How many of these mould myths do you believe?
Myth #1 If I had mould in my house I would see it?
Moulds can grow in dark places with little air flow like behind walls, underneath cabinetry, and underneath hardwood floors etc. It’s impossible to see mould in these places.
Myth #2 If I had mould in my house I would smell it.
The musty smell we associate with mould is produced when moulds are actively feeding and digesting. During that phase. they produce a gas called Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds or MVOCs. Some MVOCs are not perceptible so they could easily be missed. Once the area dries, moulds stop feeding and no longer produce the gas so there is no smell however, the mould is still there, drying up and becoming more volatile, more likely to become airborne and travel in air spaces.
Myth #3 Ozone kills mould
Ozone has its place, for example to disinfect kitchen surfaces or remove odours once the source is gone. However, studies have shown that it’s never 100% effective on mould and mycotoxins. The goal with mould is removal not “killing”. Mycotoxins are not an organism they are a chemical, no need to kill chemicals but they should be removed.
Myth #4 The EPA says there is no need to test so I don’t need a mould inspection.
The EPA is referring to testing visible mould, of course everyone knows mould should be removed, no need to test. But if you clean up only the mould you can see, there is a very high chance that you’ll miss some. For example, your dishwasher leaked and you cleaned the area underneath and in front of it but testing may show mould is also growing underneath your kitchen cabinets on both sides, underneath the flooring, in the wall behind the dishwasher and in the basement ceiling below. It all depends on where the water travelled and a mould technician who tests cavities is your best bet.
Myth #5 Mould is everywhere so finding mould in someone’s house is not a big deal
Yes there are common, harmless mould everywhere. What a mould professional does is look for water-damage moulds that are toxigenic and allergenic, which means moulds capable of producing toxic substances or allergens/inflammatory compounds. A mould professional is trained to recognise the difference.
Myth #6 I’m sick but nobody else is, so it’s probably not mould
Approximately 25% of the population has a genetic deficiency in the HLA-DR gene on chromosome 6. Missing HLA genes or a deficiency in function of these genes makes those individuals at risk when exposed to mould. This is why in a household of 4, only 1 or 2 may be sick. In addition, more than 40% of the population is sensitive to mould in some form but many don’t know it. Who would think that trouble sleeping, nightmares, urinary issues, memory loss, irritability and anger could be related to mould exposure??! Also, individuals with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Lyme Disease, Mast Cell Activation or PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) are very sensitive to mould and can have severe reactions when exposed to mould, immediate or delayed.
Myth #7 If I buy a newer house or build a house, I won’t have a mould problem
Its well documented that 1 on 10 new homes Australia have a mould and condensation problem within 12 months of build. Flooding can happen during construction, rain happens during construction, plumbing errors happen during construction…Mould has been found in walls of newly renovated bathrooms and kitchens because the renovation crew never noticed they were disturbing toxic mould and they just swept debris in the wall cavity before installing the new drywall!
Myth #8 Air samples will tell me if I have mould in my walls
Unfortunately it’s not that simple. An air sample taken in a room will not detect mould behind the wall. The wall cavity itself has to be tested.
