Facts About Mold

Probably one of the perennial problems that most American households face, Mold is a type of fungus which has both plant and animal like properties. It does not utilize photosynthesis to process its food – meaning, it does not need the sun – rather, it utilizes its surroundings to get it. They are decomposers of dead organic material, like dead wood and leaves. We mainly see them in spoiled bread and decaying fruit and are pretty much visible in an area of your house right now. Knowing all about it is pretty important, considering the things that it is capable of doing to the human body. Remember, you are susceptible to have these microorganisms in your home, so it is essential to learn facts about them.

Where does it grow?

Mold is a type of fungus that grows in dead plant material, these include paper and wood. In this context, your school papers, notebooks and other documents are susceptible to mold growth, as well as your house’s wallpaper and wooden components (which predominantly makes up the modern American home). However, do not fret – mold needs a substantial amount of moisture in order to thrive. This is the reason why your dry papers and documents do not have green or black blots in them. One of the scariest things about it is that it can be able to digest synthetic materials like paint and adhesives. Take the case of flooded areas – houses made of wood and are plastered in adhesive wallpaper are susceptible to mold growth. 

How does it spread?

Take it or leave it, mold spreads pretty quickly, being capable of creating multiple colonies in a couple of hours, covering a few feet of the said material. Like most forms of fungi, they are capable of producing spores, which are like airborne seeds which can spread pretty quickly. When these are released, they can be brought anywhere through air or water. Once they land on a moist surface with abundant food and oxygen, they will immediately start to grow. One good example includes a situation where in a bowl contains several types of fruit. Without touching each other, the mold will easily spread. However, it cannot thrive in environments that are dry and are regularly exposed to sunlight, so take precaution!

Health effects

As previously mentioned and emphasized in the previous entries, mold is capable of doing a lot of harm to the human body, from mild allergies to long term irritation and ultimately, death. However, the effects are mostly experienced if an only if there is a substantial amount of mold growing in the area and if they were directly ingested and consumed, like in the case of moldy bread and fruit. Aside from this, they are also capable of skin allergies, which can produce itchy spots on the skin as well as nasal puffiness and frequent sneezing, which is pretty irritating and annoying. It is also known to aggravate nasal complications. The dreaded black mold is rich in toxins, so make sure to avoid which. However, the toxins present in mold were once found out to kill certain types of bacteria and was instrumental to the development of penicillin, which killed off smallpox.