Any homeowner in Fort Myers, FL, should be aware that mold is a persistent threat in the area. If it takes root in your home, it can cause significant health problems and major property damage. It can also be quite costly to eliminate. Unfortunately, with each passing year, the threat of mold grows stronger in this area. It’s because the effects of climate change are supercharging mold growth. Here’s everything you should know about the situation.
What Exactly Is Mold?
Mold is a type of microscopic fungi. It’s multicellular, and it grows into a structure called mycelium. It grows by digesting any organic material upon which it lives. In nature, mold serves a vital function, breaking down dead organisms into useful components that support new life. Certain kinds of molds and related organisms even play a helpful role in your daily life. For example, whenever you eat a mushroom, you’re eating the flowering part of a mold-related fungi. And the yeast that allows for the fermentation of bread and beer is a simpler, monocellular version of mold. Even penicillin—the first mass-produced antibiotic—comes from a specific variety of mold.
Unfortunately, not all types of molds are beneficial to humans. Some fall into a category known as allergenic mold. Those are varieties of mold that trigger allergic reactions in humans when we inhale their airborne spores. Another dangerous category of molds is pathogenic molds. Those types of molds can develop into colonies inside the human body. When that happens, severe illness may result.
Finally, there are toxigenic molds. They’re extremely dangerous, but not for the reason most people believe. The molds themselves are mostly harmless to humans. However, toxigenic molds release compounds known as mycotoxins as a byproduct of their metabolic processes. Those compounds, when inhaled, can cause everything from acute poisoning to immune system suppression and even cancer.
The Perfect Environment for Mold
Mold releases spores that travel through the air, creating the potential for new colonies wherever they land. In fact, there are mold spores present in the air virtually everywhere you go. The only reason you don’t see mold colonies everywhere is that they require very specific conditions to thrive. First, mold can only grow where there’s dead organic matter present as a food source. Unfortunately, organic matter is everywhere. For example, the dust found inside your home contains vast amounts of dead skin cells. That’s plenty of food to support a colony of mold. The good news is that the combination of other conditions necessary for mold growth isn’t as ubiquitous. It includes:
- The proper temperature – Mold only grows in temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and thrives between 77 and 86 degrees.
- Ample moisture – Mold requires water to grow and spread, so it thrives in high humidity.
- Oxygen – Mold needs oxygen to help power its metabolic processes, but even tiny amounts suffice.
You should also know that mold spores won’t die if they don’t find the right conditions for growth. They merely lie dormant, waiting for those conditions to appear. As a result, it’s challenging to fight mold in any way other than by perpetually depriving it of the right environment for growth.
How Climate Change Is Affecting Mold
The effects of climate change are helping create the perfect conditions for mold growth in places it couldn’t before. This begins with the impact of climate change on average temperatures. To understand those effects, consider the average temperatures here in Florida. Between 2000 and 2010, our average annual temperature ranged from 69.1°F to 71.6°F. However, since 2015, we haven’t had an average temperature below 72.2°F. In fact, in five of the years since then, our average temperature climbed above 73°F.
Temperature increases aren’t the only way that climate change is helping mold to thrive. It’s also leading to wetter weather. Due to intense and prolonged rainfall, more surfaces become wet and remain so for extended periods. Additionally, an increase in intense storms is driving flooding across the Sunshine State. In those situations, buildings become inundated, creating vast new breeding grounds for mold.
The changing weather patterns are also exacerbating an existing issue here in Fort Myers: humidity. The problem is twofold. First, as temperatures rise, the air’s ability to hold moisture increases. Then, when you add the extra available moisture from incoming storms, you get even more humid air. As a result, maintaining humidity control in indoor spaces becomes increasingly difficult each year. After all, Florida is already the most humid state in the nation, and its lead over the other 49 states continues to grow.
The changes to our local environment are also helping mold varieties from tropical climates to take root here. That’s problematic because we don’t yet know the effects of every variety of mold out there. So, the increased variety leads to increased safety uncertainty for Fort Myers residents. Additionally, some mold varieties known to be hazardous are now spreading throughout Florida, such as Aspergillus fumigatus. It causes a condition called aspergillosis, an often-drug-resistant lung infection with a high mortality rate.
Preventing Mold Growth Indoors
Since you can’t eliminate mold spores from the air in your home or commercial facility, you must always contend with the possibility of mold growth. There is only one reliable way to prevent mold growth indoors. It’s to always keep your indoor space at or below 50% relative humidity. Mold becomes a problem at relative humidities of 60% or higher. For your own comfort, you should also prevent indoor humidity from dropping below 30%. You can accomplish that by ensuring you always use your AC on humid days. And if that’s not enough, consider adding a dehumidifier to remove excess humidity directly.
Additionally, it’s vital to take remedial steps immediately after plumbing leaks or other events that introduce moisture to your indoor space. First, it’s necessary to dry up as much of the moisture as possible. While doing so, using fans to keep constant airflow through the affected areas helps. And afterward, it’s a good idea to hire a professional mold remediation firm, such as iMold, to conduct mold testing. That will let you know if your efforts have been successful or if you need to take further action.
Your Local Mold Experts
For almost 30 years, iMold has been the local leader in mold remediation here in Fort Myers. We know better than anyone how quickly mold can transform from a minor maintenance issue into a disaster for your property. That’s why we’re passionate advocates for mold prevention, even at the expense of our own bottom line.
We’re committed to doing right by our neighbors, offering both expert advice and quality workmanship. Plus, our team of mold experts undergoes continual training to stay at the forefront of the field. And when you do need our services, count on fair prices and prompt service.
We also offer financing options on approved credit to help you cover the cost of remediation when required. So, if you suspect a mold problem in your home, contact iMold now.
