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Mold and Mycotoxins
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What is mold?
Mold is a group of fungi related to mushrooms.
How common is mold in homes?
Statistics vary wildly, sources citing that anywhere between 23%-88% of homes are contaminated by mold.
Do I need to be worried about mold in my home?
Not necessarily. There’s a little bit of mold everywhere. Mold spores happily float through the air, and are a normal and unavoidable part of even healthy homes. The problem arises when a mold spore lands somewhere that has moisture and food. Then, it stays and grows.
The moisture can come from window condensation, or a wet basement foundation that hasn’t dried out completely after a flood. Its food is organic material, like dead leaves, wood, or other building materials.
How can I prevent mold?
The best thing you can do to prevent mold from growing at home is to keep moisture levels low— around 30-60% humidity. 30% can be drying, so aiming for 40-50% is best for comfort (and gives a little wiggle room on the high end.) Track your indoor humidity levels, and use a de-humidifer if necessary. If you are worried about mold, have a mold inspector come to your home. You can do this on an annual basis.
Should I use a biostatic or probiotic for mold prevention?
Preventive biostatics and antimicrobials for mold are not recommended, as antimicrobials are a priority chemical to avoid due to their endocrine disrupting properties. Probiotics are a safer option that may be helpful, but ultimately, good ventilation, using exhaust fans when cooking and bathing, keeping indoor humidity low, and vigilance about checking for any water damage or mold is your best bet for prevention. It’s also You can also follow the top 10 guidelines for keeping mold out of your home.
What health problems does mold cause?
Mold can cause allergies, exacerbate asthma, cause eye and throat irritation, and require expensive inspections and renovations.
Mold can infect immunocompromised people, causing serious, sometimes fatal infections. And, mold can release mycotoxins, which are related to liver cancer, and many other health issues.
What are mycotoxins?
Similar to how plants have defense mechanisms to stay alive (think thorns on a rose, or even poisons), mold has mycotoxins. When mold feels threatened, it creates them. It can be threatened when bleach is incompletely sprayed on it as part of remediation, or when another mold starts to compete with it for space.
So far, we know about 200 different types of mycotoxins exist. They’re getting a little more attention lately, as researchers are learning more about their potential health effects.
While most of the research done on mycotoxins has been in animals, not humans, current data suggest they can be toxic to nearly every system in the body. This is because they’re extremely tiny — about 0.1 micron in size— meaning they can pass into your bloodstream easily and cause a variety of body-wide effects. The top symptoms are difficulty with digestion, respiratory irritation, and immune system problems.
What if I can smell mold in my house?
If you can see mold or water damage, or smell mold or mustiness, absolutely call an inspector. They are trained in a specific type of testing called ERMI and have equipment that can find invisible moisture in walls. Even if the mold isn’t creating mycotoxins, it’s essential to remove it to prevent it from doing so in the future.
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