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Q.
What is the acceptable level of Aspergillus and
Cladosporium in a house? [March 31, 2005]
A. There no arbitrary acceptable
levels for mold spore or mold colony concentrations in the mold lab
results for a mold sample. The reason is that one level of
mold infestation might
cause no health problems for one occupant, but be devastating health-wise
to another occupant in the same home or workplace. Generally, one compares
indoor mold test results with an outdoor mold control test. If an indoor
mold test lab results show higher levels of mold spores or grown mold
colonies for a particular mold species than does the outdoor mold control
test, it is presumed that there is an indoor mold problem and source for
the elevated level indoors. Similarly, if an indoor mold test shows the
presence of a mold species not present in the outdoor control sample, it
is presumed that there is an indoor mold problem and source for that
particular mold species. For tips for
mold inspection,
mold testing, and
mold remediation.
Q.
We live in an apartment complex that has had an ongoing dispute with
the owners about mold issues. They tested our apartment by an industrial
hygienist and nothing was found to be of any great concern. For our own
peace of mind we had our daughter tested to see if there was any
contamination. She is currently undergoing chemo therapy so she has a
suppressed immune system, and we were advised that if there is any kind of
contamination she would be affected very easily. Her tests also came back
negative for any foreign bodies in her system. Still there are some people
who live in this building that feel that we as a whole are having the wool
pulled over our eyes by the landlords. They have
contacted a lawyer to file a suite against the owners. We did allow this
lawyer to have our apartment tested once again, and we just received the
results. However we do not have any kind of reference point to judge these
results by. So I ask you if you know what the acceptable levels of mold
species are and at what levels they become to pose a health risk Just for a
reference what they claim to have found in my apartment is as follows:
Cladosporium species 21 CFU/in2 Oidiodendron species 14
CFU/in2
Acremonium species 14 CFU/in2
Yeast 7.0 CFU/in2 Fusarium
species 7.0 CFU/in2
Penicillium species 2.0 CFU/in2 Alternaria species 2.0 CFU in2
Rhodotorula species 1.4 CFU/in2
Any help you could give me in this matter will be greatly appreciated. [July
15, 2003]
A.
There are no magic mold levels that are acceptable or
unacceptable because the huge difference in different persons'
sensitivity to mold exposure. A small number of mold spores,
or even the smell of mold, can make some people very sick
without affecting other persons living in the same quarters. A
person with a depressed immune system [such as your child],
senior citizens, young children, and pregnant women [and their
fetuses] are particularly vulnerable health-wise to even
modest amounts of mold exposure. A very good discussion on how
to analyze the significance of mold levels from viable mold
testing is contained at:
Mold Test Kit Results Interpretation. Your test
results were probably done by the inferior nonviable testing
method. You need to pay for your own mold testing of your own
apartment using only viable mold testing so that you have more
accurate mold readings and much more accurate mold
identification rather than the guesses that are involved in
nonviable testing. Use one of our Certified Mold Inspectors or
use our do it yourself mold test kits. The mold levels reported can cause serious health problems to
tenants because they are inhaling airborne mold spores hour after
hour, day after day. The cumulative exposure to mold by apartment
dwellers is very devastating to their health. Once the mold spores
are in their bodies, the molds can grow and multiply inside sinus
cavities and the lungs and elsewhere in the body. Remember that the
lab is reporting number of spores [colony forming units---cfu] per
square inch. Calculate the number of square inches in each apartment
in width by length of apartment, multiplied by room height, and you
will find that the apartment are theoretically inhabited by huge
numbers of unhealthy mold spores. The mold spores discovered in the
mold analysis are very unhealthy [except for non-mold yeast]. Why
doesn't your attorney get a projection of total mold in each
apartment from the mold laboratory and the mold inspectors who did
the testing? They are the ones who can help you the most. If you
need a second testing to corroborate the existence of a serious mold
problem, you should hire a
Certified Mold Inspector.
Q. I recently had my home inspected for mold prior to completion
of selling it. The inspection report listed the results of an air sample
from the crawlspace and an air sample from outside the house (as a blank).
The total mold count on the blank was higher than the crawlspace sample. The
determination of the tester was that the house needed immediate treatment to
disinfect the entire house with Clorox and a couple of fungicides and and they would be pleased to do
it for $ 3,000. The question of the blank being essentially the same as the
in-house sample was never addressed. To me either the house has no problem
(same as outside
air) or the tests were invalid and needs to be retested. This whole event
strakes me as fraudulent - I have little time before wanting
to complete the sale of my home and the mold inspection issue must be
answered. I have listed the test results below - I would like your second
opinion as to what action is required. [June 10, 2003]
Mold Test Data (92.9 L air) Colony Counts:
In - house /
crawlspace air sample
altemaris alternata 1
aspergillius ochraceus 24
basidiomycetes 12
cladosporium 12
penicilium 41
Total 90
Outside sample -
"blank"
altemaris alternata 1
aspergillius niger 1
aureobasidium pullulans 64
basidiomycetes 26
cladosporium 17
penicillium 5
Total 114
A.
Your mold test results show the significant presence of aspergillius
ochraceus species [24] INSIDE the crawl space but NO presence whatsoever
of that species in the outdoor test. When a mold species is present in
meaningful numbers INSIDE and it is NOT present at all in the outdoor
control sample, the conventional wisdom in the mold industry is that there
is an internal water problem and a resulting. internal mold problem that
caused the inside mold to grow. In addition, the crawl space test
discovered Penicillium [41] in a much bigger number than the outdoor
control test finding for Penicillium [5]. When a mold species is present
in meaningful numbers in greater numbers than found in the outdoor control
test, the conventional wisdom is that there is an internal source for
the mold species [a water problem and mold infestation problem indoors].
The fact that the contractor has proposed to use ineffective chlorine
bleach to try to kill mold is a big reason not to hire that particular
contractor. Learn why chlorine bleach is not effective in mold killing by
visiting: Mold
and Bleach. You do not want to pay
for any
mold remediation by any company until you have found the
water problem that made the mold grow in the first place, and until you
have have had professional mold inspection and mold testing everywhere in
your home including testing the air of all rooms, the attic, and the air
flow out of heating/air conditioning duct registers for elevated levels of
unhealthy mold spores. You also need to get at least 3 competitive bids
by a Certified Mold Remediator.
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