What is mold?Molds are relatives of mushrooms, part of the "kingdom" of fungi. Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds function in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead plants. Molds reproduce by means of small spores that are too small to be seen individually with the naked eye. (source: EPA) The outdoor air has a continuous and inexhaustible supply of mold spores, and all of us are exposed to fungal spores daily in the air we breathe. (source: AIHA) How do mold spores get into a house or building?Most, if not all, of indoor mold originates from outdoor sources. (source: AIHA) Some mold spores become airborne and move indoors along with air currents through open windows and doors. Spores that are not in the air can be tracked indoors on shoes, pets, shopping bags, and household items. Once spores enter, they can settle onto carpeting, draperies, furniture, countertops or other surfaces in the home. While it is not possible to keep spores out of your home, regular cleaning removes settled mold spores along with other settled dust particles. (source: NAHB) Efficient furnace filters can also capture airborne mold spores when air is drawn through the furnace or air conditioners. How does mold grow?Mold grows when a spore settles on a spot with the right supply of moisture, air (oxygen), and food. All three are necessary for the spore to grow into a mold "colony." For example, the green mold growing on bread that's been on the counter too long started with a mold spore that landed on the bread some days ago. The fuzzy or powdery-looking green spot is a mold colony, and the powder is mostly made up of thousands of new mold spores. The area's climate, outdoor conditions around the home, and the living habits in a household can affect the chance that mold will grow indoors. Mold spores can grow in wet or damp parts of a home - areas that have had flooding, or where leakage has occurred in roofs, pipes, walls, or from appliances. (source: NAHB) Other sources of moisture are damp basements or crawl spaces, or condensation on cold surfaces. Humidifier use, bathroom showers and steam from cooking may also create problems if not well ventilated. (source: AIHA) What does mold grow on?Food sources for mold include many "organic" (carbon-containing) materials – wood products, paper, cardboard, cloth (including natural fiber upholstery, drapes, clothing and rags), wallboard, ceiling tiles, paint, wallpaper, and house dust. ;Mold doesn’t grow well on many man-made items, such as plastics, or non-carbon based materials, such as metal, glass, or tile, because it can't "eat" these things. However, mold may grow on damp dirt or dust on surfaces of these things. Mold growing in one spot does not have the ability to move around to other places on its own; it is the mold spores already present on surfaces or spores settled out of the air that will grow on surfaces with the right conditions. Mold prefers temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Mold can begin to grow within 48 hours in a moist environment combined with room-temperature conditions and a food source, although there might not be enough growth to be visible until days or weeks later. (source: NAHB) Why should I prevent mold indoors?Small amounts of mold growth in workplaces or homes (such as mildew on a shower curtain or mold on old food) are common. But unusual or large areas of mold should be prevented or cleaned up. Large amounts of mold growth on accessible indoor surfaces can result in more than normal amounts of mold in the air, musty odors, or health problems for some people. In addition, mold growth can discolor or damage the surface of building materials, finishes, furnishings and, in some cases, cause structural damage to wood. (Wood-rot fungi are not molds, but these fungi can occur with water damage and often cause structural damage to wood materials). What are the possible health effects from molds?Some people are allergic to certain types of mold and may have hay-fever or asthma symptoms when exposed. About one person in twenty is predicted to have, at some time, allergic symptoms from mold (source ACOEM 2003). These symptoms stop when the person is no longer exposed to the mold. People with severe immune system problems, such as bone-marrow transplant patients, may develop mold infections; however, these people are at risk of infection in places with normal amounts of mold spores. People in occupations or situations with exposures to extremely large amounts of airborne mold spores, such as agricultural workers and mushroom farm workers, have risks of other illnesses such as organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) that may be due to mold. Other health effects have not been linked to indoor mold and dampness; these have been studied and reviewed recently by the Institute of Medicine (IOM 2004). If any member of your family is sensitive to mold or appears to have allergic reactions under normal household conditions, you should talk to a health care provider for guidance. How can I prevent mold from growing in my house?Mold spores are all around us, both indoors and out, in the offices, schools and other public and private buildings in which we work and live. Nevertheless, indoor mold growth can be prevented. Mold growth requires air, moisture, and food. Depriving mold of any of these three items will stop it from growing. It will not kill mold that is already present; mold spores will remain dormant, and if the air, moisture, and food all reappear, mold will begin to grow again. Air is nearly always present, but we can usually control moisture and food sources. The most important steps in controlling mold growth are to prevent or eliminate excess moisture, prevent accumulations of dirt or debris that might be a source for mold growth, and clean any existing mold. Precautionary steps include:
(source: NAHB) How do I get rid of mold in my house?It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will always be found floating through the air and in house dust. The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back. (source: EPA) To clean up small amounts of mold growth, use detergent and water to wash mold off hard surfaces, and dry completely. Replace porous or absorbent materials having large areas of mold if cleaning is not an option or replacement is cheaper (such as ceiling tiles, wallboard, and carpeting). It may be useful to consult with a restoration specialist to make these determinations. If you do not see mold growth but notice a musty odor, mold may be growing behind water-damaged materials, such as walls, carpeting, or wallpaper. Persons cleaning mold should wear gloves and a dust mask or respirator to avoid breathing spores or other dusts that may get stirred up during cleaning (an N95 dust mask or respirator may be purchased in hardware stores). If you have health concerns, you should consult your doctor before doing any mold cleanup. (source: AIHA) Could there have been mold in my house during the construction process?We employ proactive measures and careful protocols to control and eliminate excess moisture in houses under construction—which is the key to reducing the potential for mold growth. We follow industry best practices for preventing moisture-related problems within homes, including the proper and timely placement of vapor barriers over crawl spaces, and the use of digital moisture meters to test for elevated levels of moisture in building materials. If moisture is present at levels above industry standards, we use a combination of corrective measures depending on the specific situation. Drying techniques can include the use of dehumidifiers, heaters and air movers to eliminate the excess moisture. Any mold growth that is identified is quickly remedied. Smaller amounts of mold in places that are easily accessible are cleaned with a solution of detergent and water, then thoroughly dried. In other cases, outside professionals are brought in to implement a protocol for cleaning and drying the structure. Does my homeowner's warranty cover mold problems?Because our homebuyers’ satisfaction with their Quadrant home is always our top priority, we take active steps to address mold-related issues as they arise. In many instances, the repair of leaks that introduce moisture into a Quadrant home that could potentially lead to the presence of mold is covered under the terms and conditions of Quadrant’s homeowner warranty agreement, including any corrective measures to repair and dry moist areas. Please review your homeowner warranty for the details, and contact Warranty Service if you have any questions. Service requests or questions can be submitted through the Warranty Service Request Form available on Quadrant’s Web site, or by calling the Warranty Department at (800) 338-8733. Where can I obtain more information about moisture and mold?
We also encourage you to contact your physician or other health care provider if you have health-related questions.
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