Aside from the health hazards attributed to mold, one of the most important factors for buyers and owners of Multi-Family and Commercial property is the cost of remedying serious mold issues.
Molds are fungi. Fungi include mildews, molds, mushrooms, rusts, smuts, and yeasts. Without them we would not have, wines, cheese, bread and some of our medicines such as penicillin.
Molds require moisture, something to eat – which is something organic such as dust or skin flakes – and the proper temperature – in Southern California that is almost all the time. In ideal conditions, molds can grow in less than 48 hours to the point of being visible.
After extensive research and personally inspecting thousands of homes and commercial buildings over the last fifteen years I have found that mold really is a potential concern; a much bigger concern for some people than others.
Some people are affected adversely by the same amount of mold that doesn’t affect the person next to them in the least. Molds affect each person differently. The people who are the most susceptible to being affected by molds are the very young, the very old or those whose immune system is compromised for any reason such as chemo therapy or the flu or people with specific allergies to mold.
Per Wikipedia:
Molds are ubiquitous in nature, and mold spores are a common component of household and workplace dust. However, when mold spores are present in large quantities, they can present a health hazard to humans, potentially causing allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
Some molds also produce mycotoxins that can pose serious health risks to humans and animals. Exposure to high levels of mycotoxins can lead to neurological problems and in some cases death. Prolonged exposure, e.g. daily workplace exposure, can be particularly harmful. The term toxic mold refers to molds that produce mycotoxins, such as Stachybotrys chartarum, and not to all molds in general.
