What Level Of Mold Is Dangerous

Question: Basidiospores 530 Per M3 Penicillium/aspergillus 1100 Spores Per M3 Stachybotrys 86000 Spores M3

My results were Basidiospores 530 cu and Penicillium/Aspergillus types at 1,100. My last one was Stachybotrys at 86,000 spores which gave me overall 88,000 total. So it was the black that was mostly found.

Have five children in home and smallest always sick on why hired specialist myself. Our home is only 1300 sq ft.

Been in hotel room for a week now so guess they are having issues with fixing I assume. So is that extremely high as specialist making it to be. Also can I save our clothes by washing since contaminated? – Patrice

Mold Damage Level : Hvac System Contamination

All remediation procedures for air conditioning units and HVAC systems should be left to the professionals. The following precautions should be taken during the remediation work :

• The HVAC system must be shut down
• Contaminated insulation must be removed and sealed in plastic bags, then properly disposed of
• Biocide products should be used with HVAC components, such as cooling coils and condensation pans, to kill inaccessible mold spores inside the ductwork and prevent mold growth in the future.

Good to remember: Any mold growth in your HVAC system should be removed by a professional, no matter how large or small the area is.

Question: Total Mold Spores Around 3500 In A House Used To Grow Marijuana Or Around 2300 With High Pen/asp

Question: We are looking at buying a house that was previously used as a marijuana grow up. It has been cleaned up and City declared occupancy okay. Mould counts downstairs are 31 raw count, spore count % total 38As/23Ba/8Co/15PA/15SPM total spores per m3 416.

The upstairs are 34 raw count, spore count % total 21As/50Ba/29Cl, total spores per m3 448. These are the numbers after cleanup by the environmental company. The room has been fixed up and all problems solved. Are we safe with these numbers to continue to purchase this house? – Paula 7/14/2011

Question: Great site. I have a little guest house that was tested and the results showed a high level of aspergilus penicillium in a hallway between bathroom and bedroom near a back door. The air sample in the hallway showed 161,351 per m3 and a raw count of 2.269. This was an air sample.

There were other samples taken that were surface samples one in a dining area cabinet and one behind the bathroom toilet and both of those showed no spores. There was also an outdoor sample and…no spores.

The back door which is where the small hallway is with the high samples is left open most of every day. Is it possible that spores come in from outside and cause the high air sample reading there. There are no water sources in that area and no visible mold anywhere.

Reply:

Jim: that’s a great Penicillium/Aspergillus question.

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Reader remarks:

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How To Check Mold Levels In House

The earlier you become aware of a mold problem in your home, the easier it will be to take care of it. Therefore, its very important to learn how to detect mold in its earliest stages and how to test mold levels in your home, so that you know what measures to take in order to get rid of the harmful microorganisms and prevent further troubles.

Step 1. Watch out for the first signs of mold growth in your home musty smell, cracked or blistering paint, bulging of the walls, cracked or loose tiles, a softer, spongy feel of the floor or walls, inexplicable allergic reactions among members of your household, etc.

This looks like bad news.

Step 2. Check for visible mold inspect the areas in your home where mold is most likely to grow the basement, shower curtains, ceiling corners, around windows, under sinks, any places recently exposed to excessive water, etc.

Step 3. Collect mold samples use a mold test kit to:

• take samples of the air in your home to identify the concentration of mold spores in your indoor environment or
• take samples from different household surfaces to find the amount of mold growth on household materials.

Then, submit the sampling to a local mold testing laboratory for examination and analysis. Keep in mind, though, that the results are not very reliable because the amount of mold spores in the air can change drastically in a small amount of time and mold growth isnt spread evenly across all surfaces in the home.

Question: Low Or Meaningless Spore Counts

4 year old has been to doctors 200 times. Two year old has been to the doctors over 120. walked out of the house two months ago with the clothes on our backs. Had a air test ,had the Pen/Asp but also had stachybotrys. 2ND FLOOR Center raw count 5 Count/m3 106 % of total 33.4

The guy who took the samples and gave me the report said the mold levels in my home are acceptable. Is stachybotrys at any level ok? The children are now under the care of a informed Doctor and getting better. thank you for your time. – Mom

Reply: Low airborne mold spore counts and presence of mold in other tests might indicate an inadequate inspection and poor testing

Normally in a building that has been cleaned or has never had a water intrusion and indoor mold problem, we expect airborne mold spore counts from a properly-conducted test to be in the few hundreds of spores per cubic meter of air or less. And in a building not thought to have had an indoor mold contamination problem we don’t expect to find spore chains of Aspergillus sp. or Penicillium sp.

Those raw counts you cite are very low, making me suspect that the inspection and test procedure have not homed in on the problem in your home. Stachybotrys sp. is a big sticky spore that is not easily made airborne. I find Stachybotrys airborne most often when someone has disturbed a moldy surface such as moldy drywall during cleaning or demolition.

If you suspect that something in the home is causing or contributing to illness you should

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Question: Pen/asp Spore Count Of 2080 With A Ceiling Fan On

The ceiling fan was on and the pen/asp lab test came back 2080 in our great room. No one is our house has ever been sick but the inspector is saying we have a problem. – Coleman 7/9/11

Reply:

Coleman, running a ceiling fan increases airborne particle levels by at least one order of magnitude over still air. It’s a cautious and thus “aggressive” test approach.

The absolute spore count is not extremely high, especially considering that a ceiling fan was on at the time of testing, but since we don’t usually find any elevation of Pen/Asp spores in a home your result is sufficient justification for a more careful and thorough visual inspection and some follow-up.

We’d need to know a lot more about the house, its age, materials, construction, leak history, occupants, and occupant complaints to have a view of what’s needed.

Reader Follow-up:

Thank you for the quick response and we are getting it checked out. FYI – no visual mold present.Next – our basement had an airborne count of 320 for Pen/Asp.Does this seem elevated ? – Coleman

Reply:

A general mold count of 320 spores per cubic meter is pretty low but depending on exactly what is seen under the microscope, such a sample could still point to a nearby indoor problem mold source. For example, Pen/Asp spore chains means that this is not outdoor mold but rather mold from an indoor source.

What Do Professionals Use To Kill Mold

Scrub moldy surfaces with mold cleaner

water and 1/2 cup bleach mold cleaner to kill the mold. Use a soft brush and work until signs of the mold disappear. After scrubbing the surfaces, simply allow the bleach solution to continue to penetrate the surfaces and dry. Wipe off, but DO NOT RINSE these surfaces.

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Is Mold Common In Commercial Buildings

Yes, mold is common in commercial buildings, especially in industries that deal with high levels of moisture. If the indoor air quality of your companys property has declined, theres a chance of mold being present on paper products, windows, pipes and roofs. When a company has experienced water damage in the recent past, you can expect to find mold somewhere in the building.

Mold can grow on a damp surface a mere 48 hours after a flood or heavy rainstorm. This fungus could result in allergies and other serious health risks in your employees. If your workers get sick from breathing in fungus, they may use paid time off, costing the company money. In extreme cases, they may even sue your company for putting their health at risk.

To deal with mold that has grown in your commercial building:

• Tell your employees about the potential fungal growth within the workplace.
• Establish a plan to prevent mold infestation in the future.
• Create an atmosphere where your employees feel comfortable reporting mold theyve seen around the building.

Effects Of Different Mold Types In Your Building

The presence of mold in your workplace can result in unsightly spots around your property. More importantly, it can also affect the respiratory and cognitive health of your employees. With massive exposure to mold, including touching and inhaling mold or mold spores, your employees could suffer from various health risks.

Here are some of the effects of the different mold you have in your building:

Aside from the health risks that affect the employees of a mold-infected building, mold can also damage the workplace structure. Mold can eat away at drywall, carpet, ceilings, and wooden studs that hold up your companys property. If you dont deal with the infestation as soon as possible, it can eat away at these parts of the building and cause the whole structure to collapse.

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What Happens If You Have Aspergillus In Your Basement

Even in the average basement, Aspergillus can increase the body burden of toxins through exposure to both the particulates and gases that it produces. Maybe it knocks your immune system down a notch or two, or contributes to allergic symptoms, headaches, and sleep difficulties. You need a crystal ball to answers all these questions.

For example, if any of the following conditions are met, the mold spore levels are considered elevated: 1.) The total spore counts level of all species exceeds 1,500 spores per cubic meter or 2.) Any indicator species, such as Stachybotrys or Chaetomium is greater than 300 spores per cubic meter. What is a high count of Aspergillus?

Keep miticide completely out of reach of children or pets. Aspergillus is one of the most pervasive, and allergenic, molds in North America. This mold is commonly found in homes and on decaying organic material such as dead leaves, shrub clippings, and other decomposing plant material.

Question: 88000 Toxic Black Mold Spores Per M3

Ok maybe you can help me understand my mold test report results. I had air samples indoor and outdoor of my home. We had several plumbing issues that gave us three floods in three bedrooms.

The landlord did not follow proper procedures and resulted in crazy results. My outdoor was 764 cu and my indoor was 88,000 cu of black toxic mold. Why is is such a dramatic difference and is this unheard of? – Patrice

Reply: Indoor and outdoor mold tests in air are looking at completely different environments

Reader follow-up:

Ok thank you so much I will read more. I’ve been up all night trying to figure out if we are ok but it is def the owners responsibility to take care of this. Just want them to do it correctly. Thank you for the advice and clearing up some things for me.

I believe all landlords/owners should have knowledge of your website it might help them in long run. This is a serious issue and a lot are not educated. I had to go through this to learn myself. But thanks alot. You are very kind.

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The Toxic Effects Of Mycotoxins On Humans Sheep & Possibly On Pets

Mycotoxins are produced by some common molds found in buildings, including Aspergillus,Penicillium, Fusarium, Stachybotrys, and even Alternaria. Common classificationgroups of mycotoxins include aflatoxins, fumonisins, trichothecens, and ergotalkaloids. Arora has pointed out that the following conditions are necessaryfor mycotoxins to affect humans:

What Is Ascospores Mold

Ascospores are a phase in the life cycle of many fungi belonging to the Ascomycota division. With thousands of known species, these fungi are highly variable and can grow as budding single cells such as yeasts, or can grow into a macroscopic mycelium, more commonly known as a mold. These molds can come in many shapes, sizes and colors, with varying transparency/opaqueness.

In the house, you can generally find them everywhere, from bathroom tiles to the ceiling, on floors, walls and doors.

However, although the complete list of their habitats is practically endless, the following list suggests areas to keep an eye on:

• Windows
• Walls and cabinets
• Airtight closets

In short, these molds can grow relatively well in damp, enclosed, wet or air sealed surfaces or materials.

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Why Do I Have Aspergillus Penicillium On My Walls

Causes of Aspergillus Penicillium on Walls and on Wood The places in your home that aspergillus penicillium is most likely to grow are the ones commonly exposed to moisture, such as your kitchen, bathroom, and basement. Just like other molds, aspergillus penicillium grows and thrives in damp, dark areas.

Question: Pen/asp At Under 500 Spores/m3

I am a senior citizen and feel that I am not informed enough to know if i need to be concerned about the air sample i had done in my home. EMSL did an air sample in my family room and foundthe following:Aspergillus/penicillin in family room: Raw Count 22 Count/m2 464 % of total 38.7

OUTSIDE: raw count 1 Count/m2 21 % of total 0.2

A swab in my basement was taken because my ice maker in my kitchen leaked on a tile and a black spot looked like mole to me. Myxomycetes was “High” Are those counts high? Do I need more extensive testing or professional remediation? – Viola Turner 8/22/11

Reply:

Viola, EMSL is the giant among mold test labs, having bought up lots of smaller labs around the country, and in my experience their training and expertise are very good. . I don’t doubt the lab work itself.But an air test alone to screen a building for mold, without a competent building inspection and taking of history of building-related complaints, is just very unreliable. A very low computed mold count is not usually a problem indicator but it might or might not have meaning, depending on what’s actually going on at the building.

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Question: Cladosporium At 550 Spores

REcently had a mold test done on a home I am looking to purchase. The Cladosporium spore leves was 550 and the raw count was 83. What does this mean? Is it dangerous? – Sue 5/25/2012

Reply:

Sue, the mold count might be low – depending on what kind of test was performed and how it was conducted, and it might also be meaningless. You will want to ask the person you paid to inspect and test your home to help you interpret the meaning of the mold test lab report.

That person has key information that we do not – about the building interior, exterior, components, visible mold, leak history, and related data. In general, air counts alone, without a competent inspection, history taking, occupant interview, etc. are so unreliable as to be aptly criticized as junk science. See AIR TEST FOR MOLD: ACCURACY for an explanation.

Sue is the raw account was 83, and your total account was 550, this last number is based on the relationship ratio m3 and 1000 liters..remember 1 m3= 1000 liters,,,by looking the raw count # of 83, with a simple calculation you can find the total # based on 1 m3 or 1000 liters as a volumen.

Reply:

Thanks Al, well put. Keep in mind that on the face of it, it would be absurd to launch a very costly building treatment based on 83 actual airborne particles collected in a single sample, regardless of the equivalent airborne concentration converted to spores per cubic meter of air.

– Ed.

Human Health Complaints On Exposure To Problematic Mold Possibly Including Mycotoxins

Given even these stringent criteria, field investigations of moldy buildings that we have conducted from 1986 to present, included both human building occupants and in some cases pets who appeared exhibit complaints or symptoms consistent with mycotoxin exposure.

Some of these clients and their physicians confirmed that exposure by appropriate medical tests.

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Are Ascospores Asexual

No. In fact, the life cycle of most Ascomycota species can be divided into two distinct reproductive phases sexual and asexual. While the former phase involves the formation of Ascospores, the topic of conversation, the latter involves asexual spores called conidiospores, which are produced on specialized stalks .