More about Mold...

So you may be wondering, "How much mold is too much?" The answer is, it varies from person to person, and with age. Have you ever had athletes foot? That's a mold! And if you're allergic to penicillin, you're allergic to mold.

Neither I nor any other mold remediator can answer specific health questions - we don't practice medicine (and our doctors don't remediate mold!) Generally speaking, though, the very young or elderly are at highest risk from exposure to excessive mold spores.

A few molds are especially worrisome at high levels in the home - for example:

Stachybotrys is a hydrophilic mold that prefers very wet cellulose-based materials. It is one of many toxigenic molds, and its presence would suggest a chronic water problem.

Aspergillus Flavus can produce aflatoxin B1 which is considered a carcinogen.

Aspergillus Fumigatus is an opportunistic fungi (meaning it affects primarily those individuals with a compromised immune system) that can result in Aspergillosis. Again, the elderly or very young, as well as chronically ill people, would be at highest risk from this toxin.

Two even more dangerous fungi are Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma Capsulatum. These are fungal pathogens that prefer to grow in bat or bird droppings, can be easliy aerosolized if disturbed, and can cause disease in healthy individuals. If you have bat or bird infestation in an attic, call a professional for cleanup! Click here for BioHazard Cleanup Information.

So what should you look for in a remediation company? First of all, the personnel performing the work should hold an IICRC Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (or AMRT) Certification. They should share information with you in a non-threatening way, not trying to "scare" you into doing business with them. A reputable company will have clean, well-kept equipment and fresh new containment barriers (not re-used plastic) when they start work. They should establish containment first, then negative pressure in the containment, using HEPA filtered airscrubbers to protect the rest of the indoor environment. There should be a gauge on the containment to show that it has the required negative pressure, and they should be willing to show you that it is in fact working!

Click here for more information on Durango Mold Remediation, or call us at 385-8444 for expert inspection and remediation assistance! Or click this link to read what the Colorado Health Department has to say about Mold in Colorado.