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ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS GUIDE
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MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOLD INSPECTION,
  TESTING, CLEANUP & PREVENTION

BASICS YOU NEED to FIND, TEST, REMOVE MOLD
BOOKSTORE - ENVIRONMENTAL
BUYERS GUIDE - home inspections for mold
CAT DANDER in BUILDINGS
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DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP
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FIND MOLD in BUILDINGS, HOW TO
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INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED
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ITCHY FABRICS
MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
  Black Mold  Brown Mold
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  Invisible Mold
  Meruliporia Mold Photographs
  Recognize Cosmetic Mold
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  Stuff that is Mistaken for Mold
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
  HARMLESS INDOOR PARTICLES
    Basketball Mold Syndrome - BBMS
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MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX
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MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
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MOLD CULTURES
MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE
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MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
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ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
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USING LIGHT TO FIND MOLD

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Picture of green mold on a pantry shelfGreen Mold in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
What toxic mold or other indoor mold looks like and stuff that's not mold but may be mistaken for mold
InspectAPedia®  -    

  • Photographs of green mold in buildings - how to recognize mold
  • Photographs of green mold in buildings assist in spotting problem mold growth in attics, basements, and in the living area
  • Photos of mold of various colors and textures in buildings
  • Links to photos of stuff that is not mold or is harmless mold
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.

What does green mold look like on indoor building surfaces? These mold spores and their photographs and examples of materials sometimes mistaken for mold have been collected in the U.S., Spain, Mexico, France, as well as in other countries where I've studied bioaerosols. These photos of mold on indoor building surfaces may help you recognize mold in buildings, recognize probably-cosmetic mold, and recognize stuff that is not mold and does not need to be tested.

Also see Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms and for an atlas of building molds and for more microphotographs of building mold samples observed in our laboratory, see Mold Atlas of Indoor Clinical Mold, Pathogens, Allergens & Other Indoor Particles. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Photographs to Help Identify Mold in Buildings -
What mold looks like in a home or other buildings

Identification Photographs of Green Mold in Buildings

Among the 1.5 million mold species, there are quite a few that may be found in buildings and that are green or green-gray in color. Three very common indoor mold groups found indoors and that include visible green mold growth are some members of the Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., and Trichoderma sp. mold genera.

Green mold can be easily seen on building surfaces but it cannot be reliably identified to genera/species without analysis by a qualified aerobiologist/microscopist in a test lab. See Mold Atlas & Particles List for an atlas of building molds and for more microphotographs of building mold samples observed in our laboratory. See our Atlas of Mold Related Illness Symptoms & Complaints for details about specific mold genera/species and their health effects. Also see Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens on indoor building surfaces.

Our photographs which follow show the typical appearance of green and gray-green molds on building surfaces indoors.

Photograph of thick green mold on subfloor over a crawl space

This photograph of thick green mold growth appearing on plywood subflooring over a wet crawl space was taken at a vacation home located at the edge of a lake.

The combination of wet soils, roof spillage against the foundation, and long periods of inattention subjected this house to water damage and problematic mold growth.

Photograph of thick green mold on a box and other items

This photograph of thick green mold growth was taken on cardboard boxes and contents stored in a basement closet subjected to not only leaks through a foundation wall but also recurrent basement flooding.

The presence of black mold and white mold on this box suggest that we may have at least three different genera/species of mold growing in this area.

You can also see tan colored mold on the wooden picture frame on which this box sits, and white mold growing on the cigar boxes at the lower right of the photo.

Photograph of thick green mold on furniture

This photograph shows thick green mold growth on furniture, side-lit by our flashlight. the Green mold on furniture in a damp moldy basement, Aspergillus photo shown in thumbnail just below is a larger view of this item.

Our lab examination determined that this mold, which was quite green to the naked eye, also contained Aspergillus niger (a black mold in the microscope).

Interestingly this very moldy furniture had been in this (very wet) location only three weeks according to our client.

Green mold on basement furniture - Daniel Friedman
04-11-01


Green mold on furniture in a damp moldy basement, Aspergillus sp.

Green mold on basement drywall sheetrock sheet rock - Daniel Friedman
04-11-01Green mold on drywall in a flooded basement, or blue-green mold is shown in this photograph. The mysteriously-sharp line marking the top edge of this mold growth was very important.

Dissection of the wall showed that a 12-inch strip of drywall had been removed and replaced around the entire room perimeter. The mold growth line marked the cut edge and taped-over repair - and a change in moisture levels of the materials which slowed mold spread above this point.

A previous owner had repaired previous water and flood damage in this basement. This is an example of the exception to the general rule that mold growth tends to spread in a non-linear pattern over surfaces.

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MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOLD INSPECTION,
  TESTING, CLEANUP & PREVENTION

MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
  Black Mold  Brown Mold
  Green Mold  Red Mold
  Yellow Mold  White Mold
  Invisible Mold
  Meruliporia Mold Photographs
  Recognize Cosmetic Mold
  Recognize Harmless Black Mold
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
  HARMLESS INDOOR PARTICLES
    Basketball Mold Syndrome - BBMS
    Black stains from soot/thermal tracking
    Black stains from animals
    Black cosmetic mold
    Efflorescence & brown deposits
    Efflorescence & white or brown deposits
    House dust
    Pollen
    Sprayed foam insulation
    White stuff that is not mold
    Wood sap

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

MOLD INFORMATION CENTER
ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD

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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

  • Looking for Mold Procedure: what mold is often found where in buildings - simple technical presentation
  • How to Look For Mold, List of Articles: Hiring a Mold or IAQ Consultant, Getting a Remediation Plan
  • Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
  • Recognizing Allergens: What various indoor allergens look like - identification photos to help identify pollen, dust mites, animal dander, toxic or allergenic mold - Common Mold and other Allergens, Irritants, Remedies & Advice
  • Stuff that is not mold but is often mistaken for it - things you may not want to test. Also, not all "black mold" is toxic - here are examples of harmless black mold.
  • Allergens: what they look like in buildings
  • Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
  • Mold in Fiberglass Insulation© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
  • Mold Investigation Tips for Home Inspectors how to find mold, where to look, what is likely to be important. Advice to building inspectors intending to inspect or test for toxic or problematic mold indoors, mold inspection methods, and mold test methods which are valid or invalid
  • Mold Test Kits - How to Collect and Send Your Own Mold Sample to our mold testing lab
  • Meruliporia: the house eating fungus or "poria"
  • Mold Central: indoor air quality investigation case histories, key links what to do about mold and indoor allergens - our Fear of Mold "Mycophobia" WebLog-Blog.
  • New Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
  • Rot concerns in buildings-some building mold such as Meruliporia incrassata "Poria" risks serious rot and hidden structural damage
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Mold -- check this FAQ list & IAQ Site Map to see if you can find a quick answer to your mold concern
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