Hidden Mold

We’ve all seen mold; ugly stains of white, orange, green, brown and black spreading on walls, floors and other surfaces. But the most dangerous mold is the mold we don’t see.

Undetected mold can flourish uncontrollably simply because we don't know it's there. Something else usually tips us off to its presence, the most common of which is a constant clearing of the throat or a musty odor.

REMEMBER: in order for mold to grow indoors, all it needs is moisture and food sources (such as carpet, wood, drywall, clothing, etc.). Always pay extra special attention to humidity and moisture indoors. If you can control moisture, you can control mold.

The following is a visual presentation of destruction caused by hidden mold.

At the time of this photo, this was a $750,000 home in an exclusive community in Escondido, CA (a commonly dry desert-like climate. The home was 18 months old. There was no visible signs of mold, however the client complained that she and her son were experiencing chronic clogged throat, headaches, and an unusual amount of hair loss. The contracted certified mold remediator noticed a small amount of surface mold on the bathroom shower door.
Though no other visible traces of mold were seen, further investigation revealed that the baseboard near the shower tiles showed excessive moisture readings and the carpet had a slight musty smell. Visually speaking, both the carpet and the baseboard appeared to be in new condition, as was the rest of the house. In spite of being a meticulous housekeeper, the client was unaware that the shower door was leaking and a problem was developing.
The contracted certified mold remediator carefully broke the seal and separated the baseboard from the drywall. As seen in this image, black mold was spreading across a section of the wall and under the carpet. Lab analysis of air samples revealed spore levels indoors over 600 time higher than outdoors, a high percentage of which was Stachybotrys, considered to be a toxic mold potential harmful to humans and animals.
Stachybotrys and other toxic mold spores can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin or ingested on our food. One person may become debilitated by exposure while another sharing the same environment is essentially unaffected. Particularly susceptible to serious illness following exposure to Stachybotrys is anyone with immune system deficiencies due to disease, chemotherapy, etc. The woman living in this home is a recovering cancer patient.
Once mold is discovered on a surface the next responsible step is to determine the total extent of the contamination and develop an abatement plan to remediate the mold. Mold is manageable. However, unless the problem is dealt with correctly and completely it will continue to come back, often times worse than before. For that reason, it is always best to have mold removal done by an experienced NATMR or IECRP certified mold remediation professional.