Source: AJCHomefinder.com
By: John Adams

Q: What’s the different between mold and mildew?
A: Technically, mold and mildew are different types of fungi. They are often lumped together because both tend to grow in warm, moist environments and can be mistaken for each other visually. Mold is more frequently found in foods (such as old bread) and mildew is more frequently seen in showers and areas of water intrusion. Both mold and mildew are fungi spread from spores in the air. These spores (similar to seeds) are all around us, but typically are only able to grow and flourish in a warm and moist environment.

Q: Should I be worried about mold around the house?
A: For the average, healthy individual, limited natural exposure to mold spores is a part of everyday life and is typically not a health threat. However, prolonged exposure to elevated levels of these spores can cause a reaction in otherwise healthy individuals. Likewise, certain individuals have hypersensitivity to mold spores and can experience serious health reactions with only minor exposure to certain mold secretions.

Q: What would be an example of an elevated level?
A: In an effort to increase energy efficiency, home builders have built homes more tightly and allowed for much less air leakage around doors and windows. From an energy standpoint, this is a good practice. But from an air quality standpoint, such a tight house prevents the natural dilution of spores that might build up in a mold-infested house. So, if a tightly built home experienced a prolonged water intrusion, such as a roof leak or a shower pan leak, and large area of mold and/or mildew grew in the home, any person living inside this house might be exposed to elevated levels of mold or mildew spores.

Q: So would that be dangerous?
A: It would depend on the individual. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that molds can trigger asthma episodes in sensitive individuals with asthma. Additionally, we know that certain persons are particularly sensitive to these spores, and they may have allergic reactions or other respiratory complaints.

Depending on one’s level of sensitivity, the exposure needed to trigger health effects might range from a brief encounter to years of close contact. Likewise, the health reaction might range from a sneese or a cough to a serious allergic reaction. The most that the EPA will say is that some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing or skin irritation. No one is willing to say what percentage of the otherwise healthy population is not sensitive to mold or mildew spores.

Q: If I have mold or mildew in my house, do I need professional help?
A: Probably not. Unless you have vast areas of your house covered in mold or mildew, you can probably clean it up yourself. If you begin to experience an unpleasant reaction to your cleaning, you should stop and consult your health care professional. If they recommend professional remediation, then seek help. The EPA states that moisture control is the key to mold control. “If mold is a problem in your home, clean up the mold and get rid of the excess water or moisture. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water. Wash mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles and carpet) that become moldy may have to be replaced.”

Q: What about “toxic mold”?
A: According to the CDC, the term “toxic mold” is not accurate. While certain molds can produce toxins, the molds themselves are not toxic or poisonous. The CDC goes onto say on its website: “There are very few reports that toxigenic molds found inside homes can cause unique or rare health conditions such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. These case reports are rare, and a casual link between the presence of the toxigenic mold and these conditions have not been proven.”

But in the last 20 years, a multimillion-dollar industry has sprung up around the cause of “toxic mold.” Finding it, identifying it, testing it, documenting it, suing over it, defending against it, cleaning it up, precenting it and paying for it have all become very big business.