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Mold Removal: when to use a mold removal company

When to call a professional mold removal company

Mold removal is the process of removing  all moldy or contaminated material from a building. Generally material that can be cleaned are cleaned and dried. Although it’s tempting to remove any mold you see, it’s not always practical or safe to remove it yourself. Removing mold before you know whether it’s toxic can make your family feel ill. And sometimes there’s simply too much mold for you to remove safely yourself.

What mold removal guidelines say

You may clean small areas of mold (less than 1 square meter or 3 square feet) yourself. If you do choose to clean small areas of mold yourself, please follow mold guidelines for your safety and that of your family.

Mold growth covering an area less than 10 square feet is categorised as level 1 mold growth. Level 1 mold growth can be one single area of mold or it can include several patches of mold which together would be less than 10 square feet. Remember! Cleaning the mold without fixing the moisture problem, doesn’t solve the mold problem.

If visible mold growth in your house covers more than 10 square feet or if you are not sure how to clean the mold safely, it is recommended you seek professional advice. Cleaning large areas of mold growth releases high concentrations of mold spores into the air, which could make your family feel sick.

Therefore, extensive areas of mold growth should be cleaned by a professional. Heavy concentrations of mold spores can cause or worsen health problems.

Molds don’t have to be toxic to cause health problems. Even a common, usually harmless mold can be a health issue if there is a lot of it. However, always consult a professional if your house mold is a toxigenic mold, or if you even suspect a toxigenic mold.

How Do You Tell If A Mold is Toxigenic?

If you need to know whether your house mold is toxic or not, you may want to send a sample to our lab for testing. To send a sample, download the Order Form, complete it and send it together with your samples.

Remember! – please call a mold remediation professional when:

    • You the area covered by mold growth is greater than 10 square feet
    • You’re not sure of the extent of your mold problem
    • Mold comes back after repeated cleaning
    • The home is very damp
    • A family member suffers from allergies or asthma
    • You think the mold may be a toxic mold because a family member is suffering from unexplained symptoms that may be related to exposure to toxic mold

 

If you need a professional mold removal company, please visit this mold remediation professionals directory for a comprehensive list of mold remediation specialists listed by province. We also work closely with some mold removal companies and we may be able to direct you to the right people. Give us a call at 905-290-9101.

Mold And Health

Mold Allergy, Mycotoxins And Mold Infections

How Do Moulds Affect Our Health?

There are three ways in which mold can affect our health. These include allergy, mycotoxin poisoning and infections.

  • Allergenic Reactions

    An allergy is an acquired sensitivity to allergenic particles such as mold spores and pollen. Allergy acquired from a single exposure is specific to one or to closely related species. Multiple exposures may result in multiple sensitivities. Alternaria and Cladosporium are the two most common causes of allergy. Some mold allergies are associated with work environment such as:

    • farmer’s lung (thermophilic actinomycetes, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus versicolor, and Eurotium rubrum),
    • cheesewasher’s lung (Penicillium casei),
    • malt-worker’s lung (Aspergillus clavatus, Aspergillus fumigatus),
    • maple-bark stripper’s lung (Cryptostroma corticale),
    • sawmill worker’s lung (Rhizopus rhizopodiformis, Penicillium spp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichoderma viride),
    • mushroom picker’s lung (Pleurotus ostreatus, Pholiota nameko, Aspergillus fumigatus, Doratomyces stemonitis).

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  • Mycotoxins

    • Mycotoxins are toxic compounds that some molds produce. These can be introduced into our bodies through inhalation of spores or airborne mycotoxins in dust. However, eating food contaminated with mold is the major route of mycotoxin poisoning. The best known mycotoxins are aflatoxins produced by various species of Aspergillus. Aflatoxins have a history of causing death in animals and humans and also trigger cancer development.

  • Infections

    Infections by common indoor molds is unlikely. However, individuals with weak immune system are at risk of being infected by species of Aspergillus (e.g., Aspergillus fumigatus), Fusarium (e.g., Fusarium solani) and other opportunistic pathogens.

 

References

Hawksworth, D L, Kirk, P M, Sutton, B C & Pegler, D N (1995). Ainsworth and Bisby’s Dictionary of the Fungi. 8th Edition. International Mycological Institute.

Samson, R A., Reenen-Hoekstra, E S., & Frisvad, J C (2004). Introduction to Food-Borne Fungi. 7th Edition. Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn.

House Mold

House mold is not only unsightly but also a potential health hazard. People with allergies, asthma or other respiratory problems can have serious reactions to house mold spores. Also, molds produce digestive enzymes that help them utilize building materials as food. Therefore, apart from being a health hazard, house mold will also compromise the integrity of the materials it is growing on (see the picture on the right) such as wood, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, carpet, and baseboard.

White house mold growing from a basement ceiling
Photo courtesy of One Day Mold Removal

There are a number of factors that encourage house mold growth. By controlling these factors, we can subsequently control mold growth. The factors include: indoor humidity and moisture content of materials, temperature, air circulation, light, and the chemical composition of building materials. For an existing house we cannot change the chemical composition of building materials. Light and temperature would also not be practically possible to control in that we need light and warm temperatures in our houses. However, we can effectively control house mold by maintaining the levels of relative humidity indoors below 60% and also ensuring proper ventilation. Air circulation helps control moisture levels through evaporation.

What do you do if you see or suspect house mold growth?

If you see or suspect house mold growth do not panic. You may submit mold samples to a qualified mold laboratory to determine whether the mold present is hazardous or only a cosmetic concern. The MOLD TAPE SLIDE™ is a straightforward, inexpensive and effective method to sample visible mold found on any surface. From it you get information and guidance on what to do next. It is an easy way to determine if the mold is toxic and if it will require a professional to conduct more intensive investigation and remediation. Click MOLD TAPE SLIDE™ for details.

Peel off seal from slide to expose adhesive (see the words “Peel Here”)
Place sticky side of slide onto the surface with visible mold growth and press gently.

Place slide back into plastic snap-case.

 

If you can’t see mold growth but can smell “musty” or “earthy” odours you can also perform a preliminary air test (call 905-290-9101 for details) before calling in a professional.

Cladosporium sphaerospermum

Cladosporium sphaerospermum pictureCladosporium sphaerospermum is common on wet building material such as gypsum board, ceiling board, windowsills, insulation material, acrylic and oil painted walls, painted wood and wallpaper. Cladosporium sphaerospermum may cause allergy to sensitive individuals.

Aspergillus Species: A Health Hazard In Indoor Environment

Some members of Aspergillus group are recognized health hazards and are of great concern if they appear in built environment. The most important species as concerns health are Aspergillus clavatus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus versicolor. Aspergillus clavatus is often associated with allergic diseases in workers of malt-houses. Aspergillus fumigatus is the most important and well known potential pathogen for humans with weak immunity. It is of great concern in hospital environments. Spores of Aspergillus fumigatus are allergenic and have the ability to bind on lung epithelium in asthmatic individuals, causing further complications in the health status of these patients. Due to their small size, about 70% of Aspergillus fumigatus spores are able to penetrate into the trachea and primary bronchi. Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus are often associated with a disease condition called invasive aspergillosis. Aspergillus versicolor is one of the most common Aspergillus species found in damp indoor environments and is a major producer of one of the liver damaging and carcinogenic Mycotoxin.

Do you have a mould problem or a sample of mould you would want tested? We can help. Call 905-290-9101 Today.

Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms

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Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram negative, aerobic bacteria that is characterized as an opportunistic pathogen. It is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia and, it is the cause of Pontiac fever, a non-pneumonic form of L. pneumophila infection. Legionella spp.’s mode of transmission is through aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. The Public Health […]

The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

The mold (or mould, in the Queen’s English) has been the victim of a bad press. Mention the word and it conjures up an image of something rotting or in the process of decomposition. And yet, were it not for the mold that inspired the discovery of penicillin millions of lives would have been lost. […]