The Dangers of Mold Growth in Your Home

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The Dangers of Mold Growth in Your Home

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Need toxic black mold or Stachybotrys toxic mold testing

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Distribution Date and Time: 2009-11-03 10:00:00

Written By: Daryl Watters

Copyright: 2009

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The Dangers of Mold Growth in Your Home

Copyright © 2009 Daryl Watters

An Accredited Mold Inspection Service, Inc.

http://www.floridamoldinspectors.us/

Molds are part of the natural environment, outdoors molds play a

significant part in the environment by breaking down dead plant

matter such as dead trees and fallen leaves. Molds that grow

inside homes should be best avoided.

Mold has some resemblance with plants as well as bacteria, but is

neither a plant nor a bacterium. Mold belongs to a seprate

individual kingdom known as the fungi kingdom. Many diverse types

of fungi exist, however the common term mold is used to describe

mostly fuzzy fungi grown on various moist surfaces.

In the home many molds look like tiny smug marks; up close one

may notice a fuzzy or hairy appearance. The mold produces

millions of tiny seed like structures called spores that are

invisible to the naked eye. These spores float through air

indoors as well as outdoors. Mold begins growing indoors when the

mold spores touch a moist surface. There are various types of

mold that require different water levels, but none survive or

multiply without the presence of moisture.

The human eye can at best see objects that are 10 to 30 or more

microns across. Human hairs are about 50 to 75 microns across.

Mostly the indoor spores are merely 2 to 10 microns, while some

spores are long, a few hundred microns.

Toxic mold produces chemicals called mycotoxins. They are

produced primarily by various toxic mold types such as

Aspergillus flavus, Memnoniella, trichoderma, Fusarium and toxic

black mold also known as Stachybotrys, Mycotoxins and allergens

are found in dead spores as well as inside living spores.

Mycotoxins are defences against being eaten by insects. They are

also powerful weapons employed by toxic molds in a microbial

combat to assist them when competing against several other molds

and bacteria for growth space.

The toxic black mold Stachybotrys is commonly found by our

inspection firm in South Florida. It is likely worldwide, as it

was first reported as a problem with solders and their hungry

horses in the Ukraine near Russia almost 100 years ago. However,

even if the mold spores observed in residential areas are a

result of toxic black mold growth, they may not always result in

toxic illness effects on humans through normal indoor inhalation.

A human gets poisoned typically when they inhale extremely large

numbers of spores, or when they eat toxic mold.

History reveals the effects of toxic mold mycotoxins in farm

animals and humans including birth defects, coma, internal

bleeding, cancer, and death, mostly via eating foods contaminated

with toxic mold. Remember the hungry Ukrainian horsed mentioned

above, they ate hay contaminated with Stachybotrys or toxic black

mold. They did not have a happy ending, and the solders that

slept on mouldy hay lived but suffered from serious skin

irritation and blisters.

The main reasons for mold growth at home are damp or moist

surroundings. Molds are concealed behind the wall paper, on or

behind drywall, on top of ceiling tiles, beneath the pads or

carpets, inside AC units, and behind the furniture. Cleaning

concealed mold with chemicals is not the suggested remedy in most

cases. Chemicals such as chlorine bleach are not recommended to

clean mold. Mixing chlorine bleach solution with any other

detergent or cleaning solution is best avoided as this may cause

the creation of dangerous chlorine or chloramines gas. If the

mold on the surface of the wall is killed with bleach, the

majority of the mold will still continue to grow hidden inside

the walls.

It will turn from a small problem to a large more expensive

growing hidden mold problem if not handled correctly the first

time.

A certified mold inspector must be called to get to the root

reasons for mold growth via investigations and testing, next a

mold removal company also known as a mold remediation company

must be given the inspectors report so that the mold remediators

can use that report to aid in guiding them on how to best deal

with the problem.

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Daryl Watters is president of A Accredited Mold Inspection

Service, Inc. He provides home, mold, and indoor air quality

investigations in South Florida. He is also the creator of MIR

forms designed to aid inspectors in the production of computer

generated indoor air quality and mold inspection reports. For

more information visit: http://www.floridamoldinspectors.us/

http://www.florida-mold-inspection.com/toxic_mold.html

http://www.floridamoldinspectors.us/miami-florida-toxic-mold-inspector.120116482\

4.htm

http://www.florida-mold-inspection.com