There’s nothing quite like lying in your comfortable bed, staring at your ceiling, and noticing a patch of dark mold in the corner. It’s unsightly, it’s disturbing, and it could be dangerous. Household mold can be a serious problem.

Instead of wondering what type of mold you’re dealing with, learn about the most common types of household mold and learn how to handle it. Each type of mold thrives in a different environment and can have varying effects on your health. However, every type of household mold can be harmful to you and your home.

1.Aspergillus

When you leave a sandwich in the refrigerator and find it three weeks later covered in mold, chances are you’re looking at Aspergillus. Usually found on food items or in air conditioning units, the mold can impact your health. In addition to causing allergic reactions, it can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis and respiratory infections.

2. Cladosporium

With a black or green pepper-like appearance, this mold could be seen throughout your home. It can grow on the back of toilets, on fiberglass air ducts, fabrics, carpets, or on painted surfaces. Most types of household mold prefer warm climates, but Cladosporium can grow in warm or cool climates.

Although it’s nontoxic, Cladosporium can cause allergies.Symptoms of an allergic reaction includes red eyes, watery eyes, a rash, and a sore throat.

3. Penicillium

This type of mold is common in places where there has been water damage. It thrives on wet carpet, wallpaper, furnishings, and insulation. It’s typically blue or green, and if you think it’s in your home, you should act quickly. It spreads rapidly, and it can take over your home in record time. Penicillium can causes allergies, lung inflammation, and chronic sinus infections.

4. Stachybotrys chartarum

Have you ever heard of toxic mold? Stachybotrys is toxic mold, also known as black mold. The musty-smelling mold earned its nicknames from its black, almost slimy appearance and from the toxic compounds it produces. While the mold itself isn’t toxic, the mycotoxins it spreads in the air can cause a variety of health issues. Common reactions are allergies, breathing difficulties, chronic sinus infections, asthma, depression, and fatigue.

Black mold thrives in damp conditions, like air conditioning ducts. Homes with leaky pipes and excess condensation are more susceptible to Stachybotrys.

5. Fusarium

Another type of mold that excels in areas with water damage, Fusarium may be on carpets or fabrics with water damage. The mold is especially harmful to people with immune systems that are already compromised, and it can cause infections. Other impacts on your health include allergies, asthma, and respiratory infections.

6. Trichoderma

Like Fusarium, Trichoderma likes damp surfaces. You might find it on wet carpet or wet wallpaper. Much like Stachybotrys chartarum, this type of mold can have severe health issues. These include allergies, breathing difficulties, chronic sinus infections, asthma, depression, and fatigue.

7. Alternaria

Often in outdoor environments, Alternaria can also grow in damp indoor environments. If you have leaky pipes under our sinks, it may be thriving. Another common location for Alternaria is in the shower, where the moisture is the proper level. Buildings with water damage can also provide a home for Alternaria.

Once the mold is present, it spreads rapidly and doesn’t stay in one area. Alternaria can lead to asthma and allergic reactions.

8. Aureobasidium

Also an outdoor mold, Aureobasidium makes indoor appearances when the conditions are right. It tends to grow on damp window frames and caulk, wallpaper, wooden surfaces, and painted surfaces. You might be able to identify the mold by its pink and black hues. Aureobasidium causes allergic reactions in many people. These reactions include hay fever, asthma, and “humidifier fever.”

Dealing with household mold

Some types of household mold are more dangerous than others, but many of them have (at the very least) the potential to cause some form of allergic reaction. They all also have the potential to do serious damage to your home. If you have mold growing in your home, don’t wait to identify it. Waiting too long to treat the problem can cause extensive damage to your home and your health.

When you find mold, the first thing you should do is contact a professional mold tester to identify the mold. A specialist can properly identify it and come up with a safe course of treatment. Trying to identify it on your own is difficult; many molds require extensive tests before an expert can identify it. And removing it on your own is not recommended. Wiping the mold can spread more spores into the air, which can aggravate any health issues and can spread the mold.

Fortunately, a mold expert knows how to quickly identify mold and how to safely remove household mold. If you catch the problem early enough, the cost and damage may not be too great. Find a qualified specialist for a quote.