Basis For Mold Count
Basis For Mold Count
Molds are fungi that can practically grow anywhere and on anything. They are multi-celled organisms that reproduce asexually or sexually using spores. Of the several hundred thousands species of spores, not all can make a person sick or produce an allergic reaction. Frequent exposure to molds can be dangerous to an individual.
Most people who are allergic to molds and mold spores often have symptoms that are reminiscent of hay fever symptoms. These range from a runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, red eyes, watery eyes and sometimes asthma may occur for those prone to it. This is why a mold count is important especially during the summer months when the molds are happily reproducing and growing. People need to be aware of the risk they have when they go out during a day with a high mold or pollen count.
What Is A Mold Count?
A mold count is the amount of mold in the air during a given test. The announced mold count is not the current amount of mold spores in the air but the amount during the test which could have been taken earlier in the day or the previous day. In spite of this, the current amount of mold in the air might be somewhere close to the mold count.
A mold count is often announced by the National Allergy Bureau to forewarn those individuals who are susceptible to mold allergies. These allergic reactions in people often come more often during the summer months. A mold count is often announced along with a pollen count. Both are for the sake of those who are allergic to pollen and molds or both. Many people do rely on the National Allergy Bureau for the current mold count or pollen count before venturing outdoors.
How NAB Gets A Mold Count
A plastic rod is coated with a substance similar to grease and then it is spun around the air for approximately 24 hours. After the elapsed time, an analyst will study the particles stuck to the rod and try to figure out which particles are present in the rod. The amount of pollen and mold spores found in the rod is then calculated to bring out past day's mold count and pollen count.
Mold count and pollen count can be helpful for those who have allergies to these particles and organisms. The National Allergy Bureau tries to be as accurate as possible when announcing these counts.