Aspergillus / Penicillium:
are two separate genera of molds so visibly similar, they are often grouped together. They comprise of approximately 400 different species, produce dry spore that are easily dispersed through the air, and serve as a source of food for mites therefore also being dispersed by mites and other insects.
Outside: They may be found in soils, fruit rot, decaying plant debris, compost piles, and some petroleum based fuels.
Inside: Commonly found through-out the home on decaying fabrics, carpeting, wall board, moist chip boards, behind paint, on wall paper and adhesives, and house-hold dust. Can also be found in dried foods, dry cereals, nuts, apples, cheeses, herbs, onions, and oranges when isolated from blue rot.

Cladosporium:
is profuse and is essentially a cornucopia of spore when air monitoring either inside or out-doors. This genus contains approximately 20-30 different species, most abundant in dry weather, branching chains produce dry spores that are released by twisting of the spore-bearing hyphae as they’re drying.
Outside: Can be found in many soils, plant litter, and old plants and leaves, some of the species are plant pathogens.
Inside: Found just about anywhere indoors including but not limited to bathroom tiles, kitchen tiles, moist windowsill’s, laundry areas, textiles, and any other wet areas of the home. Some species of cladosporium grow at temperatures at or below 32 degrees (F) and can be found on many refrigerated foods.

Alternaria:
is one of the most common found molds geographically and contains approximately 40 -50 different species, very few
of which are commonly found indoors, and is easily dispersed through the air.
Outside: Found in soils, textiles, dead organic debris, foodstuffs, and is a plant pathogen that often found on dead plants.
Inside: When moisture is present, alternaria can grow on just about any organic substance.

Acremonium:
Is a slimly mold commonly found in areas of extreme moisture around the home and can be dispersed through water flow or droplets. The old dried – up spores are capable of dispersion by air. This common mold includes
approximately 80-90 different species.
Outside: Found in soils, dead organic material, foodstuffs, and hay.
Inside: Requires extremely wet conditions in order to multiply, and under such conditions can likely be found anywhere in the home.

Ceratocystis / Ophiostoma:
separate genera that are so similar that they are generally grouped together, and represent approximately 50-60 different species. The production of wet, slimy spore is typically dispersed by water flow, droplets, or insects.
Outside: Sometimes referred to as “lumber mold” this genera is commonly found in lumber yards and forests.
Inside: Can typically be found on wood construction materials.

Chaetomium:
contains approximately 80-90 different species, and is common geographically. These spores are formed inside of fruiting bodies, and are released by being forced through small openings in the fruit body being dispersed by wind, water flow or droplets, and insects.
Outside: Found in soils, dung, wood materials, straw, cellulose substrates and various seeds.
Inside: Very common on sheet rock paper that has been saturated by moisture, and on cellulose and wood construction materials.

Stachybotrys:
is ubiquitous, and represents approximately 15 different species, requires a significant amount of moisture to reproduce slimy spore and is commonly dispersed by water flow, droplets, or insects.
Outside: Found in soils, decomposing cellulose material, decaying plant debris, leaf litter, and seeds.
Inside: Common on wet materials such as wall board, jute, wicker, and other paper materials.

What is it? Where is it?

Medical research indicates that mold is the number one cause of allergic symptoms. Mold naturally occurs in home, office, and school environments, and many thousands of different molds exist, but only a few of them are known to cause significant health problems, of which Stachybotrys chartarum (toxic black mold) and Aspergillus niger(widespread in indoor environments) are the most common. Mold can be found in every area of your home: attics, basements, bathrooms, carpeting, ceilings, chimneys, closets, raised foundation crawl spaces, doors, flooring, garages, kitchens, ventilation systems, walls and framing, and windows. It grows in most building materials, including concrete, dry wall, carpeting, wall paper, fiberboard, ceiling tiles, and thermal insulation. [Read more...]