1. Mold is part of nature. It has been estimated that there are over 1 million species of mold world wide. They are the main microbe that converts organic material such as wood back to soil. Without this every tree that ever fell in history would never decay and still remain on the ground. Spores, from a mold colony, are the airborne seeds that produce new colonies indoors or outdoors. Mold requires, the right temperature range, moisture, and food source to begin a new colony all of which can be available indoors. Our humid environment is very conductive to mold growth indoors especially on our wood construction.
   
   Dirt crawl spaces and many basements have high humidity levels up to 90%; allowing mold to grow on dirt, insulation, framing and even under your carpet, behind walls and drywall. It destroys organic materials as it feeds on them. As the spores multiply, they can cause allergies and respiratory problems. Many molds produce mycotoxins, such as the black mold Stachybotrys. Mycotoxins are really gases that can cause sinusitis, headaches, lung infections and other diseases. Some are actually carcinogenic like aflatoxin.
   
2. Some large insurance carriers have discontinued writing new residential contracts; one of their main concerns is toxics mold claims.
   
3. You can not completely stop mold spores from entering your home, we even carry them in and on our clothes . However, you can properly prevent mold problems by controlling moisture and treating vulnerable wood structures, eliminating the requirements for mold growth.
   
4. There are some molds that are considered to be water damaged types that can be very toxic. Chaetomium, Fusarium, Stachybotrys, Trichodermas, Ulocladium and Aspergillus Versicolor are among these. In many cases, it may be desirable to do laboratory testing to determine if these molds are present and in what quantities.

According to the EPA moisture control is the key to mold control.

50% of homes have a mold problem according to a 1994 Harvard study of 10,000 U.S. and Canadian homes. Half of the homes had conditions of water damage and mold associated with a 50-100% increase in respiratory symptoms.

Mold is the cause of nearly all chronic sinus infections according to 1999 Mayo Clinic study.

Mold and Your Health

Because molds produce allergens and irritants, it is common for exposed individuals to experience:

• hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, a runny nose and red eyes
• a skin rash
• irritated eyes, nose, throat and lungs

However, numerous molds - commonly called "toxic mold" - also produce poisonous substances primarily associated with their spores, called mycotoxins (mycology is the branch of botany dealing with fungi).  Disruptive to our cell structures and cell processes, these toxins have the potential to do serious harm. Their effects to the human body have been documented using controlled, laboratory conditions. In our everyday indoor environment there is less certainty of symptoms causality, but it is important to note that mycotoxins were proven to be present indoors with victims suffering from:

• pulmonary hemorrhage or pulmonary hemosiderosis(primarily in infants)
• nose bleeds
• immune system suppression (resulting in increasing numbers of infections)
• hair loss
• dermatitis
• chronic fatigue
• psychological depression
• diarrhea
• sore throats
• headaches and other flu-like symptoms

Other symptoms associated with mold include:

• cognitive disorder
• "burning" eyes
• blurred vision
• respiratory illness
• chest pains
• chest tightness
• breathing problems
• shortness of breath
• wheezing
• dry cough
• nasal congestion
• aggravated asthma