This is an update of our March 1998 info sheet to provide basic information to people who have experienced water damage to their home. It describes health concerns related to mold exposure, and it also provides general guidelines on prevention, mold detection, as well as cleanup of mold -contaminated materials. Additional resources and documents are referenced.
Molds are simple, microscopic organisms, present virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
Molds, along with mushrooms and yeasts, are fungi and are needed to break down dead material and recycle nutrients in the environment. Because molds grow by digesting the organic material, they gradually destroy whatever they grow on. Sometimes, new molds grow on old mold colonies. Mold growth on surfaces can often be seen in the form of discoloration, frequently green, gray, brown, or black but also white and other colors. Molds release countless tiny, lightweight spores, which travel through the air.