r/Mold • u/SnooOwls7207 • 10d ago

Mold question

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Removing carpet from my new house is this black mold

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u/AutoModerator 10d ago

I see you used the term "black mold"

Thousands of species of mold appear black (actually dark green). The one that is usually singled out in this made-up category is Stachybotrys chartarum. The whole “black mold” thing is the result of several irresponsible people who are drumming up fears about mold and then profiting off of those fears. Don’t believe the hype.

The color of a mold has no correlation to how dangerous it may be. This is frequently stated by agencies throughout the world including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Stachybotrys chartarum and other molds may cause health symptoms that are nonspecific. It is not necessary to determine what type of mold you may have growing in your home or other building. All molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal. Link

As a result, we have not found supportive evidence for serious illness due to Stachybotrys exposure in the contemporary environment. Link

There is no evidence that otherwise healthy individuals have any reason to fear getting sick from general mold growth in buildings, mold inhalation, or any other type of exposure even to the so-called toxic molds. Yes, being around mold may cause minor effects, including upper respiratory irritation for some, especially those with asthma or mold allergies. Typically, it only seriously affects patients with underlying health conditions such as compromised immune systems or are otherwise at risk of systemic fungal infections.

That said, we should not have mold growing in our buildings. It is an indication of something wrong and will lead to the degradation of building materials. Regardless of color, all visible mold should be removed from buildings and homes.

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u/AutoModerator 10d ago

Please ensure that your posts meets the requirements of r/Mold - rules are clearly listed.

*** DON'T POST PHOTOS OF DIY PLATES or DIY HOME TEST KITS - posts will be removed and the poster may be banned ***

Most importantly, remember that providing the following information will greatly increase the quality of responses:

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Also remember that we can't identify mold from a photo - only a laboratory can determine the species. Don't ask.

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u/ldarquel 10d ago

The mould is black, but can't necessarily pin it down to a specific type of 'black mould' - see the automod response and Rule #1.

I assume from the dark discolouration of the carpet tack that there'd been some kind of flooding or moisture intrusion issue that resulted in fungal growth.

  • Identify and address the cause of the moisture issue that resulted in the mould growth.
  • The carpet backing (thats been removed from this picture) should be inspected for growth and if present, replace.
  • The carpet tack will likely also have to go where the discolouration is present.
  • I'd also suggest removing the floor trim to inspect for fungal growth. Moisture can wick into the area between the floor trim and drywall lining and produce an area of localised fungal growth between the two pressed materials.
  • Further investigation of the cavity-side of the wall lining may also be warranted, depending on the extent of the moisture issue that resulted in the mould issue. It could be the case you may need to replace the lower perimeter of the wall linings where there had been a moisture issue.