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The Facts About Mold
 There has been a dramatic increase nationwide in concern about mold and health effects. The term "mold" describes more than a million species of microscopic fungi which grow on wet organic matter. When excess moisture is present mold problems can spread and proliferate rapidly. Mold spores are everywhere, including the indoor environment. Under favorable conditions, spores germinate and mold colonies grow and multiply.
What Are the Health Concerns with Mold? Molds can produce a variety of allergenic substances, odorous chemicals, and toxic metabolites. When it multiplies and spreads indoors, high levels of mold can cause a spectrum of health effects to include Hearing loss, Vomiting, Memory loss, and Asthmatic lungs. Excess moisture is the underlying cause of indoor mold problems. The key to prevention and correction is moisture control. The best way to identify a mold problem is by visual inspection and following odors. If mold (any type) can be seen or smelled, a mold problem exists. Harriet M. Ammann, Ph.D., D.A.B.T. is a Senior Toxicologist for the Washington State Department of Health. She explains further the health risks of mold. USA Weekend, MOLD: A Health Alert Medline Plus - Molds Mold in the News Fifty percent [50%] of homes contain problem molds. A new medical study attributes nearly 100% of chronic sinus infections to mold. A 300% increase in the asthma rate over the past 20 years has been linked to molds, as reported in USA WEEKEND, Dec. 3-5, 1999. A 1994 Harvard University School of Public Health study of 10,000 homes in the United States and Canada found half had conditions of water damage and mold associated with a 50 to 100% increase in respiratory symptoms. Last year Dr. David Sherris at the Mayo Clinic performed a study of 210 patients with chronic sinus infections and found that most had allergic fungal sinusitis. The prevailing medical opinion has been that mold accounted for 6 to 7 percent of all chronic sinusitis. [The Mayo Clinic study] found that it was 93 percent-the exact reverse. [Newsweek, 12/4/00] Most homeowners believe that as long as they do not see visible signs of mold, that is, patches of green, blue, or black discoloration on surfaces, their environment is free of contamination. What they don't realize, however, is that large accumulations of [hidden or concealed] mold may be growing in areas that they cannot see, like remote attic or basement spaces, or wall cavities. Left to multiply, these infestations may produce enough organic compounds to cause allergic reactions, sickness and, in extreme cases, death (a possibility with infants), wrote Edward R. Lipinski in HOME CLINIC: The Battle Against Mold and Mildew, NEW YORK TIMES, Sept. 12, 1999. All molds have the potential to cause health effects. Molds can produce allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or even asthma attacks in people allergic to mold. Others are known to produce potent toxins and/or irritants. Potential health concerns are an important reason to prevent mold growth and to remediate/clean up any existing indoor mold growth, noted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 03/01. Because the effects of toxic mold (Stachybotrys) are similar to Alzheimer's Disease [in such ways as the loss of memory and ability to think logically], it is possible that relatives and friends of toxic mold victims think that their relative's memory losses and mental diminishment is a sign of advancing age, or of the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Medical researchers strongly believe that environmental factors help trigger what is ultimately a genetic condition. [USA Weekend, Aug. 31- Sept. 2, 2001, p. 6]  IQAir® Products Remove Mold Spores
IQAir® HealthPro Plus can remove all airborn mold spores. It's an effective way of cleaning the air as you remediate the origin of the mold in your home or office. Our chart of pathogens has a detailed list of the different types of mold spores. Mold Resources The following mold resources will help you understand the health and environmental issues with indoor molds, controls, prevention, and remediation. Molds, Toxic Molds, and Indoor Air Quality Mold in My Home: What Do I Do? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency New Residential Mold Guide U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mold Resources U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Molds in the Environment Questions and Answers on Stachybotrys chartarum and other molds California Research Bureau Reports Molds, Toxic Molds, and Indoor Air Quality California Environmental Health Investigations Branch Minnesota Department of Health web site search on mold Moulds, Isolation, cultivation and identification, David Malloch, University of Toronto, 1997 |
