|
Identifying Molds
Some molds can be
identified by their growth patterns, but that requires an expert.
Even experts make errors based on a visual inspection, because growth
patterns of different molds can appear similar to one another. To
correctly identify a mold species requires a sample that can be
examined in a laboratory by an experienced technician using a
microscope.
The most important
thing is to remove the mold.
However, if someone
has a health problem that may be caused by the mold, you may want to
identify it. Wearing rubber gloves, take a piece of scotch tape, lift
some spore samples from the mold, and seal it in a Ziploc bag. Then
you have something you can take to your doctor or a laboratory.
There are lots of
mold-testing laboratories available on the web. It’s become a “hot”
industry in the last couple of years.
The most common
indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and
Alternaria.
Some rarer
molds, such as Stachybotrys, may be more dangerous but its spores are
only found in two to five percent of homes and only a small percentage
of those homes provide an environment for growth. |
