Black Mold vs Regular Mold in Utah
Dark mold is often Stachybotrys, which grows on cellulose materials that have stayed wet. The CDC advises handling dark mold like any other mold.
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Call NowTL;DR
- Black mold
- Dark mold growth, often Stachybotrys, on cellulose materials that have stayed wet for a long time.
- Regular mold
- Other mold growth — green, white, gray or brown — on damp surfaces throughout the house.
- How they are handled
- The same way: find the moisture source, remove the growth and the damaged material, dry the area.
- What to do next
- Leave the growth in place, note where and when you saw it, and call now to arrange an inspection.
What black mold is
Black mold is the common name for dark mold growth, often Stachybotrys chartarum, which grows on materials with a high cellulose content — paper-faced drywall, wood, ceiling tiles — after they have stayed wet for a long time. It is dark green or black, it has a slimy or sooty look when it is wet, and it grows slowly compared with other molds. It needs a steady source of moisture, which is why it is usually found where a leak has run for weeks or months, or where condensation has sat in a wall cavity.
Dark mold is often found in the same places as other mold in Utah County homes: the wall cavity behind finished basement drywall, the paper facing of drywall in a bathroom, the wood around a leaking window, and the ceiling below a roof leak. The inspection finds it the same way — moisture readings, a look behind the surface, and, where it is needed, air sampling.
What regular mold is
Regular mold is the growth that is not dark — green, white, gray or brown — and it grows on damp surfaces throughout the house. It grows faster than dark mold, and it grows on a wider range of surfaces: grout lines, window frames, the wall behind a bed, the underside of a carpet, and the coil of an air conditioner. It needs moisture, like all mold, but it does not need the moisture to last as long as dark mold does.
Regular mold is the growth that is found first in most Utah County homes, because it shows on the surface — on the grout, on the window frame, on the wall. Dark mold is usually found later, because it grows behind the wall or under the floor, where the moisture has sat for a long time.
How the CDC advises handling both
The CDC advises handling dark mold like any other mold. The EPA notes that mold exposure can cause allergic reactions and respiratory complaints in some people. Neither agency says that dark mold is harmless, and neither says that it causes a specific illness in a specific person. The right response is the same for both: find the moisture source, remove the growth and the damaged material, dry the area, and check that it stays dry.
For health questions, speak with a clinician. Nothing on this site is medical advice, and nothing here states that a particular mold causes a particular illness. The inspection finds the moisture source, and the plan follows from what it finds.
How the work differs, and how it does not
The work follows the same order for both — moisture source first, then containment, removal, cleaning and drying — with more care at the containment step for dark mold, because disturbing dark mold growth can release a large number of spores into the air. The affected material is removed and bagged in both cases, and the area is dried until the readings show it is dry.
The difference is in where the growth is found, and how long the moisture has sat. Dark mold usually means a leak that has run for weeks or months, or condensation that has sat in a wall cavity for years. Regular mold usually means a surface that has stayed wet for days. The inspection finds the source in each case, and the plan follows from what it finds.
Frequently asked questions
Answers from the questions Utah County homeowners actually ask.
Call NowBlack mold is dark mold growth, often Stachybotrys, on cellulose materials that have stayed wet for a long time. Regular mold is growth in other colors — green, white, gray or brown — on damp surfaces throughout the house.
The CDC advises handling dark mold like any other mold, and the EPA notes that mold exposure can cause allergic reactions and respiratory complaints in some people. For health questions, speak with a clinician.
On materials with a high cellulose content that have stayed wet: paper-faced drywall, wood, and ceiling tiles. It is usually found behind a wall, below a roof leak, or in a basement wall cavity.
On damp surfaces throughout the house: grout lines, window frames, the wall behind a bed, the underside of a carpet, and the coil of an air conditioner. It shows on the surface, so it is usually found first.
The work follows the same order for both, with more care at the containment step for dark mold, because disturbing dark mold growth can release a large number of spores into the air.
Call now and describe what you are seeing — the color, the location, and whether there was a leak. The provider takes the address, the rooms affected and when the problem was first noticed, and the inspection is arranged.
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