Mold Testing and Bacteria Testing

Trusted Laboratories

Trusted Laboratories

Phone: (905)290-9101
Toll Free: 1-866-813-0648

Worried About Mold?

Click ** Get Your Free Assessment Now!**

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
    • Mold Testing
    • Bacteria Testing
    • Legionella Testing
    • Cannabis Testing
    • Antimicrobial effectiveness testing
    • Biological Indicators and Sterilization Process
    • Contract Microbiological Research
    • Environmental Monitoring & Bioburden Testing
    • Material Fungus Resistance Testing
    • Materials Standard Testing
    • Cannabis Licence
  • Accreditation
  • Mold Test Kits
  • View Courses
  • Freebies
    • Live Presentations
    • FREE Mold Inspection Quiz
    • FREE Mold Spore Identification Quiz
  • Resources
    • Chain of Custody Form
    • Ask a Question
    • How to Take Samples
    • Results Interpretation
    • Mold and Bacteria Pictures
    • Jobs
  • Contact us
You are here: Home / Mold and Bacteria Resources / Mold Information

Mold Information

Learn More About Mold and Bacteria

Common Building Molds (also called Mildew or Black Mold) and Their Associated Health Effects

People often talk of black mold or mildew in their bathroom, ceiling, basement and kitchen.

The question you may ask, is it a single type of mold? No. In most cases, more than one type of mold will be growing on the same surface. At least 150 mold species have been reported from residential and commercial buildings. Fortunately, not all of these are harmful to most people, so even if you suspect mold growth, don’t panic; but make you have it tested at the earliest.

If you want to know more about specific molds, visit the Mold Library.

If you are looking for a professional to help you with mold testing or remediation, contact us to discuss your situation further.

What Are the Health Effects Of Indoor Mold?

Exposure to indoor mold has been associated with the following health problems:

  • Lower respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing
  • Respiratory infections such as aspergilloses
  • Allergic diseases, including allergic asthma and bronchitis
  • Non-inflammatory, unspecific symptoms, such as eye and skin irritation, fatigue, headache, nausea, and vomiting

Which Molds and Why Do They Grow Indoors?

The level of moisture (usually referred to as water activity) in building material determines not only whether mold will grow or not but also the types that colonize the material. Damp materials with a water activity value equal to or greater than 0.90 are usually colonized by strains of Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichoderma spp., Exophiala spp., Stachybotrys spp., Phialophora spp., Fusarium spp., Ulocladium spp., and yeasts such as Rhodotorula spp.

Materials with a water activity value ranging from 0.90 – 0.85 are colonized by Aspergillus versicolor while those with water activity values of 0.85 or slightly less are colonized by Aspergillus versicolor, Eurotium spp., Wallemia spp., and Penicillium spp., such as Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium aurantiogriseum.

A study conducted in Denmark found that water leakage through roofs, rising damp, and defective plumbing installations were the main sources for water damage with subsequent mold growth.

The building materials most susceptible to mold attacks were water damaged, aged organic cellulose containing materials such as wood, jute, wallpaper, and cardboard. In this study, the molds that were most frequently encountered were Penicillium (68%), Aspergillus (56%), Chaetomium (22%), Ulocladium (21%), Stachybotrys (19%), Cladosporium (15%), Acremonium (14%), Mucor (14%), Paecilomyces (10%), Alternaria (8%), Verticillium (8%), and Trichoderma (7%). These molds are all known to cause different types of inhalation allergy. The species most frequently encountered were Stachybotrys chartarum, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Aspergillus versicolor.

If you’re interested in learning more about mold and bacteria, you can explore the links above to the left. If you’re curious or concerned about anything not covered here, please use the Question Form.

Interested in having an in-depth understanding? Check our Resources page which will provide you with links to other educational materials.

Online Training

Mold Course: Learn to investigate
mold problems. Only $279.50!

Mold Testing Kits

Suffer from asthma or allergies?
Order air mold test kit Today- $116!

Bacteria Testing

Microbiology Testing Lab offering identification of environmental bacteria!

Legionella Testing

‪Laboratory testing for Legionella by culture with an identification!

Laboratory Mold Testing

‪Accredited Microbiology testing lab providing mold testing services!

Mold Inspection Services

The Mold Testing Company To Call
For Indoor Air Quality Inspection!

Recent Posts

Is E. coli Airborne? Separating Facts from Myths in Bacterial Sampling

In the world of indoor environmental quality, bacterial contamination often raises questions, especially when dealing with sewage damage. A recent … [Read More...]

 - Mold Testing and Bacteria Testing

Is “Black Mold” Equivalent to “Toxic Mold”?

Is "Black Mold" Equivalent to "Toxic Mold"? No, black mold is not equivalent to toxic mold. "Black Mold" is a term that is often used incorrectly to … [Read More...]

 - Mold Testing and Bacteria Testing

Exploring Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM): Understanding Characteristics and Implications

What Are Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM)?Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria are mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. leprae, and … [Read More...]

Learn With Us…

Courses

  • Mold Inspection, Identification and Control
  • Fungal Spore Identification
  • Mold Inspection Business Course
  • How to take Mold Samples Course
  • Coliform Testing
  • WHMIS
  • INTERESTING KNOWLEDGE QUIZES

Get In Touch

By phone or by email
905-290-9101
Email

Our Location
1020 Brevik Place, Unit 1A • Mississauga, ON L4W 4N7
(Phone: 905-290-9101 • toll-free: 1-866-813-0648 • fax: 905-290-0499.)

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search this Site

Recent Posts

  • Is E. coli Airborne? Separating Facts from Myths in Bacterial Sampling
  • Is “Black Mold” Equivalent to “Toxic Mold”?
  • Exploring Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM): Understanding Characteristics and Implications

Useful Links

  • Chain of Custody Download
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

Copyright © 2025 · Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories. Log in