The mere sight of mold is enough to cause alarm. The cost of remediation and potential health risks come with mold growth within the home, especially for immunocompromised individuals.
Knowledge is power when it comes to mold, and in today’s blog, we’re discussing the 12 different types of mold and their effects on your home and your health. Keep reading to learn more.
Classifications of Mold
- Allergenic. Allergenic molds will cause allergic reactions in anyone who comes near the site of the mold. Eye irritation, skin irritation, and asthma are the most common allergic reactions, although they are not the only ones.
- Pathogenic. Pathogenic molds are rarer but serious as they can cause disease.
- Toxigenic. Toxigenic molds produce toxins that can cause life-threatening health conditions.
It can be tough to tell what kind of mold is growing. That’s why hiring a mold remediation specialist to remove mold in your home is so important; they can remove any type of mold, including pathogenic or toxigenic kinds, that you don’t want your family exposed to.
As you learn about the health effects of mold, you’ll feel a renewed commitment to keeping it out of your home.
12 Different Types of Mold
There are 12 primary types of mold, and we’re covering every kind in this blog. Keep reading to learn each mold’s classification, where it grows in your home, and how dangerous it is.
- Acremonium. This mold can be both pathogenic and toxigenic, making it critical to remove it as quickly as possible. You’ll find acremonium in damp places, often found in flooded areas or buildings with water damage that was never remediated.
Acremonium starts small and moist but quickly grows into a powdery material that can be grey, orange, white, or pink. If you catch the acremonium immediately, water and bleach will remove it, and a disinfectant spray will clean the air.
- Alternaria. This mold is allergenic; while it won’t cause you to contract a deadly disease, it will still make you sneeze, give you watery eyes, and aggravate health conditions like asthma. Alternaria grows on carpets, wallpapers, window frames, and A/C systems. It also grows on plants, fruits, and vegetables.
Alternaria has 250 different species that all spread in dry, windy conditions. It’s best to have a professional mold removal company remove this mold, as it can only be detected with a mold test and surface sampling.
- Aspergillus. This mold is allergenic and toxigenic; it will give you allergies and can cause lung disease, making it imperative to treat it immediately. It grows on damp walls and other surfaces and can be yellow-green or blue-green. Chemical and antifungal treatments can get rid of Aspergillus.
- Aureobasidium. This allergenic mold can cause asthma, hay fever, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. It can be black, cream, or pink and is commonly found in bathrooms and kitchens, where it will grow on your tile grout or caulking.
Keeping your home clean is the best way to get Aureobasidium out. But if you spot it, call a mold removal company right away.
- Chaetomium. This mold is allergenic or pathogenic and can cause asthma, hay fever, sinus issues, and cancer. It commonly grows in buildings with water damage, dry walls, wallpaper, and wood.
- Cladosporium. This mold is allergenic or pathogenic and grows in dark, poorly-ventilated areas. It can cause allergies and infect your nails or eyes. It’s velvety in texture and looks olive-gray. Infants are particularly prone to getting sick from Cladosporium.
- Fusarium. This mold is allergenic. It grows in gardens and crop fields. That includes indoor house plants, so keep a close eye out for it if you have a green thumb since fusarium can damage your home’s structure.
But before you panic, remember that fusarium is usually found in the soil around plants and crops. Mold in that soil will only destroy your home’s foundation if that soil is right under your house. Call a mold restoration company immediately if you suspect Fusarium under your home.
- Mucor. This mold is allergenic and grows on dust, carpets, mattresses, and the air. It’s yellow or white with a cotton texture. Regularly cleaning the air, carpets, rugs, and beds can prevent Mucor from growing.
Mucor is fairly common, but it’s relatively low-risk unless you have a pre-existing condition. However, keep in mind that Mucor can cause additional symptoms if you are sick, including pulmonary infections, GI infections, and cutaneous infections.
- Penicillium. This mold is allergenic and grows wherever there is indoor moisture. It smells musty, making it easier to identify, and has a powdery texture. It’s usually blue-green, white, yellow, or pink. Penicillium can cause allergies, hay fever, and inflammation of the lungs.
- Stachybotrys. This toxigenic mold grows in wet places such as bathroom ceilings, wet carpets, laundry rooms, and basements. It can cause dermatitis, mucous membrane pain, respiratory issues, fever, headaches, and fatigue.
Stachybotrys is better known as black mold and is green-black and sticky. It’s highly toxic, and long-term exposure can be deadly.
- Trichoderma. This mold is allergenic and might make you sneeze or cough. Unfortunately, it can also cause asthma and lung infections. Trichoderma grows on carpets, wallpaper, wooden furniture, or flooring. It’s white and green.
Trichoderma will rot wood, damage your home’s structure, and potentially cause lung infections, making it essential to remediate immediately.
- Ulocladium. This mold is allergenic and grows in damp places and in the air. Ulocladium is brown, black, or grey and has a fluffy texture. If Ulocladium is in the air, the window can blow it into your home and land on objects. If ingested, it can hurt your respiratory system, causing asthma and hay fever.
Contact Utah Disaster Cleanup Today
It’s difficult to track every mold that can grow in your home. That’s why Utah Disaster Cleanup is here to test your home for mold and, if found, remediate it so that it won’t come back. If the mold growth in your home results from water damage, we can remediate that, too. Mold removal is best left to the professionals since we have the necessary equipment and PPE to protect ourselves and your home during cleanup.
Utah Disaster Cleanup is headquartered in Murray, Utah, and serves the Salt Lake and Utah Valley areas. Call us at 435.512.1584, or fill out the form on our website to get started. We’ll provide fast, friendly service when you need it. Plus, all our work comes with a one-year guarantee.
Let Utah Disaster Cleanup remediate your home today.
