But what kind of mold or fungi is giving your Red Oak residence trouble? Before you start your cleaning or maintenance regimen against a slimy spore-spreader, it’s important to know what you’re working against – after all, not all molds are created equal.

While the Center for Disease Control estimates that there may be anywhere from 10,000 to 300,000 varieties of mold-causing fungi, there are a handful that crop up most often inside our homes. If you spot spores around your home, the mold may be:

Alternaria

Dark brown and downy-textured, Alternaria is able to thrive even in relatively dry environments, such as your insulation. While serious infections are rare, hay fever-like allergies to Alternaria are quite common.

Aspergillus

Aspergillus is commonly found after a major water leak or flood; this green, spotty mold can be very quick to spread, and can cause serious reactions and diseases in humans and pets if left untreated.

Cladosporium

Cladosporium is notable for its dark gray, powdery appearance; it’s also notoriously tricky to fully eradicate, and thrives in moist conditions, like in bathrooms or along the exterior of your home.

Mildew

While we use the phrase “mold and mildew” so often that it’s become a cliché, it’s important to remember that mildew is mold. Usually appearing as gray, brown, or yellow spots on damp surfaces, mildew is, fortunately, one of the easiest types of household molds to remove.

Penicillium

Penicillin is a miracle cure for many ailments, but the type you find growing in your home – usually appearing as bluish-greenish fuzz on old food, carpets, wallpaper, and furniture – is good for little but a dank, musty odor.

Stachybotrys

This dark, oily mold is, perhaps, the most harmful to you and your family. Highly toxic, stachybotrys tends to gather in areas that are consistently wet, like areas that go untreated after major water damage. In addition to its horror movie appearance, you can spot this “toxic black mold” by its potent smell of must.

Spotting any one of these molds around your house is generally a sure sign that you’ll need to address two problems: Not only will you need to clean away the mold itself, but you’ll need to identify the source of moisture in order to fix or replace the underlying issues.

And remember, it’s important to act at the first sign of mold or mildew in your home; as the Texas Department of Public Health reminds us, “all molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal.”

Want to get a handle on your home’s plumbing system before mold can develop? Looking for a quick fix before that plumbing emergency leads to long-term damage? Our team is here to help! Day or night, drop Combat Plumbing a line for all of your Red Oakland plumbing needs.