Toxic Mould & Mould Frequently Asked Questions

• Can Richfords give medical advice on the likely affects of mould in general or even on specific 'toxic' mould?
• Why do I have a mould problem?
• What causes abnormal moisture levels?
• What else can cause abnormal moisture levels?
• Why does water vapour move around?
• What action should be taken if mould is noticed?
• What services do Richfords offer to assist with investigating mould problems?
• Can the property be tested for mould spores?
• How does mould differ from timber rot?

Can Richfords give medical advice on the likely affects of moulds in general or even on specific "toxic" mould?

Definitely not as we are not medically qualified. We have a general lay person's understanding, from our study of the published evidence, that its probably not a good idea to live in a mouldy property. We understand that the scientific community indicates that mould can be allergenic and some people even speak about toxic mould. Most evidence of toxicity seems to be from ingestion rather than from inhalation, although opinions differ on this. If you have concerns you should seek professional medical advice from your GP.

Why do I have a mould problem?

There is a simple answer to this. The normal healthy indoor environment is too dry to support life - so, for example, you need to water your indoor potted plants regularly or they will die. Mould will only grow when moisture conditions (and some other factors) are right for it. So when you see mould you are seeing evidence of abnormal moisture levels.

What causes abnormal moisture levels?

This is often caused by lack of adequate ventilation. Modern houses are generally more fully sealed to reduce energy use. And we all release water vapour just by breathing or perspiring, producing about 1/2 a litre of water vapour a day per person. Then we like to shower and cook with hot water. Water vapour produced in the kitchen or bathroom should ideally be released to the outside air though a ventilation fan or an open window. If it is not released it will travel right through a house to potentially affect remote rooms.

What else can cause abnormal moisture levels?

There are many other possible causes of abnormal moisture levels. It could be caused by an escape of water from plumbing or from inherent building defects. Sometimes these causes occur over a long time period, initially not noticed. Other times an incident, such as flooding from a burst pipe, has not been dealt with adequately and the building is left with a legacy of high moisture levels.

Why does water vapour move around?

The water vapour is trying to achieve a balance and it does this by moving from where there is more to where there is less - from the kitchen to the bedroom or from the bathroom to the lounge. If the destination room is cold then this can result in high humidity. High humidity can result in mould growth. So mould growing on shoes in a wardrobe may be caused by poor ventilation in the kitchen.

What action should be taken if mould is noticed?

The action required is dependant on the amount and extent of the mould. Firstly consider who is exposed to the mould and ask yourself if medical advice is needed, perhaps for someone who suffers from asthma for example. Then identify the source and ask yourself if it is a lifestyle problem cause by poor ventilation that can be easily rectified. Or do you need to look more seriously at other possible causes.

What services do you offer to assist with investigating mould problems?

We have a range of flexible and innovative services available. The starting point is to discuss with you the possible causes. This will enable you to fix the problem that is causing the abnormal moisture levels. In addition we can carry out controlled removal of mould along with appropriate clearance testing.

Can the property be tested for mould spores ?

Yes there are a variety of ways of testing for viable and non-viable mould materials. Even the non-viable spore fragments can be allergenic so its important to include these in the test. It is also important to recognise that the tendency of moulds to produce spores varies over time and sometimes high levels of sporation occur if the moulds experience adverse conditions, for example vibration, dry conditions, or cleaning chemicals.

There are no fully recognised safe levels for exposure to mould spores so we provide information on the types of mould found along with the information on the base levels of the ambient air around the property. This usually gives valuable information from which an action plan, if one is required, can be devised.

How does mould differ from "timber rot"?

Firstly they are all fungi, and there are thousands of differing species. Mould is a type of fungi that grows superficially on a substrate as a multicellular organism. Wood rot fungi cause substantial damage to timber when they become established growing physically larger structure than moulds, often producing mushroom like structures, or visible fruiting bodies, to reproduce. Moulds can grow within days in the right conditions, wood rot takes much longer to start to cause damage.