What is Mold and should I be scared?
The organisms we call mold and mildew that appear usually as black, gray, or green spots on roofs, walls, ceilings, and floors are really members of a large diverse group called the Fungi Kingdom. There are more than 81,000 know species of fungi found thriving under various environmental conditions worldwide and anticipated millions more that are not known. Do not be scared, only cautious, The Fungi Kingdom lives in harmony with humans, the Animal Kingdom, each having their own place in this world. These organisms, in order to thrive, need only a nutrient source (wood, metal, fuel, concrete, anything carbon based) and moisture.
Most likely everyone has experienced indoor mold in our world, from bread and cheese mold to mold growing in that forgotten jar at the rear of our refrigerator. It is a common occurrence and not something to get overly alarmed about. What we need instead of fear is caution, living in the knowledge that molds can be dangerous in the right concentration and combination. We all know of the Ballard House in Texas and the Ed McMahon stories where the houses made the inhabitants sick. Michael Jordan currently has a suit in progress for mold in his Illinois mansion. With a bit of knowledge we can protect ourselves and be ever cautions of moisture on nutrient sources, i.e., almost any material in the modern building (wood, metal, fuel, concrete, drywall, carpet, anything carbon based).
