Mold... a four letter word!

5/19/2017 (Permalink)

Microbial can be pretty, but they can be a nucience too.

Mold is a four-letter word… most people have a negative feeling as soon as they hear the word. Ironically mold is an important part of life. It is part of the fungi kingdom and it interacts with plants and the eco system in valuable ways. Scientists inform us that life, as we know it, would not be possible without mold. Bakers and brewers and cheese makers rely on mold and yeasts to make their products. There are hundreds of thousands of molds and only a few of them create negative affects on humans.

Why does mold have a bad reputation?

The answer is because there are molds that are able to produce tiny spores that become airborne and these spores can pass through our respiratory system and into the Alveoli sacks in our lungs and cause toxins to enter our blood stream. Infants, seniors and anyone with a compromised immune system are susceptible. These mold are called, “toxic black mold.”

Here is the problem…most molds are black in color, some are white, yellow and pink, but black is the most common color. People hear about “black toxic mold” and then equate the black mold on their wall as being this potentially harmful variety. To add to the problem, some contractors take advantage of persons who may not be fully informed and charge outrageous fees to cleanup any mold, harmful or not.

One of the best sources to learn about mold is to visit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website using mold as a search phrase. You will get easy to understand information about mold, and even tips on how to remove it. Another thing to do is to give us a call, SERVPRO of San Leandro at 510-352-2480.