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This month, let's talk about Mold

A Little Learning

Biologists have shifted fungi, which include mold, mildew and slimes, out of the plant kingdom and given it its own domain. Fungi are now one of the five kingdoms of life forms. One of the reasons for this is that the cell walls of mold organisms seem to be more similar in make-up to animal than plant. However, this is not to imply that mold is like animal in nature. There are over 10,000 known molds. Common molds found in buildings distill down to about forty or fifty. Almost all genera of mold are capable of producing and carrying different toxins. These may cause numerous effects in people and animals. Mold may cause allergic irritation or immuno responses such as sinus irritation, headaches, swollen tongue, dizziness, eye aches, asthma, pneumonia, bleeding from the nose and lungs. and more. Molds are not all bad. Some are used in industry such as the manufacture of chemicals. Many are used in the production of creating cheeses and wines. Mushrooms are also in the fungi family. The sole purpose of molds in nature is that of recyclers. Molds eat organic material and recycle it back into the environment. Molds cannot digest food for energy without water. The digestion actually occurs outside the mold cell walls. The food source is mixed with water and dissolved (digested), and then, dissolved mixture is allowed to enter the mold cell through its cell wall. Many molds can start and continue to grow without free water. They have the ability to prosper just on high humidity levels in the air.
-----Larry Schwartz, Industrial Hygienist, Safestart Environmental, Arlington Heights
"How to Protect Your Building From Toxic Mold"

Our Education & Training

Safe Clean, Inc. is perpetually engaged in ongoing training, continuing education, and re-certification. We conduct weekly employee training sessions related to the services we offer and OSHA standards for safety and health. We regularly enroll in continuing education classes for the services we provide so as to maintain re-certification year after year. Our classes with the IICRC and IAQA, have taken us to schools in many cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Pittsburgh, San Antonio and Seattle. We have sought out and learned from the best in the industry.