Killing Mold With Ozone

10/11/2019 (Permalink)

To understand the flawed premise of killing mold you must first understand the different characteristics between molds that are (alive) and molds that are dead. Once you do it will be clear why killing mold is not a sensible way to deal with indoor mold growth.

Live Mold

Molds, also known as viable mold are living organisms that require food and water to stay alive. Take away one or the other and mold dies. Molds produce two things; enzymes to digest organic matter and spores to reproduce. Outdoors mold is a vital part of our ecosystem. Without it we would be deep in dead plant matter and other organic materials. But indoors mold can be a real problem when it starts digesting organic materials. As long as mold has a food source and a water source, it can live indefinitely and cause significant damage to anything it comes in contact with.

Dead Mold

When dead mold, also known as non-viable mold has lost its food or water source it dies or goes dormant. At that point, it can no longer cause any further damage to your property. As mold dies it dries out and starts to release spores into the air at a highly accelerated rate, and mold spores – dead or alive – have the same affect on people and animals.

So, if dead mold is just as harmful alive mold – what would be the point in killing it?

Mold spores are organized into three groups according to human responses;

1. Allergenic
   Most likely to affect those who are already allergic or asthmatic
    
2. Pathogenic
   Serious health effects in persons with suppressed immune systems
    
3. Toxigenic
   Capable of causing serious health effects in almost anybody

The purpose of mold remediation is never to kill mold, treat mold, heat it, or poison it with gas. Mold remediation means mold removal. Therefore the goal of remediation is always to remove the mold. Mold exposure - dead or alive is a health issue.

Remediation means removing mold. In the simplest of terms, if mold is properly remediated (removed) there should be nothing left to kill.

Contractors who sell high ozone treatments as a method of mold remediation, fail to explain the amount of ozone it takes to kill mold will harm you too!

FROM EPA’s WEB SITE:
Q: Are Ozone Generators Effective in Controlling Indoor Air Pollution?
A: Available scientific evidence shows that concentrations of ozone that do not exceed public health standards, ozone has little potential to remove indoor air contaminants.

For more information from the EPA regarding the use or effectiveness of ozone generators, please visit their web site at: www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html

For more specific information regarding mold questions and concerns, call SERVPRO of Bennington & Rutland Counties to speak to a Certified Mold Professional. 802-375-1500