Types and Classes of Mold

In general, we commonly associate molds with its harmful effects. However, there are different types of molds and each of them has their own set of characteristics. You will be surprised to know that you will find over a hundred types of molds around your house, but they are not all common.
There are a handful of common household molds that we will be enumerating so that you can familiarize yourself with the harmful molds around your home. In the article below, we will also explain the different hazard classification of the common household molds. We will also discuss the potential effects of prolonged exposure to mold and how to deal with them.

Common Types of Household Molds

Acremonium

This type of mold grows slowly and they are moist and compact. Since they are opportunistic pathogens, they can cause some clinical manifestations when it affects infects humans. Some of the clinical manifestations of exposure to Acremonium are  arthritis, osteomyelitis, peritonitis, endocarditis, pneumonia, cerebritis, and subcutaneous infection.

Alternaria

 This species is known to grow indoors and cause opportunistic infections. Exposure to Alternaria can cause hay fever, hypersensitivity, and asthma. They are able to grow thickly and they are green, black, or gray. While this type of mold does not have a serious effect on humans and animals, they are known to cause twenty percent of the overall agricultural spoilage.

 Aspergillus

This mold species commonly grows on wall, but they also tend to linger on pillows. You can also find them in food or the air conditioning. Aspergillus is known to be of some importance in the medical and commercial industry. However, exposure to Aspergillus can lead to ear infection, skin lesion, and ulcer. They are also considered to be allergenic mold, which can have severe effect on someone’s respiratory system and their breathing.

Chaetomium

This genus of mold does not pose any real danger to human health. However, they can cause an allergic reaction when exposed to it.
Cladosporium – There are some molds that are not harmful to humans like cladosporium. It is very rare that they cause harm to humans, but they can cause danger to those with respiratory issues if the person is exposed to a large amount of the mold. Despite being nontoxic, it can also cause rashes and sore throat.

Fusarium

Fusarium is considered to be an agricultural mold since it tends to have a great effect on barley. It is a type of fungus that can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and prostration when mixed with your food.

Mucor

These types of molds tend to grow quickly and rapidly. The Mucor mold colony can either be white or gray and they can grow for several centimeters in height. There are several species of Mucor, but most of them cannot affect humans since they struggle to grow on warm environments.

Rhizopus

This fungus typically grows on fruits and vegetables that have matured along with their byproducts. When exposed to rhizopus, you can also contract mucormycosis. They can also be found as a mold on bread and it can cause infection to humans.

Stachybotrys – Stachybotrys

 is known to be a toxic mold since it can cause fatality when someone is exposed to it. It can produce toxins, but the mold itself is not toxic. However, this type of mold can also be easily cleaned with just soap and water.

Ulocladium

This fungus can cause food spoilage and it also comes with plant pathogen agents. The ulocladium species used to be part of the Alternaria family, which they resemble. However, this type of fungi does not pose real danger to the health of humans, but they can cause structural deficiencies due to the fact that they thrive in water.

Hazard Classification of Molds

After discussing the different types of mold in the section above, we know that not all molds can pose a serious danger. Some molds can produce a fatal effect on humans, but others can only produce mild dangers. In fact, you can classify the hazard type of a mold into three classes. However, it is still important to eliminate these molds from your home.

Hazard Class A –

When a mold is classified as being Class A, it means that this mold can cause serious danger since it is the most hazardous type of mold. This type of mold can have fatal effects when you are exposed to it, which means that you have to immediately eliminate this type of mold from the building.

Class A Molds

Stachybotrys

Mucor

Fusarium

Aspergillus

Hazard Class B

While Class B molds are considered to be less hazardous than Class A molds, they can still have an adverse effect on those exposed to their presence. This can also cause damage to the structure of your home, which is why it is also important to remove this type of mold from your immediately.

Class B Molds

Allternaria

Cladosporium

Penicilium

Hazard Class C

Molds that are classified as Class C cause no harm in general to human’s health. However, they can be detrimental to the structure of your home and it can be unpleasant to the eyes. This is why it is also important to remove any traces of any Hazard Class C molds.

Class C Molds

Ulocladium

Chaetomium

The Harmful Effect of Molds

  Potential Effect of Molds on Human Health

Exposure to molds can have several adverse effects on humans. Once you have been exposed to mold, there are certain diseases and conditions that you are likely to contract. The most common effect that molds have on humans is a sudden allergic reaction. There is a high chance that you will have rashes and itching when there is mold around your home.
The presence of molds can also cause asthma and other respiratory issues. If you have difficulty breathing, you must have your home or business tested for the presence of molds. Since molds will be combined with the air, your breathing can be compromised.
You may also begin to notice tightness around the chest area if the exposure to molds has been prolonged. Prolonged exposure to molds can also cause headaches and dizziness. In addition to this, it can lead to eye irritation, epistaxis, and sinus congestion. These symptoms are fairly common when you have been exposed to molds for a prolonged period.
In worse cases, prolonged exposure to molds can cause cancer. There is also a possibility that you may contract hypersensitivity pneumonitis if the mold on your home is classified as a Hazard Class A mold. Toxic molds can also cause pulmonary injury or bleeding.

  Potential Effect of Molds on your Home

 Outdoor Molds

If there are molds on your lawn, it is easy to break down leaves, dead trees, and grass clippings. While this may not seem like an awful occurrence, molds can still crawl their way into your home if you keep your doors and windows open. On top of that, walking through your lawn can also invite the presence of molds and fungi into your home.

 Indoor Molds

Structurally speaking, when a mold is found in your home, it is important to remove them immediately to minimize the effects that it can have on your home. Since most molds thrive on water, moisture on any surface will feed them. This means that molds are likely to survive near the kitchen, bathroom, or other wet spots in your home.
They will become more evident as time passes by and it can cause them to form an unpleasant looking colony around the house. This can even lead to more structural damage since the mold can weaken the surface they live on. When the molds are left for too long, it may cause more damage than necessary since it can weaken the structure of your home. The cost of repairing your home may add up more when the mold is left untreated.

What to do when there is Mold in your Home?

Now that you know all about the repercussions of having mold in your home, you should eliminate their presence around your home. However, it is not always easy to remove molds on your own. There are certain molds that can disappear by just cleaning it with the use of water and soap although it would be better if the mold remediation process will be done by a professional. This is because mold remediation professionals are better equipped to deal with the problem.
At Water Damage Miami, we are trained to efficiently deal with the nasty molds around your home so that you never have to live with them ever again. We have competent professionals and the latest equipment to help you handle the mold situation in your home. We will deal with the root cause of the problem in order to ensure that it will never recur again.