What are molds?
What are mycotoxins?
What are Toxic Molds?
Do molds affect my health?
When is mold a problem?
Can I control mold growth in my home?
Should I paint over mold?
Does Bleach Kill Mold?
What are molds?
Molds belong to the kingdom of Fungi, and unlike plants, they lack chlorophyll and must survive by digesting plant materials. Without molds, our environment would be overwhelmed with large amounts of dead plant matter. Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce, just like plants produce seeds. Spores are found both inside and outside. They settle on damp spots or damp areas, start digesting whatever they are growing on. Molds start germinating within 12 hours. New molds start to grow in 24 hours and are able to produce new spores in 48 to 72 hours. top of page
What are mycotoxins?
Molds can also produce toxic substances called mycotoxins which travel around via spores. More than 200 mycotoxins have been itendified from common molds and many more remain to be identified. Exposure pathways for mycotoxins can include inhalation, ingestion or skin contact. top of page
What are toxic molds?
Some molds, such as aspergillus species and stachybotrys chatarum are known to produce potent toxins under certain circumstances.
Aflotoxin B1 is perhaps the most well known and studied mycotoxins. It is one of the most potent carcinogens which can cause liver and lung cancer. Afoloxin B1 has been found in contaminated grains, peanut and other food stuffs. top of page
Do molds affect my health?
All molds have the potential to cause health effects. Molds produce allergens, irritants and in some cases toxins. The severity of symptoms depend, in part, on the type of mold present, the extent of an individual exposure, the ages of individuals and their existing sensitivities or allergies
Individuals can show symptoms such as, headache, breathing difficulties, allergic reactions, skin irritation, aggravation of Asthma symtoms and opportunistic infections. top of page
When is mold a problem?
You know you have mold when you smell the "musty" odor or see small black or white specks along your damp bathroom or basement walls. Some mold may be hidden growing behind wall coverings or ceiling tiles. Even dry, dead mold can cause health problems, so always take precautions when you suspect mold.
Mold is often found in areas where water has damaged building materials and furniture after flooding or plumbing leaks. Mold can also be found growing along walls where warm moist air condenses on cooler wall surfaces, such as inside cold exterior walls, behind dressers, headboards, and in closets where articles are stored against walls. Mold often grows in rooms with both high water use and humidity, such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements. If you notice mold or know of water damaged areas in your home, it is time to take action to control its growth. top of page
Can I control mold growth in my home?
Yes you can. Dry out the House and fix any moisture problems in your home:
• Stop water leaks, repair leaky roofs and plumbing. Keep water away from
concrete slabs and basement walls.
• Open windows and doors to increase air flow in your home, especially along the inside of exterior walls. Use a fan if there are no windows available.
• Make sure that warm air flows into all areas of the home. Move large objects a few inches away from the inside of exterior walls to increase air circulation.
• Install and use exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
• Ventilate and insulate attic and crawl spaces. Use heavy plastic to cover earth
floors in crawl spaces.
• Clean and dry water damaged carpets, clothing, bedding, and upholstered
furniture within 24 to 48 hours, or consider removing and replacing damaged
furnishings.
• Vacuum and clean your home regularly to remove mold spores.
• Check around your windows for signs of condensation and water droplets. Wipe them up right away so mold can’t start to grow. top of page
Should I paint over mold?
No. Do not paint over mold problems. Mold uses paint as food. Don't expect to kill mold successfully by using paint containing a fungicide (it is too weak to kill existing toxic mold infestation) or with a paint primer sold to hide water damage stains. Do not rely on Kilz to kill mold or anything, it does not kill mold, it does not contain a fungicide, and the product is NOT an EPA-registered fungicide. Kilz is an excellent product to hide or camouflage defects in water damage stains prior to painting over problem areas. top of page
Does bleach kill mold?
Root structures of mold called hypho actually grow into porous material. The nyphy are not killed by bleach because bleach's ion structure prevents chlorine from penetrating into porous materials such as dry wall and wood. It stays on the outside surface, where mold has protected enzyme roots growing inside the porous construction maerials. When you spray porous surfaces with bleach, the water part of the solution soaks into the wood while the bleach chemical sits on top of the surface, gasses off, and thus only partially kills the surface layer of mold, This is the reason why bleach is not approved by the EPA to eliminate mold.
Also note that chlorine bleach causes long term breakdown of wood products like studs, sheathing, plywood, and other building materials as well. top of page