North Sound Mold Solutions Blog

Whats A "Spore" Count?

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 23:00:28 GMT

What Level of Mold Spores Is Dangerous?

When we are called to a property for testing of the indoor air (IAQ) testing clients are often asking well what if we find mold? We inform everyone that mold is present everywhere and every structure has it indoors. The very act of leaving your property walking outside and coming back in brings with it spores in the outdoor air. What we look at from the lab is the comparison. We compare the types and counts on the outdoor control sample to that of the various indoor samples. Then we look at counts and types. While some types can have larger counts indoors and be ok, some mold spores are known to me more toxigenic so their counts indoors can be more cause for concern. Testing and inspecting for mold needs to be examined on a case by case basis, no structure or home is the same. See below for count and type examples.

What May Be Considered A Normal Mold Count?

When we examine a home and get results, a normal mold spore count in a structure will land around 200-500 spores(per cubic meter, or m³). In fact, in most cases counts between 1-1500 mold spores in a room is often what would be considered normal as long as mold colonies are not visible and we did not locate any moisture presence or damage during our inspection.

Mold spores are present in virtually every room of every building. These microscopic spores can come in from many different ways. They will attach and travel on the clothing you wear to having your windows open and a breeze blowing in. This is also why time of year and current conditions are important to note during a test. We generally prefer relatively closed conditions during testing to avoid the numbers being skewed.

Types

Penicillium/Aspergillus

The most common mold spore species to appear in indoor air samples. The majority of the hundreds of sub-species are allergenic; only a few are toxic. This group of species only grows with the humidity in the air as its water source.

Cladosporium

The most common mold species found indoors and outdoors, indoors this species grows well in damp environments and areas where condensation builds up (window sills/frames), and is considered to be allergenic.

Curvularia

Another common allergenic mold known to bring on hay fever, asthma, and fungal sinusitis.

Chaetomium

A common water marker mold that usually indicates cellulose materials (wet paper and/or drywall).

Stachybotrys

The most common toxic mold species, but not all sub-species are toxic. People often associate this with "toxic black mold" as it has become labeled. These species need a direct water source to grow and produce mycotoxins that can cause burning sensations in the mouth and throat. Considered a damp mold, if in the air often from something that was damp being disturbed.

Memnoniella

A common mold found with the above and considered a sister mold to Stachybotrys. The two species will grow together; also considered toxic.

Because mold spore species and levels differ within each state, agreements are hard to come by with analysts and scientists. For this reason we always conduct a comparison to an outdoor air sample.

The following mold spore ranges use the spore/m³ number and not the raw count for each species when interpreted in a lab’s “Air Sample Report”.

What Is Considered A High Mold Count?

0-50 spores

These amounts would be considered trace levels and as such, are a non-issue. Even Stachybotrys at this low amount is not considered an issue if the sample does not also contain water markers like Chaetomium and Fusarium or high levels of Penicillium/Aspergillus.

50-200 spores

Still very low levels; the toxic mold species Stachybotrys and Memnoniella are the only species to be considered an issue at this level. Even then this level can be hard to pinpoint causation absent a moisture condition.

200-500 spores

The most common species (Penicillium/Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Curvularia) are not an issue and stay within the normal range.

500-1500 spores

Sometimes the Penicillium/Aspergillus & Cladosporium levels are in this range and do not require remediation. If water intrusion or mold was not found during the inspection, these levels can be caused by normal life in an enclosed environment.

1500-3000 spores

This point indicates that an issue may be apparent unless a corresponding number in the outdoor sample exists. If water intrusion or mold issue wasn’t found, these levels can be achieved by a dusty home or A/C system. At times levels indoors can be this high or more and not an issue (if very dry time of year, warmer weather and doors/windows open often).

3000-10,000 spores

Without a corresponding number in the outdoor sample, some remediation is necessary. A perimeter clean-up is needed if a mold spore source has been identified. If water intrusion or mold issue wasn’t found, the home may need to be cleaned and the duct system should be evaluated.

10,000-25,000 spores

Without a corresponding number in the outdoor sample, a mold spore source is usually identified, and remediation is needed. If no water intrusion or mold issue was found, we would begin to look at belongings, house history and the HVAC system(s) as they may need to be cleaned in addition to a deep cleaning of the residence.

25,000-75,000+ spores

Counts this high should be apparent and easy to locate. Clean up will be required and should be performed by a Professional Mold Remediator.

75,000-1,000,000+ spores

The mold issue will be evident. Remediation will be required, give North Sound Mold Solutions a call!

If you suspect and issue or are having issues with molds, allergens or moisture, give us a call!

"I'll Just Use Bleach, Isn't That What You Do?"

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 21:44:17 GMT

Please Just Put Down the Bottle!

Clients will often ask us, "well its just a little mold, can't I just wipe with some bleach, that's what you all use isn't it?"

While some of the products we may choose to use on a mold job do contain some sodium hypochlorite (bleach), the products don't just contain bleach and are MADE to treat and control mold growth with fungicides. Simply put, store bought bleach is mostly water. We will advise that by simply using bleach and a sponge you can make the problem worse if you are wiping the mold off the wall with bleach.

Sodium Hypochlorite diluted down is what we buy off the store shelves and commonly know as bleach. Bleach is a strong disinfectant, but it is not effective at killing mold that has penetrated deep into a material. When you wipe mold with bleach, the bleach may kill the mold on the surface, but it will not kill the mold that is growing deeper inside the material where source removal is required because we need to remove the moisture problem and get to the hyphae of the mold spore. By spraying and wiping the surface you are introducing more H2O onto the surfaces which can lead to the mold growing back, becoming worse, spreading, and it can also create a toxic environment.

If you have mold in your home, it is important to have it professionally removed. A professional will be able to identify the type of mold, assess the extent of the problem, and remove the mold safely and effectively.

Here are some of the risks of wiping mold with bleach:

1- Toxic fumes. Mixing bleach with other cleaning products, such as ammonia, can create toxic fumes. These fumes can be harmful to your health, especially if you have asthma or other respiratory problems.

2- Spreading mold spores. When you wipe mold with bleach, you can spread the mold spores into the air. These spores can then settle on other surfaces in your home, where they can grow and spread.

3- Damage to surfaces. Bleach can damage some surfaces, such as wood and natural stone. If you are not sure whether it is safe to use bleach on a particular surface, it is best to err on the side of caution and use a different cleaning product.

To be clear, if you find mold in your home, it is important to take action to remove it immediately. But first, why is it there, without diagnosing the symptom we can't arrive at a solution to remove it. Do not attempt to remove mold yourself if you are not sure how to do it safely.

A professional mold remediation company will have the experience and training to safely and effectively remove mold from your home.

But the Water is in the CrawlSpace!

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 18:12:52 GMT

Moisture under the home can impact the entire structure!

Clients will ask well how can my air quality and/or attic be mold because the moisture was under the home? It is a great question and it leads us back to cause and effect and the stack effect, which we have posted about before.

A wet crawlspace can cause a variety of issues for a home, and one of the most concerning is mold growth. However, what many homeowners may not realize is that a wet crawlspace can also lead to mold growth in the attic, this may seem like an unlikely connection, but there are several reasons why it can happen. This is also a location that a homeowner will rarely if ever go into this space and some may not even know where the access is.

First and foremost, a wet crawlspace creates a perfect environment for mold to grow. Mold thrives in damp and humid conditions, and a wet crawlspace can provide just that. Often poor exterior drainage, soils and lack of airflow allows for ground water to enter a crawl space. As moisture evaporates from the crawlspace, it can rise up into the attic, increasing the humidity level there as well. This elevated humidity can create the ideal conditions for mold growth in the attic.

Additionally, a wet crawlspace can lead to poor indoor air quality throughout the home, including the attic. As moisture evaporates from the crawlspace, it can carry with it any mold spores or other contaminants that may be present. These can then spread throughout the home, including into the attic, where they can settle and begin to grow.

Finally, another way that a wet crawlspace can cause mold growth in the attic is through air movement. As air circulates throughout the home, it can carry moisture and mold spores from the crawlspace up into the attic. This is especially true if there are gaps or cracks in the home’s insulation or ventilation system, as these can allow air to flow freely between the crawlspace and the attic. We often see this in older structures, or those that have had some extensive remodeling. Newer construction will have more air sealing taking place to reduce those open penetrations. A wet crawlspace can lead to structural damage in the home, which can then contribute to mold growth in the attic. Moisture can weaken the home’s foundation and framing, which can lead to sagging floors and walls. This can create gaps and cracks in the home’s structure, which can allow moisture and mold spores to travel freely between the crawlspace and the attic.

Overall, a wet crawlspace can be a serious problem for a home, and one that can lead to mold growth in the attic. If you suspect that your home has a wet crawlspace, it’s important to address the issue as soon as possible. This may involve installing a vapor barrier or improving the home’s ventilation system, among other solutions. By taking action to address a wet crawlspace, you can help to protect your home and your family from the dangers of mold growth. Give us a call if you suspect you may have an issue, we would be happy to help.

Should I Test My Indoor Air Quality?

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 00:33:35 GMT

To Test or Not to Test!

The question of should you or shouldn't you test your indoor air quality(IAQ) is truly up to the individual. Just as there are thousands of types of molds, spores and fungi that can all impact people and individuals differently so does indoor air quality. Air quality testing is an essential aspect of ensuring the health and safety of individuals and communities. The air we breathe plays a crucial role in our overall well-being, and poor air quality can have serious negative effects on our health and the environment.

One of the main reasons why air quality testing is so important is because it helps to identify sources of pollution and track changes in air quality over time. This information is vital for understanding the impact of human activities on the environment and for developing policies and practices to reduce pollution and improve air quality. We are often called to test the IAQ for those that may be sensitive, have allergies, asthma, or if the property has experienced a water loss, or a past mold issue. Should these be the case you should absolutely test your air quality before a purchase and especially after a water event that likely caused some mold to form. Testing post remediation is also a good indicator as to whether the scope and quality of a remediation job was completed.

Air quality testing can also help to identify and address health concerns that may be caused by poor air quality. There are times when the house is "sick", it is not ventilated properly, is too humid, or has an unknown leak or water issue. Often people will experience air quality or breathing issues after a remodel as items not disturbed for years suddenly are and materials are now airborne. Settled spores often won't harm occupants until made friable or thrown into the air, the HVAC system, or tracked through a home. For example, we recently had high levels come back on one room of a basement that had just had the carpets cleaned. The spores were not located in the other testing areas, leading us to assume they had settled into the carpet fibers and during the cleaning were brough out and into that family room. Sure enough, we advised to have the carpets high-temperature cleaned again, and we provided some air scrubbing for a few days until the area dried. We re-tested and levels were normal, clients were happy.

Overall, air quality testing is an essential tool for protecting the health and safety of individuals and communities, and for understanding and addressing the impacts of human activities on the environment. It is critical that air quality testing be conducted regularly and that the results be used to inform decisions and policies that promote clean air and a healthy environment. Give us a call if you have any IAQ needs.

How Can My Attic Be Moldy!

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 23:27:04 GMT

You Can Thank the "Stack Effect"!

Living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest has many perks but also many days of cooler, damp conditions. This has us inside many attic spaces with clients who simply can’t understand why the attic is experiencing a mold condition when they have had no water events, and no visible mold inside the living space! It’s a great question and can also be a simple…(not really!) one too! I will explain.

Stack – WHAT!??

The good news is that mold in the attic has little opportunity to cross contaminate the living space (unless your attic is used for storage all the time). But prolonged issues can impact the structure, or if selling, your resale value! The reason contamination isn’t likely is thanks to a little phenomenon called the “stack effect” (see image below) everything in a structure rises through it and out the roof. This can present and be more evident in the colder months when all the warm air we create (through HVAC heating, fireplaces, pellet stoves, etc.) rises and that heat flow creates condensation which can settle into the attic space. In the really cold days, we see attics frosty!

Your attic is designed to help keep the roof up, keep you warm (with insulation), but also to provide a means to ventilate the home. This is accomplished through various types of roof and soffit vents. Maybe you have gable vents, or a more modern ridge vent system in place. Also rising through the attic are your mechanical vent systems. These would be your bathroom, kitchen, laundry, or in some cases a whole house vent system. Now, should any of these various vents, pipes, fans, etc. fail to exhaust up and out of the attic, that airflow along with the rising air from the structure get inside that attic and get confused where to go. Heat naturally wants to get to cold as fast as it can and the underside of your roof (the sheathing) is cold, so it loves to rise up and attach to that wood material. Along with that air rising comes dirt, debris, spores, or anything else and that all collects on the underside of the roof sheathing and sometimes the framing, creating mold! See I told you it was a “simple” answer!

Great info, now what!

Ok, so now you have your answer, but what is the remedy? This is not a one and done answer for everyone. Sometimes it is simply re-connecting the mechanical vents to ensure they leave the attic space, then cleaning a small area. Other times it is much more complex. In older homes we often see air infiltrating the attic through all the holes cut in the ceiling. Due to older homes being updated more than once, there are often many more new penetrations than before. These can be from wires, lights, fans, junction boxes even from around the drywall tape if in a state of disrepair. In these instances, those penetrations need to be sealed up. We must control the moisture entering the attic in order to stop the mold from coming back. Anything short of that is simply a short-term solution. This process typically involves insulation removal, foam sealing penetrations, treating, and remediating the mold (after we ensure the space is dry, below 20% moisture content), and then re-insulating ensuring all venting is sufficient. If you happen to have this issue plus a pest problem, then those folks need to get involved too.

There are many companies that will promise they can come out and remove the mold problem without insulation removal, or air sealing if needed, but I am here to tell you that yes what they do will treat and likely kill what is there today, but spray and pray is not the right way and it will all come back and possibly worse. If you don’t control the source and cause of the mold, which is usually moisture, and you induce more moisture through treatment, guess what happens? Yup, more mold and it comes right back. We see it time, and time again.

If you are having an issue in your attic, give us a call, we will evaluate and let you know the right solution, and work with you to make sure your home is safe!

Why is everything always described as “Black Mold”!?

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 18:15:56 GMT

Molds can vary just like the colors of a Rainbow!

The vast majority of the time we initially speak with clients, the first words out of their mouths are that “I have, or I know I have black mold”! Now while many molds do present as black, and many molds have dirt and debris in them making them darker, molds can come in a myriad of colors, textures, and species of fungi and often change colors over the course of its lifetime. We have seen black, brown, white, green, and even pink as the spores eat organic matter, they often will take on the colors of the materials they are feeding on, also light levels, and humidity can play a part in color. The color is made up of the spores, the second color is called the body, and the filaments are what explore and produce more spores. Even a loaf of bread can be a rainbow of colors!

But please don’t let color fool you or give you a false sense of security because it isn’t black! Molds when found in a structure should be taken seriously and are often a result of an underlying larger issue and in either instance or both, it needs to be professional dealt with. Molds can be hazardous to your health and according to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of mold overexposure include respiratory complications like wheezing, coughing, sneezing, allergies, and even asthma. Here are a few keys to various colors, as you can see below many species come in similar colors, so the lab is the determining factor when a sample is needed:

Here are what certain mold colors may be telling you:

Pink ► Pink mold is often seen in the bathroom or kitchen, but it is not actually mold at all. It is a bacteria called Serratia marcescens. Although not a mold, it still presents hygiene and health issues, like urinary tract and respiratory infections.

Yellow , Green or Black ► Mold that appears yellow, green, or black could possibly be Aspergillus mold. According to the CDC, these are the types of molds we breathe in almost every day without getting sick. However, concentrated exposure can be hazardous, especially for those with existing lung problems or suppressed immune systems. In individuals like these, it can cause aspergillosis, which presents itself as coughing, wheezing, and sinus inflammation.

Greenish - Black ► Mold that appears greenish-black in color could be Stachybotrys genus, which is also known as the dreaded “black mold.” Exposure to such mold has been linked to serious health conditions. It is a damp mold and can be slimy, yuck! It is commonly located on materials that are high-cellulose, low-nitrogen surfaces (like drywall, paper, or dust and lint that is constantly exposed to moisture).

Black or Gray ► Mold that is black or gray might be Alternaria, which is one of the most common types in outdoor areas. It likes to grow in or near damp, dusty areas, as well as soils. It is often found in household dust, so be sure you keep up with your dust bunny cleaning routine.

Green ► Green mold is tricky and vague as it can be any kind of unpleasant fungus. There are literally thousands of species of green mold.

Blue , Green , or White ► Molds of these colors generally point to the Penicillium genus. Several years ago, this species of mold was used to make penicillin. Nowadays, it is usually found growing on food(see bread above, or the old block of cheese in the fridge) or on walls.

Olive Green , Gray , Brown , or Black ► Molds that appear in these color formations likely belong to the Cladosporium genus. You can find this mold growing indoors and outdoors, on plant leaves, soil, walls, insulation, and damp carpeting. According to the CDC, they are most commonly linked to minor health complications like skin, eye, and sinus infections; but they have also been known to brain infections like fungal meningitis.

Regardless of the color, if you see or suspect you have a mold issue give us a call. You can still call it black mold, we don’t hold that against anybody, and all we want to do is help. Getting customers back to a safe and healthy environment is our goal.

“Don’t let Mold Ruin your Day, We’re Here to Help Make it Go Away!”

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

dbinatl0@gmail.com (donald browning) — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:12:32 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.