Can mold grow on steel studs?
That’s a good question, and one that requires a little background for the answer. Mold requires three things to grow: The mold spores, which exist everywhere there is air; every breath we take, unless we are in a medical clean room, contains thousands of mold spores. Moisture. Organic material, which provides the food for the mold. Steel does not contain any organic material, and therefore cannot support mold growth. However, if someone or something has left a residue of organic material on the steel framing, there is a chance that given the right conditions, mold could grow. As with any framing material, the best practice is to keep the steel studs dry. Even if they get wet during construction, or there is a one-time event such as a pipe bursting in a wall, there should be no long-term problem if the cavity is dried out properly. It is persistent wetting, such as a steady plumbing or roof leak, which causes the greatest risk of supporting mold. Even then, the mold will most likely gro
