Mold in the House

5/9/2018 (Permalink)

Mold in home left untreated

Mold issues in the home

Black mold belongs to the fungal family. Fungi make up 25% of our planet’s biomass, and they are very diverse, including mushrooms, toadstools, molds and mildews. What unites them all is a lack of chlorophyll.

Although many fungi are harmless, there are also some mold such as aspergillus may not be as harmless.

Black mold loves to grow on cellulose, which includes substances such as straw, grains, paper (including wallpaper) and wood. It thrives when that substrate has a relative humidity of 15% and the ambient environment is around 90% (hello, bathrooms). But basically it will take advantage of anywhere that water has got in, so a leaky roof, faulty damp-proof course or a cracked drain are all open invitations to black mold.

Black mold facts:

• It is a fungus called Stachybotrys chartarum.
• Black mold poisoning is called stachybotryotoxicosis (literally “poisoned by stachybotrys”).
• Black mold is in part responsible for “sick building syndrome,” where people develop respiratory difficulties, chest tightness and headaches.

If you think you have mold please call SERVPRO of Cambridge/Belmont (617) 864-7378 to assist you with the mold remediation.