Whenever we hear the name mold, we have a nasty feeling. Mold is a type of fungus that destroys property. Molds are equally harmful for your health. A home or property owner will never want mold growth inside his or her property. Till now we have learnt about all the bad effects that a mold cause.
But do you know that mold have good uses too? This statement is quite shocking for lots of people. People who have had to suffer due to mold will find it difficult to believe such mold facts. But it is true that there are molds which are beneficial to your health as well as to the ecological system.
These interesting mold facts might change your opinion about molds. There are more than 100,000 species of molds in this universe. But we know only about the five common ones. Among all the molds, we know that black mold is very dangerous. It will not only damage your property but will take a toll on your health.
Mold Facts: A Study
Here are some interesting mold facts.
- Do you have a garden in the yard? If you love gardening, then you need to know that molds can be of great help. The plants in your garden will grow better in the presence of a mold. There are types of molds that help in decomposition of organic materials. The presence of mold can actually speed up the whole process of decomposition. Organic materials such as, branches and leaves are decomposed which in turn makes the soil healthy. It also adds essential nutrients to the soil.
- Mold facts can really amaze you. Do you know that there are certain molds that are good for health? This fact is quite different from the general idea of mold we have. One of the best examples of a good mold with health benefit is Penicillium. You must have heard about penicillin which is popularly used as an antibiotic. Penicillium is one of the major ingredients used in the antibiotic. Penicillium has the capability to kill certain types of bacteria. A Scottish scientist is behind the discovery of Penicillium as a major bacteria killer. Penicillin has been in use from 1942 as one of the most successful antibiotic.
- One of the important mold facts that you need to know is that, mold and mildew are not the same thing. There is a basic difference between the two. Mold is known to penetrate through the surfaces while mildew just grows on a surface. Mildew is easier to remove than mold because it remains on the surface.
- Molds are of different types. You will be surprised to find molds of various colors. The most common mold is usually black. The other colors in which the mold might appear are orange, green, blue, brown as well as white. Molds, other than black can also appear inside your home. Make sure you remove it because no mold is good mold if it is inside your house.
- A study reveals that you can find at least 200,000 species of fungus. Lichen, truffles, mushrooms and yeast are some of its kinds. Mold is also a species of this fungus. The 100,000 plus species of mold can be categorised under three popular categories. These categories are pathogen, allergenic and toxigenic. There are certain fungi which have the capability to mix into the other species. These fungi also adopt the characteristics of the species with which it mixes.
These mold facts are quite interesting. But indoor mold growth should never be allowed because it is severely dangerous for your health. If you have a child at home, then do not be late in using the mold remediation methods.