InsuranceGuy913
2010-05-11, 11:15 AM
What is Mold? \
Mold is alive, but it is neither a plant nor an animal. Mold is a type of fungus. It is part of a group of living organisms that are very common and serve an important role in the environment. Penicillin, an antibiotic that has saved many lives, is a type of mold, as is yeast. Mold seeks MOISTURE, WARMTH, and FOOD, and all three conditions are necessary for it to grow. Mold is most likely to find a place to grow in a bathroom, basement or other dark areas, but it can grow in other rooms if conditions are favorable. The climate where you work and habits in your building can affect the ability of mold to grow. Mold spores can thrive and reproduce in wet or damp parts of your building: areas that have had flooding or where leakage has occurred in roofs, pipes, or walls, or areas around plants, especially ones that sometimes are over-watered. In just 24 hours, a moist environment combined with room-temperature conditions and an organic food source can lead to mold growth.
What do I do about it?
Health agencies and experts recommend that you use a certified industrial hygienist to help determine if you have a mold problem. This, is a third party and someone not associated with the remediation company. Locate a company that specialize in Mold Remediation, and have worked with several reputable hygienists with great results. Hopefully you never have this problem. Look in the phone book under “Environmental testing” for a hygienist, and under “Mold Remediation” for someone to remediate the mold.
Are There RISKS Associated with Having Mold in My Property?
The growth of any type of mold in a structure is never acceptable. Your safest and most prudent course of action is to treat all molds with caution and to have a mold remediation company remove it properly. In the spring, some people experience no health effects from the increased amount of pollen in the air, while other people have serious allergic reactions. The same is true with mold spores, both inside and outside a structure. Some people experience little or no reaction from high levels of exposure to mold spores. Other people exposed to low levels can have allergic responses, including asthma, stuffy or runny noses, eye irritation, fever, wheezing, inflammation in the lungs, and skin rashes. These same symptoms can be caused by a variety of allergens. If you experience the symptoms, you should not automatically assume that your building has a mold problem. Healthy individuals usually are not vulnerable to health problems from airborne mold exposure.
If you have concerns about possible health and safety issues regarding mold, immediately contact a medical professional and/or your local government health authority for guidance.
Mold is alive, but it is neither a plant nor an animal. Mold is a type of fungus. It is part of a group of living organisms that are very common and serve an important role in the environment. Penicillin, an antibiotic that has saved many lives, is a type of mold, as is yeast. Mold seeks MOISTURE, WARMTH, and FOOD, and all three conditions are necessary for it to grow. Mold is most likely to find a place to grow in a bathroom, basement or other dark areas, but it can grow in other rooms if conditions are favorable. The climate where you work and habits in your building can affect the ability of mold to grow. Mold spores can thrive and reproduce in wet or damp parts of your building: areas that have had flooding or where leakage has occurred in roofs, pipes, or walls, or areas around plants, especially ones that sometimes are over-watered. In just 24 hours, a moist environment combined with room-temperature conditions and an organic food source can lead to mold growth.
What do I do about it?
Health agencies and experts recommend that you use a certified industrial hygienist to help determine if you have a mold problem. This, is a third party and someone not associated with the remediation company. Locate a company that specialize in Mold Remediation, and have worked with several reputable hygienists with great results. Hopefully you never have this problem. Look in the phone book under “Environmental testing” for a hygienist, and under “Mold Remediation” for someone to remediate the mold.
Are There RISKS Associated with Having Mold in My Property?
The growth of any type of mold in a structure is never acceptable. Your safest and most prudent course of action is to treat all molds with caution and to have a mold remediation company remove it properly. In the spring, some people experience no health effects from the increased amount of pollen in the air, while other people have serious allergic reactions. The same is true with mold spores, both inside and outside a structure. Some people experience little or no reaction from high levels of exposure to mold spores. Other people exposed to low levels can have allergic responses, including asthma, stuffy or runny noses, eye irritation, fever, wheezing, inflammation in the lungs, and skin rashes. These same symptoms can be caused by a variety of allergens. If you experience the symptoms, you should not automatically assume that your building has a mold problem. Healthy individuals usually are not vulnerable to health problems from airborne mold exposure.
If you have concerns about possible health and safety issues regarding mold, immediately contact a medical professional and/or your local government health authority for guidance.