Mold Statistics and Facts

Learn how widespread mold and its effects can be on you, your home, and the ones around you.

Mold and Mycotoxins can have a serious impact on your health. Learn everything you need to know about finding, remediating and treating Mold. We put together a list of the most important statistics all in once place so you can protect your home, family and pets from dangerous mold infections.

The Numbers

  • 7 million deaths per year are linked to indoor and outdoor air pollution. (World Health Organization, 2014)
    Mold may be hard to find – but it can have a deadly impact on your health!
  • Of the 21.8 million people reported to have asthma in the U.S., approximately 4.6 million cases are estimated to be attributable to dampness and mold exposure in the home. (EPA and Berkeley National Laboratory, 2007)
    Many people forget that mold can contribute to other respiratory illnesses like Asthma
  • At least 45 million buildings in the United Stats have unhealthy levels of mold. (Moldy, 2017)
    Your home or office might be the cause of your heath problems – mold can remain hidden behind wall, in the ceiling and under carpet for years
  • Infants who are exposed to mold in their living environments have nearly a 3X greater risk of becoming asthmatic than those who did not have extensive mold exposure in their first year of life. (Michael Pinto, 2018)
    Mold can cause serious respiratory health issues, especially in young children who are more effected during their early years
  • 93% of chronic sinus infections have been attributed to mold. (Mayo Clinic, 1999)
    Suffer from chronic sinus problems – it might be mold instead of another cause like allergies
  • On average, professional mold remediation costs $500 to $6,000 – but the price can soar into the tens of thousands if the problem is severe. (Houselogic, 2009)
    Mold removal is difficult, and expensive, but the long term health consequences can be even more costly

The Damage

  • Each year mold destroys more wood than all the fires and termites combined. (Luke Armstrong, 2016)
    Mold moves slow, but it still destroys more raw material than fires and termites every year
  • Most doctors do not have the training to identify mold illness. “Possibly every doctor in the United States is treating mold illness, and they just don’t realise it.” (Dr. Scott McMahon, MD, 2017)
    Many doctors do not have the training needed to identify mold illnesses
  • About 40% of asthma episodes are triggered by the household presences of mold, dust mites, or rats. (Center For American Progress, 2016)
    Asthma problems and mold are closely linked – with about 40% of attacks being triggered by mold or other allergens
  • Any kind of water damage (flood, pipe burst, leakage) can facilitate the growth of a mold in as soon as 24-48 hours. (ServiceMaster Restore, 2016)
    Mold grows quickly in wet environments so it is important to clean up standing water and prevent it from growing or spreading ASAP
  • Up to 25% of the population has a genetic pre-disposition that makes them more susceptible to mold illness. (Mold Sensitized, 2015)
    Mold illnesses are more wide spread than initially though – up to 25% of people are pre-dispositioned to mold illnesses
  • [Mycotoxins] can spread and affect the immune system severely. These lead to health conditions like allergies, hypersensitivity, respiratory problems (asthma, wheezing, coughing); and some other severe ones like those of memory loss, depression, anxiety and reproductive problems among several others. (Rujuta Borkar, 2018)
    Mold can impact more than just the respiratory system – it can even cause serious psychological issues like memory loss and depression

Learn how to recognize the signs of Mycotoxins and Molds in your home. Tests and home kits are available for Mycotoxin screenings. Follow our Blog for more information about Mycotoxin testing or contact us for more information on how to obtain test kits and to stay up to date on new developments.