Mould Fungus & Fungi Terms,
Meaning & Definitions
Mould:
A fungus or fungi that eats and grows on and in damp or high moisture or
decaying organic matter. Synonym:
mold.
[back]
Toxic Black Mould:
A fungus or fungi that emits chemical mycotoxin poisons that become airborne
& cause serious human health diseases. Toxic mould & black mould are
brain-damaging Stachybotrys toxic mould [often misspelled
Stachybotris].
[back]
Fungus:
A
parasitic plant lacking chlorophyll, a rigid cell wall,
leaves, true stems & roots. Multicellular. Composed of thread- like
hyphae. Reproduces by spores.
[back]
Mould Spore:
A small reproductive fungal cell that is resistant to unfavorable
environmental conditions such as no water, & is capable of mould
reproduction fungal growth when water & organic materials to eat
exist.
[back]
Hyphae:
Fungi usually are filamentous, with the single filaments being
termed hyphae. Fungal hyphae grow and branch to make a filament
network [mycelium].
[back]
Dormant Mould:
Mould or fungus [fungi] that is inactive and awaiting future moisture and food to begin
mould fungal reproduction and growth. [back]
Mould Inspection:
The thorough physical examination of a building by a
Certified Mould
Inspector
to find & locate visual & hidden mould and fungal growth & water problems that
enable mould and fungus spores to grow into mould colony infestations. Includes
mould testing & mould laboratory analysis of collected mould samples
and samplings. Certified mould inspection and mould tests are
often necessary to file a mould insurance claim.
[back]
Mould Investigation:
Advanced, in depth mould inspection and mould tests to find all mould
infestation inside a building. See
Certified Toxic Mould
Investigator.
[back]
Mould Testing:
Collection by a
Certified Mould
Inspector
of direct physical samples of visible mould, mould, fungi, and of indoor air samples
in rooms, attic, crawl space, basement, & heating & air conditioning
equipment & ducts, so that the mould samplings can be grown by a mould
lab in
mould culture plates [viable mould
testing] to produce full- grown mould colonies for
mould lab analysis &
identification by the mould laboratory.
[back]
Mould Test Kit:
Do-it-yourself sampling of room & HVAC air, & physical
sampling of visible mould fungal growth into easy-to-use
mould culture plates for
lab identification.
[back]
Mould Inspector:
A mould professional who has been specially trained in the detection
of toxic mould and fungal contamination in homes, condos, apartments,
offices, & commercial buildings. The mould fungus expert inspector utilizes
high-tech inspection devices such as moisture meter [to find
water problems hidden inside walls, ceilings, and floors],
fiber optics [to look inside walls & ceilings for mould
infestation], timed mould culture plate impactor, air sampling pump
& cassettes, & hygrometer [to check for the high level humidity that
mould can grow in].
[back]
Mould Analysis Laboratory:
A scientific
mould lab or microbiology
laboratory that specializes in, or provides, the analysis,
identification, and quantification of mould and fungus [fungi] species from mould
and fungus samples
and samplings.
[back]
Viable Mould test:
Immediate microscopic analysis of the
collected substance to determine: (1) whether it is mould fungus or not; (2)
if mould, how many mould and fungus [fungi] spores are present in sample;
and
(3) where
possible, to identify the few mould and fungi species that can be visually
identified without the highly accurate
viable
mould lab analysis done after 5-7 days' mould culture plate growth..
[back]
Chain of Custody:
A mould laboratory form which is completed by the Certified
Mould Inspector
who collects the mould and fungus samples to record the details of the mould
sampling work done, and to
document both the transfer of custody of the mould samplings directly
from the inspector to the mould lab, & their receipt by the analysis
lab. [back]
Mould Remediation:
The safe & complete killing & removal of mould and fungus spores & mould
fungi colony
growth from mould contaminated homes and other buildings.
Effective mould and fungus remediation usually requires the removal of
mould-damaged building materials and the use of a fungicide to kill
mould and fungi and an antimicrobial coating to prevent future mould growth &
danger. Usually
mould removal is done by a
Certified Mould Remediator or
Certified
Contractor.
[back]
Mould Remediator: A
mould fungus professional who has been specially trained as a mould
fungal
remediation specialist for toxic mould and fungi detection, mould
and fungi
decontamination, mould fungi inspection, mould and fungal testing, mould
and fungi sampling, mould
prevention, mould and fungus remediation, mould and fungus removal.
Certified Mould Remediator.
[back]
Fungicide:
An effective, safe, and quick indoor mould and fungus killer and
mould fungi disinfectant registered with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
[back]
Antimicrobial coating:
After all moldy building materials have been removed & the area has
been cleaned and disinfected with a fungicide, an antimicrobial
coating is sprayed onto the mould-free surfaces & new replacement
building materials to protect them against future mould growth. The
best and safest is EPA registered
Tim-bor.
[back]
Mould Training
and
Mould
Education:
Mould instruction, education, & certification at a professional toxic
mould school, mould class, mould seminar, or mould course for mould
inspection, mould testing, mould fungus remediation, mould fungi removal, mould
fungus
prevention, and mould business practices.
[back]
Mould Report:
A written presentation from a
Certified Mould
Inspector
to his client of his physical building inspection findings &
mould and fungus sampling mould lab results, detailed analysis thereof, and
recommendations for specific mould fungi remediation &
fungus removal steps
required to remove any mould problem documented in the mould report. [back]
Mould Maintenance:
Mould and fungus prevention requires effective and regular building mould
fungal
maintenance to prevent roof leaks, water leaks, water problems,
mould-causing high humidity, and toxic mould fungal growth.
[back]
Mould Decontamination:
and
Mould Detoxification.
Safe, effective & total removal of mould
and fungus spores & mould growth from
buildings & personal possessions.
[back]
Mould Lawyer:
An environmental attorney, environmental lawyer, or mould attorney
who specializes in prosecuting or defending mould-related legal
problems and lawsuits.
[back]
Mould Allergy.
Human allergic reaction [such as skin rashes, open sores, and
respiratory problems] from exposure to airborne mould and fungus spores & indoor
mould growth.
[back]
Allergen:
Any substance, such as pollen, mould or
fungi, or
animal dander, that can trigger allergic response in humans and
pets.
[back]
Sick building syndrome:
an environmentally unhealthy house or
other building containing mould fungal infestation, biological
contamination, or lead paint, asbestos, radon, etc., resulting in
serious health problems for its occupants.
[back]
|
