild symptoms. You will find mold in damp, dark areas with temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Molds that impact humans negatively are categorized as allergenic (producing allergies), pathogenic (aggravating acute illnesses), or toxigenic (presenting a fatal hazard). Hiring a duct cleaning contractor to examine and remove the mold in the dark, damp places of your home is wise, particularly if you believe mold to be the source of your household’s illnesses.
Harmful Mold Species Found in Homes
- Aspergillus – Aspergillus is an allergenic mold that is often present in HVAC systems and on food. It’s appearance is described as long chains of mold growth, and it can be various colors. It can cause allergic reactions and lung infections, and it’s especially harmful to people with fragile immune systems.
- Cladosporium – Cladosporium is an allergenic mold that lives in both cold and warm temperatures, and it’s commonly found on the fabrics, carpet, toilets, painted surfaces, and air ducts of homes. It has been known to causes sore throats, watery and red eyes, rashes, and lung infections. It can present itself as black, brown, or green with a suede-like texture.
- Stachybotrys – Stachybotrys is a toxigenic mold commonly described as “black mold,” and it’s extremely hazardous, especially to children. It can cause nose bleeds, flu-like symptoms, coughing, headaches, memory loss, diarrhea, and respiratory problems. It can be green, gray, or black, and it’s found in damp places and on paper, cardboard, and wood. It has a slimy texture and emits a musty smell.
- Acremonium – Acremonium is a toxigenic mold found on drain pains, humidifiers, window sealants, and cooling coils. It starts as a small, damp mold and transforms into a fine powder, and it can be pink, orange, gray, or white. It’s an extremely dangerous carcinogen, causing damage to immune systems and bone marrow and preventing proper brain function. Acremonium often grows alongside Stachybotrys, or “black mold.”
- Trichoderma – Trichoderma is an allergenic mold with five subspecies, and it can cause allergic reactions, sinus infections, and liver infections. It possesses an enzyme that rots paper, textiles, and wood. It’s typically woolly-textured and white with green spots, and it often lives in HVAC systems and on fabrics, carpet, and wallpaper.
- Chaetomium – Chaetomium is a cotton-like mold that changes from white to gray to brown and black. It causes nail and skin infections, autoimmune diseases, watery eyes, breathing difficulties, and neurological damage, and it often grows in water-damaged homes.
If you suspect mold growth in your Fort Pierce home, consider hiring a reputable duct cleaning company like Star Quality Duct Cleaning for duct cleaning and mold removal services. The longer you wait to remove the mold, the more severe the health effects will become, so don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance.
