Why Mold is Bad

What is mold and why is it bad?

Mold is a living thing that belongs to the fungus family and can grow on plants, fibers, or any poorly lighted surface that contains moisture. The mold fungus reproduces once it finds a specific area conducive for its reproduction and then creates allergens that may cause or irritate several functions of the human body.  Mold digests organic matter by releasing spores and that is mold is bad.

Molds are found everywhere else. They are airborne and can easily appear on items, surfaces and even food. The fuzzy and green or black stuff that grows on bread or on walls and even on your floors are actually mold. But always remember, since mold is airborne, it can exist undetected on locations such as HVAC systems, stored containers, bottles, cabinets, drawers, windows, doors and many more.

How do you know if it is good mold or bad mold? Is there a difference? Yes definitely there are big differences. Not all molds are really bad and toxic to human beings. However, all indoor or household mold growth is totally bad. Household molds can cause health effects and problems to very sensitive individuals once left unattended and can grow naturally in your home. The most common effects are allergic responses from breathing mold spores such as; irritation of the nose, throat, lungs and eyes, hay fever and asthma.

As of now, this article cannot actually determine how much mold will be too much to cause reactions to allergens since this vary greatly on individual sensitivity. Exposure to dead as well as living mold spores can cause allergic responses. That is why killing mold using disinfectants or bleach cannot actually prevent allergic responses and needs special protection.

The less common effects of mold exposure are infections and some toxic effects. But serious infections from living molds are rare and only occur in people with severely suppressed immune systems. Several types of molds can produce toxins but only under certain growth conditions. There were toxic effects from eating moldy grain before but evidence is still weak that breathing mold spores while in buildings can cause toxic effects.

The most common symptoms of mold exposure are allergic and irritation reactions. Though some symptoms could vary, here are common symptoms found in people exposed to mold indoors:

• Sinus and nasal congestion
• Eye irritation, for instance red, watery and itchy eyes.
• Respiratory problems, for instance difficulty of breathing and wheezing.
• Coughing constantly
• Throat irritation and inflammation
• Skin irritation and rashes formation
• Headache

Exposure to high amounts of mold is not healthy for anyone. However, some individuals may be more susceptible to mold exposure and have health problems. These would include; persons with current respiratory sensitivities such as allergies, asthma, or emphysema, and persons having a compromised immune system such as HIV/AIDS infection, chemotherapy patients, or organ transplant patients to name a few.

Then, is there such a thing as a “good mold” at all?
There are positive ways mold has been used in our industry and has branded them to be the good mold classification.

Molds are now used positively to produce the antibiotic called Penicillin, which was originally derived from mold and has saved many lives from deadly diseases. Mold is also positively used to age cheeses to its perfection and taste. Lastly, mold is also used to improve the texture of wine and in producing some other types of liquor.  But remember, generally mold is bad.