Mold Inspection And Testing For A Healthier Tomorrow

Mold is a type of fungus that grows in moist or humid places. It occurs naturally in the environment and can be found almost anywhere, including in garden composts and on decaying or damp organic material, and food. Indoors, mold grows best in damp and poorly ventilated areas, typically on wood, plasterboard, tile grout and furnishings. Common causes of mold growth indoors include: 

• leaking roofs and walls, 

• faulty plumbing 

• condensation. 

To reproduce, mold produces tiny particles called spores. These spores travel easily through the air and may begin to grow and spread when they land on damp surfaces. 

Mold is not always easy to recognize. It often looks like ‘fuzz’ or may appear to be a stain, smudge or discoloration. The most common molds are black, green or white. However, mold can be many other colors, ranging from grey to orange to brown and can also change color depending on its age or life-stage. 

Spore land on a moist surface.

Enzymes use surface moisture to dissolve food.

Spore germinated, producing filaments ( hyphae).

Hyphae extend to reach an area of absorptive surface. Fungal metabolism generates more surface moisture to accelerate growth.

Hyphae grow thickly, digging into the surface and forming a protective mat ( Mycelium) that keeps the surface moist even if surrounding air is dry.

The mold grows conidia, which generate and release spores into the air.

Mold growths, or colonies, can start to grow on a damp surface within 24 to 48 hours. They reproduce by spores - tiny, lightweight “seeds”- that travel through the air. Molds digest organic material, eventually destroying the material they grow on, and then spread to destroy adjacent organic material. 

Breathing in mold spores and fragments can trigger nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing or wheezing, and respiratory infections. It can also worsen asthma and allergic conditions. Contact with mold can also irritate eyes and skin. People who are more likely to experience these symptoms include those with weakened immune systems, allergies, severe asthma or lung diseases. These people are also more susceptible to other serious health effects, such as the lung condition aspergillosis (‘Farmer’s lung’). There is no exposure limit or health guideline value for exposure to mold. Where possible, exposure to mold should be minimized – this is particularly recommended for people who are more sensitive to mold exposure. 

Mold spores and fragments exist naturally in the air we breathe. The amount that people are exposed to depends on various factors including the season, surrounding land, wind, and people’s activities / actions both indoors and outdoors. 

Mold primarily enters your body through breathing and swallowing. 

Some molds produce toxins(mycotoxins). People are mostly exposed to mycotoxins through eating contaminated food. 

The cost of mold inspection varies depending on the square footage of the area being inspected.

Mold testing cost varies depending on the type of sampling, how many samples, and how quickly you need the results.  

A mold inspection and testing for your home or business would costs anywhere from $250 and up.

Call us today and speak to our ACAC Certified Inspector and get your pricing and questions answered: 951-750-4616

 Mycotoxins are naturally occurring compounds produced by certain molds, or fungi, under certain conditions.  Mycotoxins can be toxic to humans and animals when they are eaten, absorbed into the skin, or inhaled. 

Mycotoxicosis describes the systemic effects (poisoning) caused by mycotoxins produced by molds and have been well-documented and occur in humans and animals upon oral ingestion of contaminated foods (Borchers et al., 2017; Hurraß et al., 2017; Wiesmüller et al., 2017). In 2009, the WHO advised that while mycotoxins can induce a wide range of adverse health effects in both animals and human beings, the evidence that they play a role in health problems related to indoor air is “extremely weak” (World Health Organization, 2009, p. 81) 

Of mycotoxins, the AWMF guideline advised that numerous mold genera, (e.g., Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Fusarium, Stachybotrys) produce mycotoxins, with mycotoxin production depending on the species, and environmental factors, such as moisture levels, substrate composition, potential for hydrogen (pH) value, nutrient competition and light wavelength (Fischer et al. 2006 in Wiesmüller et al., 2017). Mycotoxins are not volatile and are found in the air bound to spores, cell fragments and other particles and are generally only found at levels relevant to health in foods and animal feed that have been colonized by molds.

Mold growth in homes and other buildings is often caused by excess moisture, which can come from many sources:

• Poor ventilation: A lack of air circulation can create a moist environment that's ideal for mold growth.
• Daily activities: Cooking, showering, and other activities can create moisture that can lead to mold growth.
• Plumbing leaks: Minor drips or blocks can go undetected until they cause mold problems.
• Drainage problems: Poor drainage can cause moisture to accumulate.
• Temperature gradients: When warm, moist air comes into contact with cool surfaces, it can create moisture that leads to mold growth.
• Design or construction defects: These can also cause moisture intrusion and accumulation. 
• Water Intrusion: Rainwater can enter a building through leaks in walls, windows or the roof. Surface or groundwater may enter when there is poor foundation drainage. Flooding can, of course, cause catastrophic intrusion. In buildings that have slab construction, water can seep or wick up through the cement floor causing mold to grow on carpet pads or carpet backing.
• Water Vapor: When relative humidity (a temperature-dependent measure of water vapor in air) becomes elevated indoors, building materials and furnishings absorb the moisture. Those damp materials can then provide a good place for mold to grow. If there are no cold-condensing surfaces and the relative humidity (RH) is maintained below 60 percent indoors, there will not be enough water in those materials for mold to grow. However, if the RH stays above 70 percent indoors for extended periods of time, mold will almost certainly grow.

 Although mold naturally occurs in the environment and can be found almost anywhere, it needs damp surfaces and moisture to grow. You can reduce your exposure through simple measures, however there is no practical way to eliminate all exposure to mold. These measures include: 

Indoors 

• Prevent moisture and dampness and ensure adequate ventilation. This will minimize current and future mold growth. 

• Fix leaky plumbing, roofs or other building faults. 

• Clear and maintain gutters. 

• Reduce and remove condensation (e.g. use exhaust fans and wipe up excess water). 

Homes with inadequate ventilation resulting from poor design, modifications or lack of maintenance may be more prone to developing mold. The cheapest and easiest way of reducing indoor moisture and humidity is by ventilating a room by opening a door or window. 

Food 

• Throw away foods that have become visibly moldy. 

• Adequately clean the surface area on which the moldy food was stored or consider throwing away the container the food was stored in. 

Outdoors 

• Use appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves and a P1 or P2 face mask when handling garden composts, mulch, straw or hay, and moldy and decaying organic materials.