Posted by: Chris Laney on October 18, 2019

Four Lies and One Truth About Black Mold – See How Much You Know!

Just the thought of black mold is enough to send any home or business owner screaming for the hills. We never want to hear that our homes or facilities are exposed to any mold of any type, but black mold is often thought to be the worst and most dangerous. But is it?

At Water Out, we believe that understanding the true definition of black mold and knowing how to separate fact from fiction is the first step to confidently and effectively treating mold when you spot it in your home. Let's see how much you know about "toxic" black mold.

All Black Mold Is Toxic

Lie! In fact, none of the million of mold types that exist are always toxic. When you see black mold, you can be certain of two things.

1. You have mold.
2. It's black in color.

Toxic mold is typically greenish-black in color, and most commonly known as Stachybotrys. It can also be white or even pink – so black mold does not always equal toxic. Even Stachybotrys' spores are not toxic all the time. Two things must happen to create truly toxic mold.

1. Mold has to be "eating" and producing secondary metabolites.
2. Mold must be in the presence of competing bacteria or other mold.

When these conditions occur, the mold problem becomes serious and begins to result in different gases and spores that are carried through your home. These airborne toxins can cause many different adverse health effects like respiratory issues, skin irritations, and can even cause hospitalization if gone untreated for extended periods of time.

If these two conditions are not met – you will not have toxic mold.

Mycotoxins Can Carry Radiation

Lie. Mycotoxins are some of the most toxic substances in existence. They are produced by mold, but are different than mold spores. While they are dangerous in their untreated form, mycotoxins are not a magical substance created by mold that carries radiation or can come directly through walls and into your home. Mycotoxins will not stick to anything, and there is no cross-contamination that will happen. While it isn't good for you, it most definitely does not contain radiation or other harmful particles.

Mycotoxins are the Biggest Part of Mold – and Causes Most Reactions

Lie. Mycotoxins are actually the thing in mold that will cause the least reactions. Mold growth also produces a gas that is much more common that mycotoxins. Clean up crews are more concerned with removing those spores than the mycotoxins.

Black Mold Takes Time to Appear

Lie. Black mold can start growing in your home in less than 72 hours. Mold requires moisture to grow, and thrives in dark, humid areas. Attics, crawl spaces, and basements are all great places for mold to hide out, and you may not notice the effects until the mold has already spread through the area.

Black Mold is Treatable

True. Black mold is easily treatable, as long as you work with a professional remediation team. At Water Out, we provide mold remediation services with IICRC-Certified technicians ready to go. Our remediation process is simple, and will bring your home back to normal as quickly as possible:

1. Our first goal is to find the source of the mold problem and fixing it before we begin remediation services.
2. Next, work with an air quality specialist to ensure your home is up to the highest safety standards possible.
3. Finally, we begin working on our restoration and removal process, returning your home to normal as quickly as we can.

Visit our website to learn more about our mold remediation services, and call us today for more information.