There are many different types of mold. There are non-toxic types and toxic. If you find mold in your home, it’s important that you figure out which type it is. It’s not uncommon for mold to cause people and pets to become sick, so finding the mold and figuring out whether or not it’s toxic is a very important task. Here is a list of the differences and the characteristics of toxic and non-toxic molds…

Toxic Mold

* This type of mold is usually the one to cause health issues. Irritation of the lungs, eyes, and nose can cause discomfort due to an allergy to mold. (There can be an allergy to mold whether it’s toxic or non-toxic.)

* Toxic mold produces mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by a fungus.

* Many people have been affected by long-term toxic mold syndrome. Deaths have occurred because of prolonged exposure to mold.

* Toxic mold is usually most life threatening to small children because their immune systems aren’t as strong and can’t fight off the infections that mold can cause.

* The mold will usually have a shiny coating.

* It will usually only grow in the carpet, inside wood, and in drywall (paper materials).

* Toxic mold will usually have more of a distinctive smell.

* Toxigenic molds are less common to come by.

* The mold itself isn’t actually toxic; it is the toxins that the mold produces which is toxic to humans and pets.

* The inhalation of the toxins is very dangerous and is what causes inflammation of the throat, redness of the eyes, and difficulty breathing.

* There is a small percentage of mold that is truly poisonous to people and pets.

Non-Toxic Mold

* This can still make people sick. Many people are allergic to mold which will give them flu-like symptoms. People with asthma will often have a harder time being able to breathe.

* If the mold is not toxic, it is very common for it to be allergenic.

All molds can be harmful to people. Not one specific type of mold will make its presence unknown. They all can attack humans’ and pets’ bodies and make them sick. All molds have the capability to cause rashes, headaches, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and have the potential to cause hay fever. Both types can even cause people with weakened immune systems to have serious lung infections.

It is very important to determine which type of mold you have in your home. There are plenty of different mold testing kits that you can use to determine if the mold is toxic or not. But be aware that sometimes the tests aren’t always accurate. This is because the number of mold spores in the air fluctuate over time, which makes the test not as accurate as you’d want it to be. If the test says the mold is toxic, remember that when they say “toxic mold” it’s not the mold itself that’s toxic.