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Molds are part of the natural environment. Molds are simple, microscopic organisms, found virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Molds can be found on plants, foods, dry leaves, and other organic material. Molds are needed for breaking down dead material. Mold spores are very tiny and lightweight, and this allows them to travel through the air. Mold growths can often be seen in the form of discoloration, ranging from white to orange and from green to brown and black. Indoor mold can be very costly if allowed to spread in the home and can seriously affect the market value of a property. Mold-related home repairs are typically not covered by homeowner’s insurance. Mold can cause structural damage to your home if not properly addressed. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. When airborne mold spores are present in large numbers, they can cause allergic reactions, asthma episodes, infections, and other respiratory problems for people. There are currently no federal or state standards or regulations for judging what is an acceptable quantity of mold. This is mostly due to the variation of individual sensitivity. The presence of various types of mold at various levels will affect people in a variety of different ways. People who are extremely sensitive or allergic to molds are likely to react much more severely than a person with no known allergies. LCDPH does not usually recommend testing for mold simply because there are no standards to measure against. However, if the area of mold growth exceeds 25 square feet or if an individual has a particular sensitivity to a specific type of mold, then testing and further investigation may be warranted. LCDPH has compiled a list of local laboratories and environmental professionals that provide mold testing and investigation services in the Livingston County area. Typically, if mold is present in a home, it is there because there is a source of moisture (i.e., historical or current leak, inadequate ventilation, too much moisture in the air, etc;). Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling the moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in the home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but do not fix the water problem, then the mold will most likely grow back. Because there are no standards or regulations pertaining to mold, LCDPH does not perform mold investigations or provide testing services for individual residents or businesses. However, LCDPH is available to assist the general public with their concerns and /or questions regarding mold, effects of mold, mold growth and prevention. LCDPH also has numerous educational handouts and informational resources available to the public at no charge. Visit the links below or contact LCDPH for more information. Educational Brochures/Handouts for Mold
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