What is Mold?
Molds are fungi similar to mushrooms and yeast. There are over 100,000 species of mold and at least 1,000 are common in the United States. Fungi are heterotrophic, they do not produce their own food like plants. They must get their food from their environment. They do this by secreting digestive enzymes to dissolve organic and inorganic materials. They absorb the soluble products from digestion.
Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any organic substance, as long as moisture and oxygen are present. Mold growth will often occur when excessive moisture accumulates in buildings or on building materials, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or unaddressed.
Molds reproduce by releasing spores that usually cannot be seen without magnification. Mold spores float through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When these spores land on a damp or wet surface indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they land on in order to survive. Molds gradually destroy the things they land on.
There are many types of molds that exist and there are many types of molds that only grow in an indoor environment that has had water damage. All molds have the potential to cause adverse health effects. Molds can produce allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or even asthma attacks in people allergic to mold. Others are known to produce potent toxins and/or irritants like Stachybotrys, Chaetomium and Ulocladium to name a few. Potential health effects and property damage are important reasons to prevent mold growth and to remediate any existing indoor mold growth.