What Are the Most Common Non-toxic Types of Mold?
Whether it’s toxic or not, mold can cause problems. It can lead to the rot of your home’s structural materials, and it may exacerbate any allergies you or your family might have. It’s best to sort it out as soon as you notice it.
Table of Contents
Mold is a kind of fungi. There are many types. It’s essentially a microorganism that grows with a food source and enough moisture. There are three main mold categories:
- Allergenic – not toxic but can trigger allergies.
- Pathogenic – can exacerbate illnesses in people with weak immune systems.
- Toxigenic – produce toxins that can cause health issues or even death.
Non-Toxic Mold Types
As stated, not all molds are toxic, but they can trigger other health issues. The following seven common and allergenic kinds don’t create toxins, but they can exacerbate allergies. Luckily, most molds can be killed by a state-endorsed fungicide.
Alternaria
Usually found in damp window bottoms and bathrooms, Alternaria is the most common type of mold globally. It thrives in outdoor areas but can also grow inside the home if the circumstances are right for it, i.e., there’s lots of damp.
Derived from the genus ascomycete, it often triggers allergies and brings hay fever and asthma attacks.
Aureobasidium
This quick-growing mold grows beneath old paint and wallpaper. The yeast-like mold lives worldwide in exterior and interior environments wherever there’s enough moisture to support its growth.
Read more: How to tell if mold is toxic?
This type comes in several colors.
Scientists use the most well-known species, Aureobasidium pullulans, in biotech research. It’s is a critical ingredient in products that control diseases in plants and is also used to help with food storage.
Chaetomium
Chaetomium loves water damage.
It thrives where there’s plant and soil debris outdoors. It also most commonly grows after houses are damaged by large-scale water leaks or flooding. This allergenic mold usually starts as a white, fuzzy growth.
It later gets darker and can resemble the highly toxic black mold – they both grow in the same kinds of places.
Mucor
This mostly allergenic gray or white mold type festers in home materials with water damage. It’s also common in mattresses and carpets that have had moisture get in.
Also known as “pin mold” due to how it grows, this type thrives in warmer temperatures and can get to an inch in thickness.
Most of the 40-odd Mucor species are not toxic, but one species is quite dangerous. The Mucor indicus species is toxigenic and causes a fungal infection called zygomycosis, killing living tissues.
Penicillium
Yes, a species of this mold type – Penicillium notatum – was the source of the development of antibiotics.
However, you don’t want it in your home in its raw form. This allergenic mold can grow anywhere there is moisture, inside or outside.
The type is typically blue-green with a smooth texture. Its spores are borne in the air, which people may inhale. Contact with the mold can lead to an asthma attack and even heart inflammation.
Serpula
Found exclusively in wood structures, Serpula is a bit different. It grows only on wood and does not need moisture to thrive. It’s mildly allergenic, so it’s not that dangerous to people. However, it destroys wooden beams, furniture, etc., by eating through the cellulose.
Wood that appears dry and crumbly is typically affected by Serpula. It’s also known as dry rot.
Ulocladium
Ulocladium thrives in carpets, drywall, bathrooms, and damp appliances.
It’s another type that thrives with dank moisture. It’s black and can be confused with the notorious toxic black mold. If not removed, it can still trigger allergies and damage appliances and housing materials.
Why Is It Important To Have Non-toxic Mold Removed?
Avoid Damage
While it may not be toxic, any kind of mold can damage the materials making up your home.
It can lead to the discoloration and rotting of materials. It spreads quickly, so you need to be decisive in getting it removed by a professional.
Prevent Allergies
Molds that aren’t toxigenic may not make you dangerously ill, but an allergy flare-up is unpleasant.
Itching skin, blocked nose, wheezing, and watering eyes indicate a flare-up. Getting mold removed will help you avoid an unnecessary allergic reaction.
Increase Home Value
No potential buyer wants to deal with mold’s inconvenience and health issues. It’s usually on buyers’ inspection lists when looking at a home.
A mold-free house will be worth more. A quick way to add value to your home is to get an expert to remove mold.
Read more: Types of house mold
FAQs
How can I Get Rid of Mold?
You can eradicate mold with water, soap, bleach, and other cleaning products. You can do it yourself, but it’s best to call in the professionals to ensure the job is done correctly with the right products and safety equipment. They’ll also use products that will stop it from returning.
Can Non-toxic Mold Make You Sick?
The short answer is yes; non-toxic molds can still make you sick by triggering underlying health issues.
While these allergenic types may not make you as seriously ill as the toxigenic black mold can, they may still be unpleasant. It’s better to remove any mold right away to avoid health risks.
Conclusion
Even non-toxic mold may wreak havoc with your health and your home’s structural materials. So, even if you have non-toxic types at home, you should get them professionally removed as soon as possible.
Contact All Dry USA now for complete mold remediation!
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