What is mold?
Molds are forms of fungi found year round both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, molds live in the soil, on plants, and on dead or decaying matter. Another common term for mold is mildew. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions, although it can grow during cold weather. There are thousands of species of mold, and they can be any color. Many times, mold can be detected by a musty odor. Most fungi, including molds, produce microscopic cells called “spores” that spread easily through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies) with the right conditions. All of us are exposed to fungal spores daily in the air we breathe.
Molds are forms of fungi found all year round both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, molds live in the soil, on plants, and on dead or decaying matter. Another common term for mold is mildew. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions, although it can grow during cold weather. There are thousands of species of mold and they can be any color. Many times, mold can be detected by a musty odor. Most fungi, including molds, produce microscopic cells called “spores” that spread easily through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies) with the right conditions. All of us are exposed to fungal spores daily in the air we breathe.
.The answer depends on whether you ask a scientist or a nonexpert. Mycologists, who study fungi, use the term “mildew” only for fungi that grow on plants. When mycologists say “Mildew,” they mean the white growth that causes diseases in plants. People who are not scientists use the term “mildew” differently. For them, mildew is the discoloration caused by mold in buildings. The molds that grow around windows or in bathrooms are called “mildew.” Is mildew different than mold? The mycologist would say they are different. Mildew only grows on plants outdoors. The nonexpert, however, sees the effects of mold growing indoors and calls it “mildew.
Mold is the simplest terminology for the classification of fungi. It is similar to calling all unwanted plants, “weeds”. Fungi are neither plant nor animal but are commonly found outdoors in soil, air, and water. They can vary in size, shape, and color and can even grow to become mushrooms. http://www.restcon.com/fyi/fyi_moldproblems.
: Molds are microscopic organisms found virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Mold is alive, but it is neither a plant nor an animal. Mold is a type of fungus. It is part of a group of living organisms that are very common and serve an important role in the environment. Penicillin, an antibiotic that has saved many lives, is a type of mold, as is yeast. Mold is formed by microscopic creatures belonging to the Fungi Kingdom. When tiny airborne spores of mold burst, and then land on a favorable surface, they proliferate into visible colonies, and find new favorable surfaces on which to further develop. Fungal growth requires oxygen, adequate temperature, nutrients and water. Temperature tolerance: Thermophiles – 35ºC + human pathogens such as Aspergillus Fumigatus Mesophiles – 18ºC to 35ºC Psychrophiles – some fungi grow at 4ºC or below. Nutrients: Paper, wallpaper, wallboard, sugars (fruits, vegetables), fabrics, wood, dust, etc Click here to see what the EPA has to say about Mold
