MOLD 101

A growth of fungal hyphae (fungi). Mold needs water, food (pretty much any organic material), oxygen, and the right temperature (usually 40-100) to grow. Mold is found in both outdoor and indoor environments.

The short answer is, no. Not all molds are bad or dangerous.

The short answer is, yes. All homes have mold. But, not all homes have an overabundance of mold or have toxic molds.

If you do an ERMI, you will see many (usually 36) molds are included on the test. Those are then broken down into categories, of common molds and water damage molds. Your house might have some common molds and still be totally fine, or your house might have water damage molds and then you have a problem.

There are many different toxic molds, including Penicilium, Fusarium, Stachybotrys, and Aspergillus. Within these types, there are numerous species of molds.

Mold produces mold spores, which are invisible to the naked eye. They float through the air and when they land on wet surfaces (think showers, a leaky pipe, areas with condensation...) the mold begins to grow.

No. Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites that some molds produce. Not all molds produce harmful and/or deadly mycotoxins. We end up with mycotoxins in our system by eating moldy food that has been harvested (no, it does not look moldy...), eating animal products that come from animals who were full of mycotoxins themselves, and through indoor mold that we breath in.

Actually, no. Some people are highly sensitive and others are not. Mycotoxins aren’t good for anyone, but we do not all react equally.