"I have black mold in my house!” We often hear this from people when they call and ask if we do mold testing. The fact is, there are many molds that appear black. Mildew can also look black. Molds come in a variety of colors and sometimes change color as they go through their life cycle. Since "black mold" (Stachybotrys chartarum) gets all the attention, that seems to be where we start. As for whether or not it's mold, especially black mold, at HomePro Inspections, we like to say "organic growth" until we have taken samples, tested them, and know what it really is.
“Organic Growth” from a leak under a sink
Where do we start?
Typically, when a client calls and wants mold testing, we start with a few questions. Do you physically see what you think is mold? Is the area wet? Is there a moldy smell in the area? Has there been leaking? Are occupants exhibiting allergy symptoms, headaches, etc. when in the home that go away when they are out of the home?
Sometimes people call and want mold testing because someone who will be living in the home has severe allergies to molds or a compromised immune system. They just want the mold testing to make sure that there are no issues that will affect their known conditions.
Mold does not affect everyone equally.
People will react to molds differently. Some people have no symptoms when exposed to mold, and some people react quite quickly.
Several years ago, I was training a new home inspector. We entered a home that was unoccupied and had been empty for an extended period. We started the inspection process, and after about 5 minutes, the guy started sneezing, got a runny nose, and had scratchy eyes. I asked him if he was okay, and he said, “There’s mold in this house.” We headed downstairs. It smelled moldy in the basement, and we found wetness on the walls and carpeting. The walls had what appeared to be mold growing in the wet areas.
What affected the other inspector did not affect me at all. Some people are more sensitive to things like mold than others. As with my inspector, people can have all or some of the symptoms, like a stuffy and/or runny nose, sneezing, trouble breathing, and watery, itchy eyes. Some people may develop a rash and itchy skin. Others may have headaches. People with asthma may have a more intense reaction to mold.
Mold in the work environment
I had been hired to do mold testing in an older building that had office suites in it. The tenants complained that when they come to the office on Monday mornings, it smells a bit musty. Anywhere between a few hours and a day, several of the people working in the office started to have all or some of the symptoms listed above. In my interviews, people told me they typically felt fine before they came to the office.
We did air testing and swab sampling of the affected areas and sent them off to the lab for analysis. During our inspection, we found some leaks in the HVAC system, surface mold in the ducting, and a large area where the carpeting was constantly damp.
The carpet tack strips on the basement floor are wet and deteriorated
Outdoor molds
Repeated exposure to molds in the outdoor environment can also affect some people and produce allergic symptoms. For myself, I lived in the woods for about 26 years. During the last 4 to 5 years, I developed allergic reactions to the molds produced in the spring and fall. The molds that break down the leaves and other organic matter on the forest floor started to affect me after years of exposure.
People who live in rural agricultural areas may have issues when the farmers are picking crops because of the airborne mold in the dust of the harvested leaves and grains.
An extreme example of mold on field corn
Summary
There is no hard set of rules for how mold affects us. Like with most things in life, we are all different. Some people have little to no issues with mold, but with repeated exposures, they may develop minor to severe symptoms. Others with immune deficiencies or other respiratory sensitivities may have severe reactions to mold.
Keep in mind that what is shared here is general in nature and based on my experiences as to the effects mold may have on an individual. If you are having symptoms and think they are being caused by mold, you should seek medical advice from your doctor.
At HomePro Inspections, although mold testing is not part of a home inspection, our home inspectors are trained to look for and report any potential issues they may come across. Any issues are documented in your home inspection report and recommended for resolution by a qualified professional.
Visit our website to learn more or to schedule your home inspection in the Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault, MN areas. You can contact us today at (507) 202-8942 or utilize our online “Schedule Now” feature to set up an appointment.