Here Are the Types of Mold Most Common in New York

Running water in our homes has become more than a luxury. It’s a necessity. We need water to live, but unfortunately, that same water we have flowing through the pipes within our homes can allow other things to live as well, like mold.

Mold is a fungus that can do serious damage to your home and health if it gets out of control. The key to avoiding this problem is being vigilant. Check around your home in dark, damp spaces where people rarely go. Finding mold quickly can make all the difference between severe and minor property damage. If you do discover the pesky fungi in your home, call mold removal specialists in northern PA and western NY, and they’ll help remove it.

When reporting mold to the professionals, it helps to be able to describe it. With that in mind, here are some common types of mold you might find.

Penicillium

Mold giveth, and mold taketh away. This particular mold produces penicillin, the groundbreaking antibiotic that has been immensely beneficial to humanity, having saved an immeasurable number of lives. As great as that is, you still don’t want it in your home. Watch out for various shades of blue, green or yellow mold. It can be found in water-damaged areas of your home, like insulation, carpets or wallpaper. Some physical symptoms that penicillium can cause include hay fever, asthma, allergies and inflammation of the lungs.

Aureobasidium

This type of mold can appear with shades of pink, brown or black, before turning dark brown over time. Like many of the molds on this list, aureobasidium is common indoors. It flourishes in areas with a lot of moisture and humidity, such as kitchens, air conditioning units, bathrooms, attics, window frames and laundry rooms. Related health problems include eye, skin and nail infections, in addition to asthma, hay fever and humidifier fever.

Cladosporium

Often found next to aureobasidium, Cladosporium has a dappled green and black hue, and can be found both indoors and outdoors. It’s usually found in HVAC systems, insulation and fiberglass air ducts, but it also may grow anywhere there’s excess moisture, like bathrooms, carpet, mattresses, fabrics, wood and on top of painted surfaces. Complicating things is that cladosporium is one of the most tenacious molds, even growing in extreme cold, which is relevant when you live in western NY or northern PA. It’s not one of the most damaging molds to your health, but it can still cause irritating allergy symptoms like a sore throat, watery eyes or skin rash. Cladosporium can also trigger asthma attacks.

Serpula lacrymans

The wood in your home may be at risk of growing this burnt-red type of mold. A prime cause of dry rot, serpula lacrymans has the capability to eat its way through walls, floors and furniture. Like cladosporium mentioned above, it can survive in colder temperatures (down to 37℉) despite its preference for warmer environments. You can commonly find it around or below ventilation shafts, as the concentrated oxygen they emit aids its growth. Health problems range from common respiratory ailments to much more serious pulmonary fibrosis.

Call Ahold of Mold Environmental for mold removal

If you find any mold in your home, it’s imperative that you call northern PA and western NY’s foremost mold removal experts at Ahold of Mold Environmental. For the safety of your loved ones and the structural integrity of your home, do the right thing and make the call today.

Categorised in: Mold Prevention