Mold Fungus & Fungi
Terms and Terminology:
Meaning & Definitions
Allergen:
Any substance, such as pollen, mold or
fungi, or
animal dander, that can trigger allergic response in humans and
pets.
Chain of Custody:
A mold laboratory form which is completed by the Certified
Mold Inspector
who collects the mold and fungus samples to record the details of the mold
sampling work done, and to
document both the transfer of custody of the mold samplings directly
from the inspector to the mold lab, & their receipt by the analysis
lab.
Dormant Mold:
Mold or fungus [fungi] that is inactive and awaiting future moisture
and food to begin mold fungal reproduction and growth.
Fungus:
A
parasitic plant lacking chlorophyll, a rigid cell wall,
leaves, true stems & roots. Multicellular. Composed of thread- like
hyphae. Reproduces by spores.
Hyphae:
Fungi usually are filamentous, with the single filaments being
termed hyphae. Fungal hyphae grow and branch to make a filament
network [mycelium].
Mold:
A fungus or fungi that eats and grows on and in damp or high moisture or
decaying organic matter. Synonym:
mould.
Mold Allergy.
Human allergic reaction [such as skin rashes, open sores, and
respiratory problems] from exposure to airborne mold and fungus spores & indoor
mold growth.
Mold Analysis Laboratory:
A scientific
mold lab or
microbiology
laboratory that specializes in, or provides, the analysis,
identification, and quantification of mold and fungus [fungi] species from mold
and fungus samples
and samplings.
Mold Decontamination:
and
Mold Detoxification.
Safe, effective & total removal of mold
and fungus spores & mold growth from
buildings & personal possessions.
Mold Inspection:
The thorough physical examination of a building by a
Certified Mold
Inspector
to find & locate visual & hidden mold and fungal growth & water problems that
enable mold and fungus spores to grow into mold colony infestations. Includes
mold testing & mold laboratory analysis of collected mold samples
and samplings. Certified mold inspection and mold tests are
often necessary to file a mold insurance claim.
Mold Inspector:
A mold professional who has been specially trained in the detection
of toxic mold and fungal contamination in homes, condos, apartments,
offices, & commercial buildings. The mold fungus expert
inspector utilizes high-tech inspection devices such as
moisture meter [to find water problems hidden inside walls,
ceilings, and floors], fiber optics [to look inside walls & ceilings
for mold infestation], timed mold culture plate impactor, air
sampling pump & cassettes, & hygrometer [to check for the high level
humidity that mold can grow in]
Mold Investigation:
Advanced, in depth mold inspection and mold tests to find all mold
infestation inside a building. See
Certified Toxic Mold
Investigator.
Mold Lawyer
and
Mold Attorney
An environmental attorney, environmental lawyer, or mold attorney
who specializes in prosecuting or defending mold-related legal
problems and lawsuits.
Mold Maintenance:
Mold and fungus prevention requires effective and regular building mold
fungal
maintenance to prevent roof leaks, water leaks, water problems,
mold-causing high humidity, and toxic mold fungal growth.
Mold Remediation:
The safe & complete killing & removal of mold and fungus spores & mold
fungi colony
growth from mold contaminated homes and other buildings.
Effective mold and fungus remediation usually requires the removal of
mold-damaged building materials and the use of a fungicide to kill
mold and fungi and an antimicrobial coating to prevent future mold growth &
danger. Usually
mold removal is done by a
Certified Mold Remediator
or
Certified Mold
Contractor.
Mold Remediator: A
mold fungus professional who has been specially trained as a mold
fungal
remediation specialist for toxic mold and fungi detection, mold
and fungi
decontamination, mold fungi inspection, mold and fungal testing, mold
and fungi sampling, mold
prevention, mold and fungus remediation, mold and fungus removal.
Certified Mold Remediator.
Mold Report:
A written presentation from a
Certified Mold
Inspector
to his client of his physical building inspection findings &
mold and fungus sampling mold lab results, detailed analysis thereof, and
recommendations for specific mold fungi remediation &
fungus removal steps
required to remove any mold problem documented in the mold report.
Mold Spore:
A small reproductive fungal cell that is resistant to unfavorable
environmental conditions such as no water, & is capable of mold
reproduction fungal growth when water & organic materials to eat
exist.
Mold Test Kit:
Do-it-yourself sampling of room & HVAC air, & physical
sampling of visible mold fungal growth into easy-to-use
mold culture plates for
mold lab identification.
Mold Testing:
Collection by a
Certified Mold
Inspector
of direct physical samples of visible mold, mold, fungi, and of indoor air samples
in rooms, attic, crawl space, basement, & heating & air conditioning
equipment & ducts, so that the mold samplings can be grown by a mold
lab in
mold culture plates [viable mold
testing] to produce full- grown mold colonies for
mold lab analysis &
identification by the
mold laboratory.
Mold Training
and
Mold
Education:
Mold instruction, education, & certification at a professional toxic
mold school, mold class, mold seminar, or mold course for mold
inspection, mold testing, mold fungus remediation, mold fungi removal, mold
fungus
prevention, and mold business practices.
Sick building syndrome:
an environmentally unhealthy house or
other building containing mold fungal infestation, biological
contamination, or lead paint, asbestos, radon, etc., resulting in
serious health problems for its occupants.
Toxic Black Mold:
A fungus or fungi that emits chemical mycotoxin poisons that become airborne
& cause serious human health diseases. Toxic mold & black molds include
brain-damaging Stachybotrys toxic mold [often misspelled
Stachybotris].
Viable mold test:
Immediate microscopic analysis of the
collected substance to determine: (1) whether it is mold fungus or not; (2)
if mold, how many mold and fungus [fungi] spores are present in sample;
and
(3) where
possible, to identify the few mold and fungi species that can be visually
identified without the highly accurate
viable
mold lab analysis done after 5-7 days' mold culture plate growth.
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