Black Mold Hasn't Gone Away
A few years ago it seemed like everyone was talking about black mold. Newspaper articles, magazine stories, and even discussions on talk shows extolled the horrors of the fungus. Toxic black mold was blamed for everything from “sick building syndrome” to severe chronic illnesses. People were convinced that black mold was everywhere and it was going to make them sick. Fast forward to today, black mold is not receiving much press. Does that mean that it is no longer a problem? The answer is no! Black mold may not be in the news, but that does not mean it has gone away. Knowing a few important facts about black mold can help to keep you and your family safe.
It's important to know what toxic black mold really is. Black mold is a type of fungus whose scientific name is Stachybotrys chartarm. This type of mold can be found all over the world. It is dark in color (ranging from a greenish-black to a more pure black) and is normally wet and slimy to the touch. Unfortunately, Stachybotrys chartarm looks very similar to many common molds like alternaria, aspergillus, cladosporium, and drechslera. Although some experts may be able to distinguish between many different molds, the only way to make a positive identification is to test the fungal spores under a microscope.
In order to discourage the growth of toxic black mold you should know the conditions that are necessary for it to grow. First, you need to have mold spores. Mold spores are all around us, but they are so small, smaller than a single strand of hair, so we rarely see them. Mold spores are most often found in soil. There are so many spores found naturally around us that eradicating them from the soil around your home is impossible. Another condition that improves the chance of mold growth is moderate temperatures. Although black mold can survive in a variety of temperatures, it thrives in places that are relatively warm.
The next condition that is necessary for mold growth is moisture. Black mold actually needs more moisture than many other forms of mold in order to start to grow. This is why we often see more cases of black mold after extreme weather conditions that caused flooding. Whereas many molds will stop growing once the moisture is removed, black mold can continue to grow even if the moisture dissipates.
Lastly, black mold needs a food supply. In nature, black mold preforms the important task of helping to break down organic materials like dead trees. In our homes, mold will eat anything that contains carbon atoms so items like wood, ceiling tiles, and drywall are often the preferred food source.
If you have had stagnant water in your home, even if it was from something relatively minor like a sink leak, it is possible for you to have black mold. Your most prudent step is to call Mold Solutions by Cowleys to investigate and see if you really do have a problem. In the past, if the expert found mold, it could be an extremely expensive project to remove it. The material that was hosting the mold, like drywall, would need to be removed in a very particular way to stop the spread and the area in which the mold was found would need to be rebuilt. Luckily, now the mold can safely be removed with Mold-Polymer Patented Technology which means you will not have to incur the expense of rebuilding the area where the mold was found!
