The 6 Most Common Types of Mold You Might Find in Your House

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Did you know that there are approximately 4.6 million asthma cases in the United States attributed to mold exposure in the home?

Mold is a highly toxic substance that can have a long-lasting impact on overall human health, depending on the species of the mold and how long an individual has been exposed to it. Long-term exposure to mold can cause the development of chronic health conditions such as cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary bleeding, neurotoxicity, and other negative health effects.

Pregnant women, children, people with pre-existing health conditions, and seniors are all increasingly susceptible to the damaging effects of mold. That’s why it’s essential for you to be able to identify mold growth in your home to prevent your family from being exposed to this dangerous substance.

That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you understand how to identify the most common types of mold growth that will be found in your home. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Acremonium

Acremonium mold is a type of toxigenic mold. As this type of mold ages, the appearance of it will change. You will likely find this strain of mold growing in window sealants, cooling coils, drain pans, and humidifiers.

When Acremonium is first beginning to grow, you will find that it has a powdery and fine appearance to it. You can identify Acremonium by its oftentimes white, pink, grey, or orange color. You will likely find this mold inside of a household system.

This type of mold is a carcinogen, meaning that it’s extremely dangerous. Long-term exposure can lead to an increased chance of developing immune system deficiencies and even impairing brain function.

2. Aspergillus

Aspergillus is another type of common mold that is found in American households. This type of mold can form a thick layer on walls, having long shaped spores. There are a variety of different colors that this strain of mold can appear in.

Aspergillus starts off as an allergenic mold, but it does have the ability to develop into something more toxic, depending on the environment that it is growing in. Symptoms of Aspergillus exposure can include lung infections, asthma attacks, and respiratory inflammation.

3. Cladosporium

Cladosporium is the unique strain of mold that will grow in your home, as it will grow in both cold conditions and warm conditions. You can find Cladosporium often growing on carpet, hats, and upholstery.

However, it is not uncommon to find this strain of mold growing inside of cupboards and underneath floorboards. You can identify this strain of mold by its brown and green color. Many people have commented that this strain of mold has a suede-like texture.

Prolonged exposure to Cladosporium can cause an allergic reaction to the skin, nose, eyes, and throat. While this strain of mold isn’t considered to have toxic properties, it causes irritation to the skin and lungs.

4. Fusarium

This strain is capable of growing in cold temperatures. Fusarium is a type of toxigenic and allergenic mold that commonly grows in homes that have water damage. You can find the growth of this mold on fabrics, wallpaper, and carpeting.

While Fusarium grows naturally on food products in compost, you can easily identify the growth of this mold in your home by its reddish color.

Short-term exposure to Fusarium can cause allergic reaction symptoms such as dermatitis, sneezing, running nose, sore throat, and itchy eyes. Long-term exposure can cause life-threatening conditions to develop such as brain abscesses or bone infections.

This strain of mold is known to grow quickly and can easily spread into different rooms. If you find that this strain of mold is located within one room in your home, chances are that it will have spread throughout several different areas of your home.

5. Penicillin

While you may recognize the name as a commonly prescribed antibiotic, it is also an allergic form of mold. When this mold grows indoors, it can cause damage to the respiratory tract.

Often times, Penicillin mold grows in homes that have water damage. You can find Penicillin growing in mattresses, wallpapers, carpets, and air ducts. This mold is known to spread from one area of the home throughout the entire home quickly.

Long-term exposure to Penicillin can cause asthma, pulmonary inflammation, and chronic sinusitis. If you have a family member in your home with an immune disorder or are immunocompromised, Penicillin can worsen their chronic health conditions and lead to further health complications.

You can easily reduce the chances of penicillin mold growing within your home by repairing any water damage or leaks.

6. Trichoderma

Trichoderma is a type of allergenic mold that has five different subspecies. While this form of mold generally has a white appearance, you can identify it by the green patches that will grow inside of it.

Trichoderma thrives on wet surfaces within the home and can be identified by its woolly textured clusters. Over time, as Trichoderma ages, it will become more compact in its growth. You can look for this strain of mold in your HVAC system ducts, air conditioning filters, and other areas in your home when there is a collection of condensation that will support the growth of the strain.

While there are a few Trichoderma molds that are non-pathogenic, there are other types that can encourage the development of liver infections and pulmonary infections. Unlike other strains of mold that are mentioned in this list, Trichoderma is also dangerous to your home.

This is because the enzyme inside Trichoderma will destroy textiles, wood, and paper products. It can cause the structure of your home to become damaged if left untreated for a long period of time.

Understanding How to Identify the Common Types of Mold Found in Your Home

By having a solid understanding of the most common types of mold that can be found in your home, you can take preventative measures to help prevent the growth of this toxic substance. If you believe that you have found mold growing in your home, we’re here to help you get back to normal.

Click here to contact us today to learn how we can help you.