What is black mold

8/8/2018 (Permalink)

Mold growing up a wall

With so many articles about toxic black mold in the news, you may be wondering exactly what it is and if you should be worried about it. You may even be in a panic because you’ve found mold growing in your home. The good news is that the mold in your home is probably not the type of mold that’s toxic. The bad news is that if you have any type of mold growth in your home, you may want to call a mold remediation  specialist in Midtown Memphis TN, to begin cleanup. Whether it’s a species toxic to human health or not, mold can do extensive damage to your house

The Low Down on Mold

Mold is a type of fungus, which means it’s a distant cousin to yeast and mushrooms. There are over 100,000 species of mold, and many of them are black. Of course, not all of these are likely to grow in your home. However, of the four most common types of mold to be found inside your house, half of them (species of Alternaria and Cladosporium) are likely to be black. The highly toxic species of black mold, Stachybotrys chartarum, isn’t rare, but it is less common than other household molds.

Why It Thrives

Stachybotrys chartarum, like all mold, thrives in places that are damp. Mold spores are found everywhere, so if you have areas in your home that are consistently moist, spores can land there and grow into a visible colony. This can be a damp corner of a poorly ventilated bathroom, the wall below a leaky window or a basement where groundwater is seeping through the concrete. To keep your home free of mold, follow the following tips to prevent excess moisture.

• Repair leaks
• Do regular maintenance on plumbing
• Keep indoor humidity below 50%
• Ventilate rooms

What To Do If You Have Mold

If you find mold growing in your home, don’t attempt to clean it up yourself. If it is Stachybotrys chartarum a mold removal service in Midtown Memphis, TN, can ensure that the cleanup is done quickly and efficiently while keeping your family safe.