If there’s mold outside…

Dear George,

If there is mold on the outside of the wall, then is it growing on the inside? The mold color is kind of black and green and of course has grown where there has been moisture. I was wondering if you had any idea what type of mold it was?

Signed,
Anonymous

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Dear Anonymous,

Most types of mold secrete hydrolytic enzymes whose whole purpose is to degrade the starch and cellulose in your dwelling so that the mold can digest it. So, as to whether the mold has spread to the wall interior depends on the surface. The more porous the exterior wall surface, the more moisture inside the wall and the greater the chance of mold growth inside the wall. The less porous the exterior wall surface, the less moisture inside the wall and less chance of mold growth inside the wall.

Concerning the mold species, there are literally thousands of known types of mold. It would be precipitous to say the mold is a certain type based simply on the color. For example, according to–
http://website.nbm-mnb.ca/mycologywebpages/Moulds/Identification.html
–“Identification of moulds is based almost entirely on the structures bearing spores and on the spores themselves…usually involves keys (specialized flow-charts) leading to the name of the organism at hand.” Thus, microscopy is an essential tool in the identification of mold.

If I may, I wanted to also mention the health concerns customers may have about mold spores and mycotoxins.  In nature, the purpose of the mycotoxins that the mold exudes are to discourage competition for the food source (in this case, your wall.), and the mold spores are the mold’s method of reproduction. In your home or office, any mycotoxins provide the toxic element that make you sick; and the mold spores cause allergic reactions of varying degrees.

For your peace of mind, you can schedule a professional mold assessment by Bye Bye Mold™ that includes a minimally invasive procedure (via a 1/4th inch diameter hole) to procure an air sample of your inner wall cavity.  You can phone 1.800.686.1992 or you can e-mail us via our user-friendly contact form.