Mold is an essential part of our environment, playing a critical role in breaking down organic matter. However, when mold growth occurs in our houses or offices, it can pose a serious health risk to people. Water damage in homes is a common cause of indoor mold growth, as it provides a conducive environment for mold to thrive. Once mold starts to grow, it produces millions of spores that can be emitted into the air, leading to mold outbreaks. Excessive mold growth can cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions, and other health issues.
mold spores and skin cells
LCS Laboratory Inc is a professional Indoor Air Quality testing facility that specializes in Industrial and Residential air quality testing, including mold investigation. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing accurate and reliable air quality testing services to help our clients identify potential hazards and improve the overall quality of their indoor environment. We understand the importance of maintaining a safe and healthy indoor environment, particularly when it comes to airborne mold spores in water-damaged houses.
With years of experience in the industry, we have collected a huge volume of statistical information about mold distribution in residential houses across Canada. All samples were collected in Canada in residential and office buildings. The samples were analyzed in our laboratory using the standard method ASTM D7391. This method allows us to identify 12 types of mold, but for the purpose of this post we will discuss the total concentration of all spores and hyphae, collectively called “fungal structures”.
When we accept the sample for analysis, we do not know its history, or why clients need to test them. Some samples were collected in water-damaged houses, and some are taken from naturally clean, or recently remediated buildings. In this study, we are trying to establish boundaries of how little mold should be in a “clean” house, and what is an indication of a room “contaminated with mold”?
The concentration of mold inside residential houses varies widely from house to house and from room to room. We have seen samples with mold concentrations as low as a few hundred fs/m³ (reads fungal structures per cubic meter) and up to 1,000,000 fs/m³. Because mold concentration varies within 4 orders of magnitude, the distribution is best described as log-normal distribution, and the calculated curve fits nicely into our statistical points. The cumulative distribution of mold concentrations in Canadian houses is presented below.
We divided all observations into 4 groups with equal number of houses in each group:
- <3,000 fs/m³. Low to moderate mold concentration is found in the top 25% of cleanest houses
- 3,000-7,000 fs/m³. Moderate mold concentration. In this range, the mold concentration is below the median level that is found in Canadian houses
- 7,000-20,000 fs/m³. High mold concentration is significantly above the country’s average
- >20,000 fs/m³. Very high mold concentration is found in the top 25% of all houses with the highest mold reading.
This classification offers a simple gradation of mold level in your house against what is typical for Canada. If you want to see how clean is your property, please contact us to discuss your project. Our experts are ready to help you identify potential hazards and improve the overall quality of your indoor environment.
