What are Mold’s Effects on Your Life?

Your Home
Mold is saprophytic: it feeds on dead organic compounds. Before humans began building homes, and even before humans existed, mold has been feeding on cellulose in dead trees and plant material, breaking it into substances that can later be taken up as food for plants, animals and other organisms. Drywall, paper, wood and other common building materials contain large amounts of this cellulose. In conditions where moisture is present and temperatures are right, mold spores germinate and are provided with a feast. Given enough time, digestion of these materials can cause damage and even structural instability.

Your Health
Health-related complaints ranging from general weakness to hypoallergenic shock arise frequently from individuals who later find their homes contain active mold colonization. Whether or not many of these are directly connected to growth of fungus is still being discussed, but a few symptoms have indeed been proven to arise from this growth. Some strains, including species from the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys produce known mycotoxins when placed under environmental stress. When these toxins are inhaled, ingested, or absorbed, they can produce sometimes serious health effects including pulmonary and immune system compromises.

Whether or not other controversial effects are truly related to mold growth, the US EPA recommends that, because of the vast amount that is still unknown about these molds, along with structural damage to the building involved, remediation of any active mold growth needs to take place.