The mold inspection industry is one of the fastest growing, most lucrative new business opportunities of the new millennium. There's no big mystery surrounding the phenomenal growth of the mold inspection industry and other industries that deal directly with environmental quality: we live in a world that seems to be becoming more and more toxic and people are concerned. Whether it's in their home, school or work place, people want to feel as though they have some control over the amount of toxins they come into contact with in the places they spend to most time.

We have all heard the argument, "there has always been mold and it's never been a problem before." Yes, mold is a constant and essential part of life on earth. It breaks down waste materials and provides other benefits. Where would medicine be today if, while trying develop a drug that would fight infections, Alexander Fleming hadn't noticed the mold in a culture plate that led to his discovery of penicillin?

Mold has a place in our world. In the appropriate places and in the right amounts it provides a tremendous benefit. Mold will always be in our homes and offices. Every time we open a door or window, mold spores travel in on the breeze. All homes have mold, they always have had mold and always will.
Mold is not new, so why is it such a problem today? Is it just a case of collective panic? The media has certainly contributed to the rising hysteria about mold. But be careful not to confuse the issue: just because there is a high level of media-driven hysteria, doesn't mean that mold is a media-created problem. Mold is real and the mold problem is real.

One of the main reasons mold is more of an issue in our homes today than ever before is the rapidly-changing methods and materials currently used in the building industry. Where a house built at the turn of the century would have generally had a greater resistance to mold infiltration, modern homes can easily become a mold factory.

Many contemporary building materials and techniques seem to almost encourage the growth of mold in our homes. An example is pressed-paper and particle-board building materials such as those for baseboards, trim and cabinetry, mold instantly and severely with even the slightest exposure to moisture. Vapor-barriers and HVAC systems that limit the amount a fresh air that flows through a home, increase the condensation and humidity levels within a structure.

Construction techniques and, let's be honest here, the quality of construction today, can cause even more mold problems. Tile that is installed without properly sealed moisture barriers underneath can allow water to seep into underlying building materials and can, over time, create a mold issue and cause expensive damage. Plumbing installed without joint seals, even in one joint, can allow water intrusion deep inside a wall cavity that can go undetected for years.

The possibilities are almost endless, but the bottom-line is: yes, mold has been around forever, but mold IS a very real problem today and needs to be addressed in a serious, professional way.