The Bay Area's Leader in Mold and Microbial Investigations

Health Questions

Are mold related illnesses permanent?

In most cases, mold related illnesses go away after the mold is removed or after the occupants leave the impacted building. It is believed, though, that the affected individuals may have a greater sensitivity to molds in the future so that later it will take exposure to lower levels of mold spores for a shorter duration of time to develop the same problems.  

What are the symptoms of mold related illness?

The typical reaction to elevated levels of mold spores is an allergic reaction similar to pollen allergies. These reactions include sneezing, nasal and sinus congestion, irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat, and coughing. In sensitive individuals, more serious problems may develop such as:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Headaches
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Fatigue
  • nausea and dizziness    

 

When should I leave my home because of mold?

You should leave your home when you feel that the indoor air quality is affecting, or may affect your health.  Any consultant that advises you to leave your home is over stepping his role, unless he is also a physician. Pacific IAQ always advises its clients to seek professional medical advice before evacuating their home. 

What is a safe level of mold in air?

There are no definitive guidelines for mold spore levels in the air, so it is impossible to determine what level is safe and what level is unsafe. It is safe to say that the level that will affect one person will be different for another. In general, mold professionals rely on the outdoor mold spore concentrations to define what is “normal”, and those levels can change very rapidly. In the indoor environment, we expect the air to be reflective of normal outside fungal ecology. 

What is black toxic mold?

While many molds are black, and many molds are toxigenic, the term “black toxic mold” usually means Stachybotrys. Toxigenic molds are those species that are capable of producing mycotoxins. Not all molds can produce mycotoxins, and those that can only do so when environmental conditions are right. Mycotoxins can be divided into five major groups:

Can mold exposure kill me?

There are no documented deaths related to mold growth in a home. While there have been multiple infant deaths related to Stachybotrys, in all cases there were other environmental conditions that may or may not have contributed to the deaths. For most healthy individuals, mold related symptoms disappear when the mold is removed.Cryptococcus (yeast) and Histoplasma (yeast) are avian pathogens associated with bird and bat droppings that can cause severe illness or death. Both are fungi which can be found in your home or office, but neither are molds.

How much mold does it take to make me sick?

The answer to this question will be different for every person, and science cannot yet predict who will be affected and who will not.

Does mold affect everyone the same way?

Some people are genetically predisposed to developing a mold reaction, while others may develop a reaction after being “sensitized to a particular mold species over a period of time. Most people have no reaction to even elevated mold spore levels. The most susceptible people are are infants with under developed immune systems, elderly with weakened immune systems, AIDS and cancer patients, and anyone whose immune system has been compromised by respiratory infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma.

Are all molds harmful?

There are over 100,000 known species of mold, and the effects they have on humans is poorly understood. We do know that there are certain species that have been linked to adverse health effects in healthy humans. Molds can be allergenic, toxigenic, and carcinogenic in certain individuals. Most people tolerate exposure to normal mold levels without any adverse health effects, while others may have severe allergic reactions to the slightest amounts.