Mildew and mold both are both tiny organisms — neither
animal or plant. They are members of fungal hyphae, the fungi kingdom which
includes mushrooms, yeast, and other “decay organisms.” Both thrive in moist,
warm areas like food in the pantry, your shower floor, or behind damp
wallpaper.
Mildew is a surface fungus that can easily be identified as
a patch of gray or even white fungus on the surface of a moist area. Mildew is
easily treated with a store bought cleaner and a scrubbing brush. Mold, on the
other hand, can be trickier to identify and is often the result of a much
larger problem.
Common Types of Mold
Many types of mold exist in nature and can take hold in your
damp home. Aspergillus is a fairly allergenic mold that is commonly found on
foods and in home air conditioning systems. Cladosporium is typically a black
or green “pepper-like” substance that grows on the back of toilets, painted
surfaces, and fiberglass air ducts.
StachybotrysAtra (also known as black mold) is a
greenish-black fungus that can grow on damp materials with a high cellulose
content such as drywall sheetrock, dropped ceiling tiles, and wood. Despite the
ominous reputation, its’ spores do not become easily airborne; contamination of
indoor air is unusual.
White molds which can include some dangerous characters
including HistoplasmaCapsulatum primarily found east of the Rockies and
especially in the Missouri, Ohio, and Mississippi River valleys and
CocciodiesImmitis in the western USA.
Does The Color
Matter?
Molds exist in practically every color, from purest white,
brown, tan, green, red, orange, yellow, black and even blue. But, biologically,
a mold is a mold is a mold. The color of
the growth can help a scientist determine which species a particular mold might
be, but color alone doesn’t tell you anything about a mold growth other than
what color the growth happens to be at a specific point in time.
Molds are more highly structured and complex in their
construction and life cycle than any bacteria or virus. Instead of “cleaning” mold, you need to kill
the entire organism, root and all, to help ensure a long-term solution to your
mold problems. Mold remediation chemically disrupts the physical structure of
the rooting and fruiting bodies of the mold organism itself.
What Smells?
Musty odors can be caused by a number of things in your
home, but, are usually an indication of mold and mildew. Molds and mildew cause that familiar “old”
smell because they release a gas that gets into fabric, carpet, curtains, and
furniture. Professional treatments ofmold removal in Las Vegaswill address this side effect.
Testing
Since mold spores are so prevalent, testing isn’t difficult.
Two basic methods are 1) surface swabs and 2) airborne testing. Both are
needed; surface tests might miss some contamination.
ERX will evaluate your home and then recommend appropriate
and precise tests. With this data, they will identify the specific molds, tell
you the expected and safe levels of each, and create a plan to eliminate.
Hiring Professional
Help For Mold Damage
Call ERX Emergency Restoration Experts as soon as you can after
water damage has occurred. The team will get to work with the latest technology
to decrease drying time, reduce damage and get your life back to normal.
In the Las Vegas area, ERX Emergency Restoration Experts has
an emergency line for 24-hour service at 702-830-9444, an office line at
702-500-1780, and an online contact form at
erxlasvegas.com
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