Mold

Molds live in the soil, on plants, and on dead or decaying matter.   Outdoors, molds play a key role in the breakdown of leaves, wood, and other plant debris.   Molds belong to the kingdom Fungi, and unlike plants, they lack chlorophyll and must survive by digesting plant materials, using plant and other organic materials for food.   Without molds, our environment would be overwhelmed with large amounts of dead plant matter.

Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce, just as some plants produce seeds.   These mold spores can be found in both indoor and outdoor air, and settled on indoor and outdoor surfaces.   When mold spores land on a damp spot, they may begin growing.   Molds digest whatever they are growing on in order to survive.   Since molds gradually destroy the things they grow on, you can prevent damage to building materials and furnishings and save money by eliminating mold growth.

Moisture control is the key to mold control.   Molds need both food and water to survive; since molds can digest most things, water is the factor that limits mold growth.   Molds will often grow in damp or wet areas indoors.   Common sites for indoor mold growth include bathroom tile, basement walls, areas around windows where moisture condenses, and near leaky water fountains or sinks.   Common sources or causes of water or moisture problems include roof leaks, deferred maintenance, condensation associated with high humidity or cold spots in the building, localized flooding due to plumbing failures or heavy rains, slow leaks in plumbing fixtures, and malfunction or poor design of humidification systems.   Uncontrolled humidity can also be a source of moisture leading to mold growth, particularly in hot, humid climates.

If you have questions about mold and how to get rid of it, you can call the Health Department at 262-335-4462.   The State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services has excellent information on their website: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/mold/.   A list of consultants who test for mold and a list on contractors who specialize in mold mitigation can also be found at the DHS website.   If you wish to test the mold yourself, call the Wisconsin Occupational Health Lab at 1-800-446-0403 and ask them how to collect and submit a sample.   Knowing the kind of mold you have will not get rid of it.   It may be useful to be able to tell your doctor about what kind of mold is in your home so that he/she can do allergy testing to determine if you or a family member is allergic to the mold.