You were recently cleaning out your attic and discovered water pooling up from a small roof leak. You lift up some boxes and discover dark mold growing on the boxes. How do you determine if this mold is threatening to your health? Less hazardous molds will usually appear to be different colors, and have a pungent odor. If you detect a substance that resembles mold in your Des Moines home or property, call your local ServiceMaster by Rice for immediate mold removal services. Different types of mold species pose different health risks for you and your family, so it is important to get the mold removed before you get sick. If you detect black mold in your home, it is advised to leave your home immediately.
Types of Mold in your Des Moines Home
Molds are typically classified into 3 separate categories: allergenic, pathogenic, and toxigenic. Allergenic molds, as the name states, are mostly hazardous to individuals with allergies, asthma, or breathing problems. Pathogenic molds are harmful to individuals with a weak immune system. This type of mold usually grows on, or in the human, which is why the immune system can be attacked so easily. Toxic molds contain poisons that are harmful to all humans, resulting in long term illnesses. Allergenic molds can usually be cleaned up by individuals who are not allergy-sensitive, but you should never come in contact with pathogenic or toxigenic molds. Consult a mold professional to remove these types of molds from your home or property.
Aspergillus
This mold most commonly lives in water or flood damaged homes, often residing in your air conditioning unit. When aspergillus lives in your home, it circulates in the air you breathe. It typically will not affect your health, unless you have a weakened immune system. If you are affected, it will cause respiratory disease and damaged lungs. If you think you have aspergillus growing in your home, call ServiceMaster by Rice.
Penicillium
Have you ever reached in the fridge for a delicious piece of your favorite fruit or vegetable, only noticing dark moldy spots all over it? Penicillium is the pesky mold that causes fruit and vegetable spoilage. The blue, green, and yellow spores on this mold give it a characteristic color, helping you distinguish it from other types of molds. When it begins to grow on fruits or vegetables, it can sometimes appear to be a chalky white or grey color. Penicillium molds also commonly grow on damp materials in your building or home, such as walls, floors, carpets, and mattresses.
Stachybotrys
Commonly referred to as “black mold” because of its dark appearance, this type of mold usually appears in areas of the home that are warm and damp. Black mold is harmful because it contains toxins, called mycotoxins, that when inhaled can be very harmful to an individual’s health. When inhaled for long periods of time, black mold can also cause death. Similar to other types of mold, when stachybotrys dries, it is transported throughout your home through ventilation ducts or your air conditioning unit. Most mold species can be easy to detect because of their pungent smell, but black mold doesn’t have a very distinct odor. It can hide behind your drywall and in other hiding places for long periods of time before it becomes detected and removed. It is important to hire a professional to inspect your property if your home has recently experienced water damage, or if you discover wet or damp spots on your ceiling or floor. Because of the severity of black mold, call your local ServiceMaster by Rice immediately if you believe you have it in your home.
Certified Mold Removal Specialists in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Fort Dodge
If you have more questions about different types of mold, or you suspect mold growing in your home, call our certified mold removal specialists at ServiceMaster by Rice for professional mold removal services. We provide mold removal for many locations across Iowa including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge, Atlantic, Carroll, Spencer, Milford, and even Fairmont, Minnesota. Call us today for a quote!
