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Mold Terms
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Mold:
A fungus that eats and grows on and in
damp or high moisture or decaying organic matter. Synonym:
mould.
Toxic Mold:
A fungus that emits chemical mycotoxin poisons that become
airborne & cause serious human health diseases. Toxic mold
& black mold are also slang terms for brain-damaging
Stachybotrys toxic mold [misspelled Stachybotris].
Fungus:
a parasitic plant lacking chloro- phyll, a rigid cell
wall, leaves, true stems & roots. Multicellular. Composed of
thread- like hyphae. Reproduces by spores.
Mold Spore: A small
reproductive cell that is resistant to unfavorable environmental
conditions such as no water, & is capable of mold reproduction
fungal growth when water & organic materials to eat exist.
Hyphae:
Fungi usually are filamentous, with the single filaments being
termed hyphae. Fungal hyphae grow and branch to make a filament
network [mycelium].
Dormant Mold:
Mold that is inactive & awaiting future moisture and food to
begin again mold reproduction & growth.
Mold Inspection: The
thorough physical examination of a building by a
Certified Mold Inspector
to find & locate visual & hidden mold growth & water problems
that enable mold spores to grow into mold colony infestations.
Includes mold testing & mold laboratory analysis of collected
mold samples and samplings. Certified
inspection & testing are often necessary to file a mold-related
insurance claim.
Mold Testing: Collection by
a
Certified Mold Inspector of direct physical samples of visible mold and of indoor air
samples in rooms, attic, crawl space, basement, & heating & air
conditioning equipment & ducts, so that the mold samplings can
be grown by a mold lab in mold culture plates [viable mold
testing] to produce full- grown mold colonies for mold analysis
& identification by the mold laboratory.
Mold Test Kit:
Do-it-yourself sampling of
room & hvac air, & physical sampling of visible mold growth into easy-to-use mold culture plates for
lab identification.
Mold Inspector: A mold
professional who has been specially trained in the detection of
toxic mold contamination in homes, condos, apartments, offices,
& commercial buildings. The mold expert inspector utilizes
high-tech inspection devices such as moisture meter [to find
water problems hidden inside walls, ceilings, and floors],
fiber optics [to look inside walls & ceilings for mold
infestation], timed mold culture plate impactor, air sampling
pump & cassettes, & hygrometer [to check for the high humidity
that mold can grow in].
Mold Analysis Laboratory:
a scientific mold lab that specializes in the analysis and
identification and quantification of various mold species from
mold samples.
Viable mold test: immediate microscopic
examination of the collected substance
to determine: (1) whether it is mold or not;
(2) if mold, how many mold spores are present in sample; & (3)
where possible, to identify the few mold species that can
be visually identified without the highly accurate
viable mold lab analysis done after 5-7 days'
mold culture plate growth..
Chain of Custody: a mold
laboratory form which is completed by the Certified
Mold Inspector
who collects the mold samples to record the details of the mold
sampling work done, and to document both the transfer of custody
of the mold samplings directly from the inspector to the mold
lab, and their receipt by the analysis lab.
Mold Remediation: The safe
& complete killing & removal of mold spores & mold
colony growth from mold contaminated homes and other buildings.
Effective mold remediation usually requires the removal of
mold-damaged building materials and the use of a fungicide to
kill mold and an antimicrobial coating to prevent future mold
growth & danger. Usually done by a
Certified Mold Remediator
or
Contractor.
Mold Remediator: A mold
professional who has been specially trained as a mold
remediation specialist for toxic mold detection, inspection,
testing, sampling, prevention, remediation, and removal.
Fungicide: An effective,
safe, and quick indoor mold killer that is approved by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Antimicrobial coating:
After all moldy building materials have been removed & the area
has been cleaned and disinfected with a fungicide, an
antimicrobial coating is sprayed onto the mold-free surfaces &
new replacement building materials to protect them against
future mold growth.
Mold Report:
A written presentation from a
Certified Mold
Inspector to his client of
his physical building inspection findings & mold sampling mold
lab results, detailed analysis thereof, and recommendations for
specific mold remediation & removal steps that are required to
remove any mold problem documented in the report.
Mold Maintenance:
Mold prevention requires effective building mold maintenance to
prevent roof leaks, water leaks, water problems, and toxic mold
growth.
Mold Decontamination:
Safe, effective, & total removal of mold spores & growth from
buildings and personal possessions. |
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