19 Types of Mold Commonly Found at Home
In this comprehensive post, we'll go over;
The most common types of mold growing in your home.
You'll also learn;
- Mold classifications
- The difference between mold & fungus
- The difference between mold & mildew
- How to prevent mold
- And more!
Let's dive in!
Wait, There's How Many Kinds of Mold?
Have you ever thought about how many kinds of mold there are? There are actually over 100,000 distinct species of mold! Pretty amazing, right?
Did you know that mold is a fungus? We'll talk about that a little later…While there are so many species of mold, it takes several species to make up a specific type of mold.
Many of us have heard of Aspergillus. Well, that type of mold is made up of hundreds of different Aspergillus mold species. Most of these can be found throughout nature, but not all of them affect humans or cause us any harm.
The CDC has many guidelines in place regarding mold and your health. Additionally, there are guidelines that must be followed by mold remediation experts. Rock Environmental adheres to all regulations set forth by the CDC and OSHA!
Like many other things in the world, it can be easier to group the various kinds of mold species by type. Keep reading to find out the different kinds of mold you may encounter!
Types of Mold Classifications
Even though there are that many species of mold, there are only 3 classifications. You are likely to have heard of these terms before, but maybe not in relation to mold.
Allergenic Mold – any type of mold within this classification can cause allergy symptoms in an individual. Think itchy, water eyes, sneezing, trouble breathing, and complications for asthmatic individuals.
Pathogenic Mold – mold within this classification can cause serious health problems in people who already suffer from health issues. Those who have a respiratory illness can be especially affected by pathogenic molds.
Toxigenic Mold – mold in this classification is considered toxic mold and can be extremely dangerous to anyone, not just those with pre-existing health concerns. Mold is considered toxic when it produces compounds called mycotoxins, like spores. Most common is “toxic black mold” which is due to the spores that get released into the air.
19 Different Types of Mold
Here, we have comprised a list of 19 different types of mold that you may find in or around your home. Each with its own unique characteristics! Check it out!
Name – Acremonium
Color(s) – Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Texture(s) – powdery
Classification – Toxigenic (can produce trichothecene mycotoxin)
Health Risks – Immune system, bone marrow and organ diseases, nail and eye infections
Where It Can Be Found – HVAC systems, humidifiers, wet basement, damp walls, carpets
Interesting Facts – starts as a small growth that is moist and turns fine and powdery, contains up to 100 different species, can also grow with Stachybotrys
Alternaria Alternata
Name – Alternaria Alternata
Color(s) – Black, Brown, Green, White
Texture(s) – Velvety, Hairy
Classification – Allergenic (produces alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, tenuazonic acid, and altertoxins)
Health Risks – Allergy symptoms (itchy, watery eyes, runny nose), Asthma-like symptoms
Where It Can Be Found – Shower, bathtub, window frames, where there is water damage
Interesting Facts – Spreads quickly and can take over your home fast, contains 50+ different species, the MOST common mold in the home
Aspergillus
Name – Aspergillus
Color(s) – Various colors
Texture(s) – Thick layers, long spores
Classification – Toxigenic & Allergenic (depending on species, can produce aflatoxins, mycotoxins, and biotoxins)
Health Risks – Can cause Asthma Attacks, Lung Infections
Where It Can Be Found – Most households, basically everywhere
Interesting Facts – Can use various sources for food, therefore can produce in different environments, consists of over 200 different species, quite common and can usually be found through air sampling/testing
Aureobasidium
Name – Aureobasidium
Color(s) – Black, Brown, Pink
Texture(s) – Velvety, color changes over time
Classification – Allergenic (does NOT produce mycotoxins)
Health Risks – Eye, Skin (Dermatitis), Nail Infections
Where It Can Be Found – Water damaged materials, window frames, humidifiers, carpet
Interesting Facts – Contains over 15 different species, should never be touched with bare skin, can grow in very low temperatures
Bipolaris
Name – Bipolaris
Color(s) – Black, Brown, Green, White
Texture(s) – Velvety, Wooly
Classification – Pathogenic (can produce 2 mycotoxins prehelminthosporal and sorokinianin)
Health Risks – can cause meningitis, sinusitis, other infections, and harmful to plants
Where It Can Be Found – Water damaged materials, indoor and outdoor plants, decaying food, wet carpet
Interesting Facts – Changes color from grey/white to a green/black color as it gets older, can travel quickly from the outdoors, around 47 different species
Botrytis
Name – Botrytis (aka Grey Mold)
Color(s) – Grey, White
Texture(s) – Velvety
Classification – Allergenic
Health Risks – allergic reactions, respiratory problems
Where It Can Be Found – damp areas
Interesting Facts – Around 30 different species, can affect grapes, raspberries, and strawberries and 1000’s more, adapts to its environment, fungicide resistant
Chaetomium
Name – Chaetomium
Color(s) – Black, Brown, Grey, White
Texture(s) – Cotton-like
Classification – Toxigenic (produces mycotoxins chaetoglobosins A and C and some species produce sterigmatocystin)
Health Risks – Can cause skin and nail infections
Where It Can Be Found – Water damaged areas, drywall, carpet, outdoor composts
Interesting Facts – Changes color over time, has a strong musty odor, and has about 80 different species
Cladosporium
Name – Cladosporium
Color(s) – Black, Brown, Green, White
Texture(s) – Suede-like
Classification – Allergenic (but does produce volatile organic compounds making it odorous)
Health Risks – Allergy Symptoms (Itchy, Watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing)
Where It Can Be Found – Bathrooms, fabrics, carpet, windowsills, outdoor soil, and plants
Interesting Facts – Over 40 different species, can grow in both warm and cold environments, do not touch with bare skin
Epicoccum
Name – Epicoccum
Color(s) – Orange, Yellow
Texture(s) – Hairy
Classification – Allergenic
Health Risks – Allergy Symptoms (Itchy, Watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing)
Where It Can Be Found – plants, fruits, water-damaged materials
Interesting Facts – up to 70 varieties, grows in various environments, secondary colonizer meaning another mold grew first
Fuligo Septica (aka Dog Vomit Slime Mold)
Name – Fuligo Septica (aka Dog Vomit Slime Mold)
Color(s) – Orange, Yellow
Texture(s) – Slimy
Classification – Allergenic
Health Risks – Allergy Symptoms (Itchy, Watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing), can increase pre-existing respiratory illnesses
Where It Can Be Found – bathrooms, plumbing systems, outdoors
Interesting Facts – Gets its name due to looks, can be in large patches
Fusarium
Name – Fusarium
Color(s) – Various Colors
Texture(s) – Flat, wooly, cotton-like
Classification – Allergenic & Toxigenic (can produce trichothecenes (type B); T-2 toxin; zearalenone (F-2 toxin), vomitoxin, deoxynivalenol, and fumonisin)
Health Risks – allergy symptoms, skin reactions, prolonged exposure can cause bone infection or brain abscess. Can produce toxins that damage the nervous system
Where It Can Be Found – carpet, wallpaper, fabrics, food products and compost, water-damaged areas
Interesting Facts – Has over 70 different species, can easily spread throughout the home
Mucor
Name – Mucor
Color(s) – Brown, Grey, White
Texture(s) – Thick patches
Classification – Allergenic
Health Risks – respiratory illness, asthma symptoms, flu-like symptoms
Where It Can Be Found – AC, HVAC, and air ducts, condensation, damp carpets
Interesting Facts – About 50 species throughout the world, needs high humidity to grow, SHOULD have Mold Remediation Professional remove this kind of mold
Penicillium
Name – Penicillium
Color(s) – Blue, Green, Grey, White
Texture(s) – Velvety, powdery
Classification – Toxigenic (Learn about Penicillium)
Health Risks – respiratory illness, asthma, sinusitis
Where It Can Be Found – water-damaged materials, carpet, wallpaper, air ducts, mattress, food items, outdoor soil, and plants
Interesting Facts – More than 200 species, has a very musty odor, important in antibiotic production and food processing, grows very fast
Phanerochaete Crassa
Name – Phanerochaete Crassa
Color(s) – Purple, Orange
Texture(s) – Thick patches, powdery
Classification – Toxigenic
Health Risks – respiratory illness, lung infections
Where It Can Be Found – wood, house framing, behind walls, under vinyl
Interesting Facts – Causes wood rot, should have professional mold remediation
Pithomyces Chartarum
Pithomyces Chartarum
Name – Pithomyces Chartarum
Color(s) – Black, Brown, White
Texture(s) – Dry, Patchy
Classification – Pathogenic & Toxigenic (contain mycotoxin sporidesmin)
Health Risks – Respiratory illness, lung infections, damage to bile ducts in the liver and jaundice also affects cattle and sheep
Where It Can Be Found – Mostly in subtropical countries, but can be found in meat, animals and plants
Interesting Facts – In animals, causes an eczema like disease, can live in various climates, contains around 50 species
Stachybotrys Chartarum
Name – Stachybotrys Chartarum (aka Black Mold)
Color(s) – Black, Brown, Green
Texture(s) – Slimy, Powdery
Classification – Toxigenic (produces mycotoxins mycotoxins include the trichothecenes roridan E, satratoxins F, G, and H, and verrucarin J)
Health Risks – breathing issues, aches, sinusitis, depression, many other black mold symptoms
Where It Can Be Found – damp, wet, and humid areas, wood, cardboard, paper
Interesting Facts – most feared mold, has over 15 different species, needs high moisture to grow, will not grow in a culture sample
Stemonitis
Name – Stemonitis (aka hairy brown slime mold, chocolate tube slime mold, tree hair or pipe cleaner slime)
Color(s) – Black, Brown
Texture(s) – Hairy, Slimy, Feathery
Classification – Allergenic
Health Risks – allergy symptoms, respiratory problems
Where It Can Be Found – Rotting wood, bathrooms
Interesting Facts – Grows quickly, can cause a lot of wood damage
Trichoderma
Name – Trichoderma
Color(s) – Green, White
Texture(s) – Patches, Wooly
Classification – Allergenic (some species can produce mycotoxins)
Health Risks – Can cause liver infections
Where It Can Be Found – wet surfaces, wallpaper, carpet, fabric, moisture, AC, HVAC
Interesting Facts – Very common, will completely damage a building, has 5 subspecies, must be removed by a mold remediation professional
Ulocladium Chartarum
Name – Ulocladium Chartarum
Color(s) – Black, Brown, Grey
Texture(s) – Suede-like, Cottony, Wooly
Classification – Allergenic
Health Risks – hay fever, skin infections, asthma-like symptoms, allergy symptoms
Where It Can Be Found – kitchen, water damaged areas, bathroom, basements, high condensation areas, plants, soils
Interesting Facts – grows with Stachybotrys, fusarium and Chaetomium, contains more than 9 species and 2 subspecies, grows fast and releases spores into the air, should have professional mold remediation
Mold vs. Fungus
What is the difference between mold and a fungus? Well, can you believe that mold is a type of fungus? With well over 200,000 different species of fungus, mold makes up just part of that.
Other types of fungus are more familiar to you like yeast, mushrooms, truffles, and lichen. When we look at the difference between the two, we find most in their appearances.
Depending on the type of fungus, it could grow in extravagant ways and look quite funky, whereas many forms of mold are unseen and microscopic!
A fungus cannot survive on its own, like other plants. It uses a source to get its food. A mold uses moisture and humidity and can replicate on its own.
While both mold and fungus can grow in all types of environments, you will more commonly find mold growing in high moisture, high humidity areas.
We know that the mold penicillium is used in many antibiotics, but with fungus, we use them in many different forms of food.
Even yeast (a type of fungus) is used to make beers and bread, and truffles are among some of the most coveted delicacies in the culinary industry!
Mold vs. Mildew
So, we can be fairly certain that everyone has seen various types of mold and has definitely at least smelled mildew. Some people may often confuse the two or use the terms interchangeably.
Mold and mildew are similar in the fact that both thrive in high moisture areas and can live on many different surfaces. Now, time to get to the nitty-gritty of mold and mildew.
Mold comes in many species and varieties and will grow on a surface and penetrate materials. Mildew will only remain on the surface and grows in flat, splotchy areas.
The odors of mold and mildew are also slightly different. Mold has a distinct musty odor while mildew has a wet musty odor. If something is left wet for too long, like laundry or a balled-up beach towel, they will tend to have the start of mildew growth.
Then there are the looks of each. Mildew will be almost always flat and powdery-like and not as colorful, whereas mold can be furry, slimy, or velvety and comes in many different colors.
How to Prevent Mold
With mold being almost everywhere, it is hard to keep it 100% removed from your home. But there are many things you can do to prevent an abundance of mold types to grow in your home.
With some being hidden, and others being stinky, it is best to follow these basic tips and guidelines:
- Keep your home as dry as possible. Eliminate or repair any leaks or water-damaged materials from your home.
- Keep the humidity levels in your home between 40% and 60%. Use a humidifier or dehumidifier if necessary.
- Keep your HVAC systems clean and functioning properly.
- Keep high moisture areas well ventilated, like bathrooms and basements.
- When remodeling or painting, use anti-mold or antifungals on the walls to prevent mold growth.
- Remember, mold can grow in as little as 24 hours meaning any signs of mold should be managed promptly. Not all mold is safe to clean up on your own, nor can it be removed or killed with basic household cleaners. If you are concerned about possible mold in your home, Contact your local Mold Remediation company, Rock Environmental today!
If you or someone you know have been wondering about the types of mold in your home, call our Rock Environmental professionals at 585-340-6799. Or click the button below to send us a message!
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