How does mold affect us? Most people have a natural resistance to mold. However, high levels of certain kinds of molds can cause people to have reactions. This is especially true for toxic molds.
Different people have different susceptibilities, but most reactions are similar to hay fever: sneezing, watery eyes, coughing and difficulty with breathing.
Mold is a very small “plant” that grows through the transmission of spores. These spores are let go and then attach themselves to nearby surfaces and continue to grow as new plants.
Many molds are black, so when people see or talk about “black mold” they may not be seeing the toxic mold known as “stackybotrous.”
Unlike the plants that we are familiar with, molds do not get their energy from the sun. They give off mycotoxins which help break down the organic material they attach themselves to. They receive their energy through consumption of these organic materials. Mold needs two things to live: an organic sub-straight to feed off of and water. It gets its water from the air through high humidity. This is why basements – especially those in Western Pennsylvania– tend to have mold, as the humidity there is higher than the rest of the home.
If you suspect that there is mold in your house and you have an asthma condition, the best option – as always – is to test.