Mold Growth

Mold needs four things to Grow Indoors:

Spores - these are always present in our environment whether indoors or outdoors.  There is no such thing as a mould free environment.

Nutrients (food) - in the indoor environment these are normally the cellulose materials (paper, wood, cardboard, fabrics, dust, etc.)

Moisture - this is required to begin the decaying process of the cellulose material by the mould.

Time - growth typically begins between 24 hours and 10 days from the provision of the growing conditions.

Control Moisture:

There is no means of controlling the presence of spores, the presence of nutrients or the passage of time.  The only thing that can be controlled is the moisture.

Sources of Moisture:

1. Direct Water Penetration:  e.g. Leaks in the basement, roof, around doors and windows, ice damming in winter, penetrations in the building envelope, wet building materials

2. Flooding:  e.g. Plumbing leaks, accidental spillage, storm flooding, sewer backup

3. Condensation and humidity:  e.g. drying of the structure, construction heaters, lifestyle, lack of insulation, lack of ventilation, design issues.

Why is Mold such a big problem:

There are a number of reasons why mold contamination is becoming more common in our society.  One of the main reasons is that more research has been done into the Health Effects of moulds and more links have been found to such things as Asthma.  This has also prompted more media coverage and more people are aware of the dangers.  Another reason is that there has also been a change in the way that buildings are constructed.  Generally buildings are much more air tight today than they have ever been, insulation levels have been increased, but there is often little attention paid to the mechanical system and in particular to the supply of fresh air.  This means that it is difficult to control humidity levels and condensation and this small amount of moisture is often all that it takes for mold growth to start.  Once the growth begins, extreme colonization can occur very quickly if the conditions are optimized.  One other reason is that general quality of construction in a booming economy often produces an inferior product because time and profit are paramount.  Well designed, well built and well maintained buildings rarely have mould contamination problems.

Older Buildings vs. New Buildings:

There is no way to say which is better.  An older building that has been well maintained and has not had moisture issues should be relatively mould free but an older building that has been poorly maintained or has had moisture issues can have massive mould contamination.  In turn, newer buildings built well will be relatively mould free and will be less likely to have future mould issues, however not all newer buildings are designed or built well and thus they have the potential to have massive mould contamination problems.  The simple rule is look for a building, new or old, that is well built and well maintained.  Ensure that the ongoing general maintenance issues are regularly checked and repaired as needed.  Adopting a sensible and logical approach will greatly reduce the possibility of having a mould contamination issue in your building.