Blog Post

What Are The Most Common Types of Mold in a Home?

Ryker Bingham | Nov 09, 2021

While some forms of mold are useful, the kinds that can invade your house are not. Mold growth can cause allergic reactions, look gross, and necessitate costly repairs, especially if you’ve suffered a plumbing leak or other water damage issue. If you’ve spotted some of the telltale signs around your home, you should take action immediately to mitigate this potentially perilous problem.

The Environmental Protection Agency has wise words for homeowners on when it’s time to call in a professional and experienced mold remediation company. Those with health issues should consult a pro before starting any cleanup — several kinds of mold can cause deadly illnesses.

While there are literally hundreds of thousands of mold varieties, there are three distinct categories that you need to be aware of:

Allergenic: These can trigger asthma and allergy attacks in anyone.
Pathogenic: Dangerous to the immunocompromised, elderly, and children.
Toxigenic: Wants to kill you and your family.

What are the most common types of mold, and what should you do about them? Read on to learn more about this pesky pestilence and how to defeat it for good.

Aspergillus and Cladosporium

These are two of the most common types of household mold, according to HGTV. They’re both allergenic and while nontoxic, they will cause irritating symptoms like watery eyes or a sore throat.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Aspergillosis is thankfully rare, but it can turn into a nasty infection of the lungs or liver if not treated correctly. This kind of mold is specifically found in bathrooms and other damp areas. It starts out white but then turns yellow, green, or brown.

Cladosporium presents as yucky, furry, olive-green lumps. While not quite as angry as Aspergillus, it’s still not something you want hanging around as it causes eye irritation. If you’re going to be cleaning up any areas with these kinds of mold, be sure to wear protective eye gear, gloves, and a mask at a minimum!

Alternaria, Aureobasidium, and Mucormycetes, Oh My

Another super common allergenic mold is Alternaria. Home expert Bob Vila notes that it has a distinctive velvety texture and dark green or brown hairs. It loves to lurk in bathrooms and also causes asthma-like symptoms.

While found as often as the ones mentioned above, Aureobasidium flourishes behind moist wallpaper, and on painted or wood surfaces, especially in kitchens. Starting off pink, it then becomes dark brown as it ages. Don’t touch it with your bare hands — it will give you a skin rash or painful hives.

Mucormycetes grows in thick patches of grey or white, and it grows fast. It’s usually found in air conditioning ducts if condensation is allowed to collect. While it’s usually an allergen, prolonged exposure "can lead to Mucormycosis," which affects the digestive and renal systems. If you’ve got Mucor mold, call in a remediation expert immediately! Do NOT try to clean this one yourself!

Penicillin

A key ingredient in life-saving antibiotics, this distinctive blue-green allergenic fungus is not so useful if it’s growing in your home. It can live on carpets, wallpaper, and even mattresses, and easily becomes airborne. If inhaled, Penicillin causes pulmonary inflammation and asthma.

Pathogenics: Chaetomium and Ulocladium

If you’ve fallen victim to water damage due to a flood, you’ll want to check your interior wall spaces for Chaetomium. This sneaky, cotton-like fungus is pathogenic and grows really well in wet, dark spaces. Chaetomium turns from white to greyish-green, and feasts on the cellulose fibers found inside your walls. This is definitely one you won’t want to tackle on your own.

One of the dreaded “black molds,” Ulocladium exposure will give you serious respiratory issues. Found in really wet areas, this pathogen can be destroyed with thorough drying, but since it’s practically indistinguishable from other, more deadly forms of black mold, call in a pro to get rid of it ASAP!

The Really Evil Ones

Some forms of mold are really very dangerous to humans, and if you think you might have this kind beginning to grow in your home, you should call an experienced mold remediation crew as soon as possible. Don’t take any chances with your family and these horrific little beasts!

Several strains of Fusarium are toxic, and they’re frequently found in houseplants, carpeting, upholstery, wallpaper, and curtains. Appearing as red or pink spots, this one is known to "lead to nervous system disorders and internal bleeding."

Stachybotrys Chartarum is a very bad actor. This is the worst of the so-called black mold, although it can have a slightly greenish tinge. This threat also enjoys feeding on cellulose fibers like wood, paper, and drywall, and needs lots of moisture to thrive.

In a report from the National Institutes of Health & The American Society for Microbiology, Stachybotrys exposure is suspected to be linked to acute pulmonary problems in infants and a known Mycotoxin. Research is ongoing, but it’s been thought responsible for fatigue, depression, and gastrointestinal distress.

You’ll know Stachybotrys by its very specific, very mildewy smell. If you see greenish or black spots with a seriously funky odor, call in your licensed mold destroyers to take care of it.

Conclusion

Mold is a very unfortunate side effect of suffering a water leak, flooding event, or major appliance malfunction in your home. While it might not seem like a huge deal, mold is not only unsightly, it’s hazardous to your health. There are many different kinds that can take hold in your house, and they can all cause allergic reactions — or worse.