Time to ‘settle the spore’ once and for all

Mold is a nasty business, the type that can leave you beat down and even sick. It’s creeped into your personal space and before you realize the effect it’s had on you, a toxic match has begun. You’re breathless from the fight (which you didn’t even know you were having) and you’ve unknowingly allowed yourself to be jabbed day in and day out.

Time to settle…

Although not always visible, mold spores are everywhere and settle both indoors and outdoors. Mold enters your space:

  • through the air: open windows, doorways, and ventilation systems.
  • attached to objects or people: clothing, shoes, and pets

Mold will only flourish if the spores land somewhere that has ideal conditions for growing – moisture and a nutrient supply. If the environment is unsuitable for the spores, they do not usually develop or cause a problem. Mold often appears in areas:

  • where leakages and flooding have occurred
  • where condensation builds up (HVAC, windows, drains)
  • where the air does not circulate (closets, bathroom)

As mold spores gradually settle and build up over time, the overall “mold load” of the home can become dangerously high. In their Mold Matters podcast², Jeremy Evans and mold expert Mike Adams share a day in the life of a mold spore as well as demystify why some homes “smell like a grandma and grandpa house”.

 

…the spore…

Mold spores are brawlers — the type of fighters who like to exchange punches and rely on being aggressive by fighting on the inside. Some of the most relevant brawlers:

🥊Penicillium/Aspergillus¹ – Easily dispersed through the air by wind. Food source for mites. Common in house dust, growing on wallpaper, fabrics, wallboard, moist chipboards, and behind paint. Possible side effects: sinus congestion, asthma, sore throat, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, hay fever, pneumonitis.

 

🥊Cladosporium¹ – One of the most commonly found molds outdoors and frequently found growing indoors. Found in a wide variety of soils, decaying plants, textiles, bathroom tiles, wood, moist windowsills, and any wet areas in a home. Possible side effects: respiratory or sinus-related issues, skin or toe nail infections.

 

🥊Basidiospores¹ – Typically come from outdoor sources and are carried inside by airflow or on clothing. Require wet conditions for prolonged periods in order to grow indoors. Typically an indicator of wood decay. Possible side effects: sinus congestion, asthma, sore throat, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, hay fever, toxicosis.

 

🥊Chaetomium¹ – A marker spore* that usually indicates wet paper and/or drywall. Very commonly found on damp sheetrock paper. Possible side effects: respiratory or sinus-related issues, linked to cancer, neurological effects, brain legions, Alzheimers and pathological issues.

 

 

🥊Stachybotrys¹ – A marker spore* (most often referred to as “black mold”) and the most toxic of the common mold species. Rarely found indoors, but when found, is an indication of a serious problem. If found indoors, it’s usually on wet materials containing cellulose, such as wallboard, jute, wicker, straw baskets, and other paper materials. Widely considered the most hazardous form of indoor mold, mycotoxin producing and must be removed. Possible side effects: respiratory or sinus-related issues, fatigue, headache, eye irritation, sneezing, rashes, vomiting, bleeding in the lungs and nose, sore throat and other serious, potentially deadly reactions.

*Marker Spores – When found indoors, even in moderate numbers are an indication of indoor mold growth (vs. outdoor spores traveling inside). If you’ve sampled the air and find them, even in small numbers, it’s highly likely the mold is actively growing from an indoor source.

…once…

Sick of the low blows? Ready to throw in the towel? You’re not beat yet. Get back up and take the knock out. You didn’t start this, but you can finish it.

To be mold free and have absolute mold removal, these brawlers must be denatured (destroyed).

denature: destroy the characteristic properties of a protein or biological macromolecule by heat, acidity, or other effects that disrupt the molecular conformation.

InstaPURE is an EPA registered sterilant used by Mold Busters in the Greenville area as part of an advanced mold remediation process. By the very nature of that registration, it has to kill mold. Once mold has been exposed to InstaPURE, the outer membrane of the spore is oxidized and the cell is denatured. It becomes “inert nothingness”.³

…and for all.

Mold matters. Your air quality matters. Most importantly, your family matters. You have the choice what you allow in your space.

 

 

#mold #blackmold #moldtest #moldbusters #airqualitymatters #greenville #mauldin

¹ Specific spore information cited from combined sources. Retrieved from https://puremaintenance.com/mold-spore-library + Eurofins MoldREPORT™️glossary

² Adams, Mike. How Mold Travels in Home [Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.mymoldmatters.com/episodes/how-mold-travels-in-my-home

³ Adams, Mike February 2019 The Dead Mold Myth [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://my.puremaintenance.com/post/the-dead-mold-myth