With a vast array of molds living both indoors and outdoors, it’s no wonder that black mold and other toxic varieties can cause serious health risks or damage to property. Be sure to check your home for any potential threats.
Finding mold in the home or workplace can be frustrating for any property owner, but there is a silver lining the same kind of mold could potentially lead to remarkable discoveries, like penicillin and antibiotics.
Lurking in dark corners, black mold can be a serious health hazard causing issues ranging from skin irritation to respiratory complications. Not only that, but it has the potential to wreak havoc on buildings and their contents; destroying carpets, furniture, walls and etc.
Protecting your home from mold is a must! Knowing the type of mold and its potential dangers, as well as how to properly remove and prevent it from coming back are essential steps for ensuring a safe indoor environment.
Mold restoration in Boca Raton and Florida homes is more important than ever in the face of ever-changing climates and increasing weather volatility. Mold remediation through cleaning, repair work, and preventative maintenance can stop mold from spreading or even forming.
Do You Know Which Types of Mold Are the Most Common?
From bathrooms to basements, there is a wide variety of molds that can take root in your home. Let us explore the most common mold types found indoors:
Acremonium
Acremonium mold is a troublesome fungus that may linger undetected for long periods of time. This musty-smelling pest can be found in damaged drywall or insulation, often due to excess moisture buildup. Its slow growth makes it hard to detect and even harder to eliminate.
Aspergillus
Aspergillus is a widespread mold found in our homes, flourishing and expanding on moist walls. Beyond the home, it finds its origins in vibrant gardens of decaying vegetation or decomposing leaves heaped together as compost piles.
Some individuals are particularly vulnerable to a dangerous condition known as Aspergillosis, which is caused by contact with the common mold species aspergillus. Effects can range from minor allergic reactions all the way up to severe illness and even death in extreme cases.
Aureobasidium
The allergenic menace Aureobasidium lurks behind the scenes, coating walls and trim in a pinkish brown or deep black hue. Be careful when you peel away wallpaper to avoid contact with this devious mold.
Cladosporium
Cladosporium is a common mold type that loves moisture, often found in homes tucked away in forgotten corners. Dark and damp basements frequently host these black, yellow, or green spots but they aren’t limited to one area; bathrooms, attics, curtains, and furniture all make perfect nesting grounds for Cladosporium’s relentless spread throughout the home.
Chaetomium
Chaetomium mold is a common yet unwelcome guest that loves to make its home in water-damaged buildings. Unassuming and white at first, it can quickly spread across large areas with ease as its color transitions from gray to black.
Notoriously fond of leaky roofs, humid basements, and bathrooms; Chaetomium has an unmistakable musty smell so you know when it’s around.
Fusarium
Fusarium is an omnipresent fungus that has a significant impact on both nature and the home. It’s resilient, spreading from outdoor soil to indoor areas such as carpets and drywall with just a hint of moisture in the air. Fusarium can devastate crops while potentially damaging homes if left unchecked.
Penicillin
Penicillin is one of the most famous molds out there, with its powerful medicinal properties serving as a life-saving antibiotic. It can be found far and wide from old food to faded wallpaper and damp carpets in waterlogged buildings. Clearly, nature has given us this wonder mold for a reason.
Stachybotrys Chartarum
Homeowners beware lurking beneath the surface might be a potential hazard known to cause stress, health issues, and structural damage. Black mold is more scientifically referred to as Stachybotrys chartarum but one thing’s for sure it’s not something you want in your home.
Black mold is a dangerous intruder, silently creeping into homes through water damage and dampness. Its malicious nature allows it to spread quickly throughout entire rooms from basements to attics making no exceptions for bathrooms or kitchens.
Ulocladium
Ulocladium mold is the unwelcome intruder in your home that you don’t want to see. With a variety of colors including brown, gray, and black it can quickly infest water-damaged materials such as carpets or other wet surfaces. Not limited to plants alone, this type of mold could be lurking around your indoor environment.
Tips to Stop the Spreading of Mold in Homes:
Mold spreading in homes can be extremely hazardous to both property and health. Taking certain proactive measures can keep your home mold-free and safe. Foremost, you should identify sources of excess moisture that may lead to mold growth, like leaking pipes, windows, or drains. Fixing these right away can dramatically reduce the spreading of mold in homes. You should also ensure necessary ventilation is present across the home, especially near areas of moisture buildup, such as the bathrooms and laundry rooms.
Additionally, homeowners should inspect their indoor humidity levels regularly and protect surfaces such as furniture and carpets from water exposure; this won’t just help prevent mold spreading in homes but will also save money otherwise spent on cleaning mold-infested items. You can also use air purifiers in homes to stop the spreading of mold spores in the air.
