Mold has received a lot of attention recently due to illness, allergies and asthma it causes. But, mold is not a new problem. Read Leviticus chapter 14 verses 33-57 to learn how they remediated mold. Most of their procedures are still used. Mold has been documented to have caused the Ergot (food poisoning) Epidemic that affected Europe for over 500 years, and the Irish Potato Famine was mold, killing the potato plants.

Ever since the 1970’s when energy cost started to soar to today, home construction has changed. Now homes have improved insulation, vapor barriers, and less outside air ventilation, this saves energy but it creates an environment similar to a plastic bag. Most mold problems are a result of water events. Each year, prior to Katrina, 35% of all homes in America had a water event. Mold is a “growing-reproduction machine”. From a water event, mold can start within 24 hours and release millions of spores.

Understand EVERY home has mold, and every person reacts differently to mold. Mold is a fungus. There are good and bad molds some are used in the manufacture of antibiotics, beer and cheese. Others can be toxic and are used to produce bio-weapons. There are 1.5 million species of mold known today. Less than 1% are considered “bad”. But you still may have an allergic reaction to “good” molds in your home. A mold inspection compares the mold spores inside the home and a control outside sample. If the level in the home is not elevated, reflects limited indoor growth. The report will also list the mold types found. You may also request another test for room allergens.

Three groups of molds that can cause health concerns:
Allergenic are molds that cause allergies, asthma, or a runny nose.
Pathogenic molds can cause serious health effects in a person who has a decreased immune system. (Including children under 12, adults over 60)
Toxic molds can cause serious health effects in almost everyone.

If you have allergies or asthma it may be money well spent to test the air quality in your home. When selecting an inspector, do your homework; make sure they are a Certified Mold and Allergen Inspector, by a national organization like ESA. Go to www.envirosolutions.com