Poll: What's the difference between mold and mildew?

[Dennis M. Scott]

I previously made an assumption, but I was mistaken. Without googling or using a dictionary, etc., take a guess. You probably are correct. I'll post the answer in a couple days.

[Dennis M. Scott]

If it smells like mold, it is mold.

[Dennis M. Scott]

The fungists have identified more than 140,000 kinds of mold in North America, and many of those have arrived from elsewhere.

[Mark Doble]

For a couple of years I ran the mould remediation program for the former Toronto School Bd.
Let me say this, mould is very dangerous. I had sucked in a mould spore during a removal before any dangers were known. I was on puffers for a year just to breathe!
It is a serious toxic substance. Some species can burn your skin like acid if not taken off right away.
Mostly I dealt with stackybotrisatra

[Dennis M. Scott]

No one selected the only true statement: Mold grows on things that previously were alive: mildew grows on things presently living. That may not be what grandma taught us, but that's the technical distinction. Mildew grows mainly on plants, both inside and outside dwellings. In the strictest sense clothing smells "moldy" rather than "mildewy". Neither mold nor mildew feed on minerals, but only on proteins. Mold will not feed on polyester, although it may grow on polyester laden with dead skin that has come to rest on a garment. Mold needs some sort of "cell" structured protein on which to feed. Athletes' foot is technically mildew, rather than mold. :eek: Mold is a form of fungi, but not all fungi is mold.

Mold does not feed on concrete, but may grow where dust or other proteins have been deposited. Mold doesn't grow on the gypsum in drywall, but on the paper facing, or on other substances inadvertently on drywall. Sometimes mold root systems will grow clear through gypsum if moisture or food is on the other side of the wall.

Mold and mildew can be found in almost any color one can imagine. In remediating mold I have seen in green, gold, yellow, white, red, pink, orange, blue, black and brown all within six or seven square feet. Although it brings a smile when we encounter it, it is not unusual to find mushrooms two or three inches tall growing from wet carpeting.

Most molds spread either by airborn spores or by other forms of physical transfer - i.e., animals, insects, root systems, etc. Some forms spread more by physical transfer than by air. These are frequently referred to as "sticky" molds.

Most molds are safe for most people, but every person's susceptibility to molds is different, and can change over time. Some persons are highly reactive to almost any kind of mold, and some people seem to be almost immune to most. But that can change at any time for any person.

There are molds that regularly attack human lungs. Stackybotrisatra (stackybotrus) that Mark mentioned is pretty scary stuff, and is a black mold. There are, however, over eleven thousand black molds thus far identified in North America. It makes a lot of people sick, but fortunately it doesn't spread too well by air, although it can. It also tends to appear associated with sewage, but again, not exclusively. Stacky is the mold that has gotten a lot of attention in the Gulf region, but we encounter it in New England regularly, and Mark mentioned he worked with it in Canada. There are molds that only live in extremely cold temperatures, and a few that only grow in snow - but snow that has been "contaminated" with proteins.

Mold is everywhere there is oxygen. There is no such thing as a "mold free" environment. Even hospital operating rooms and laboratory "clean rooms" have mold. Mold remediation is about returning mold spore levels in living areas to an acceptable level. Most usually an industrial hygienist takes mold spore air samples in areas in a building suspected to have an inappropriate level of mold, and also takes air samples outside that same building at the same time on the same day the inside samples are taken. Because we anticipate that indoor heating and air purifying systems are designed to provide air at least as mold free as the outdoors, if the mold spore counts inside are generally the same level as the outdoors, the building is understood to be "safe", or at least as safe as can be practically provided, and the building is declared to be "clear." If, however, the inside spore counts of a particular mold are significantly higher indoors than the same type of mold is outdoors, that is interpretted as an indication that there is a problem with that kind of mold in the building, and remediation is required.

In a controlled situation, many kinds of molds are good. Most humans can eat many kinds of mushrooms, although some people can't survive such an adventure. Penicilium is a health restoring mold, when used in the right way for some people, but other people can't take it at all.

Some molds are toxic in that they give off toxins, and most molds when dead can continue to give off microtoxins, which can be very harmful. Consequently, it is not sufficient to merely kill mold: it needs to be removed. Yet most mold is very fragile, and is easily killed. Probably ninety percent of the molds we encounter can be killed and cleaned up with a mild detergent, like laundry or hand soap.

Because mold spores are mainly airborn, one doesn't want to put a fan blowing across mold. That significantly spreads the mold to areas likely not yet contaminated. If the area needs to dry, one should get rid of the mold prior to attempting to dry it with moving air. So-called "bleach water" is absolutely not a good solution to killing mold. It is far too aggressive, and kills other things we don't especially want to kill. There are numerous studies illustrating harmful aspects of chlorine, and I don't recommend its use at all. Even the EPA has attempted to retract its earlier statements encouraging the use of bleach. I require my employees to were full-face respirators while working in mold environments.

Mold has been around forever. Mold decays previously living matter, and turns it to healthy productive soil. People have lived with mold since people began living. For fun sometime, do a word search in the scriptures on mold and mildew. People have also been dying from mold reactions forever. Fifty years ago children died and we said, "Well, they were always a sickly child." I'm convinced that many times their sickliness was a short lifelong reaction to mold. We now can do better than that.

Many times we over-react to mold, when we should simply take appropriate action. Your doctor is your best way to learn with which molds you or your family members have a problem. Occasionally I have people say to me, "I'm deathly allergic to mold." When I ask specifically what kind of mold would kill them, sometimes they go on and say, "Any kind of mold will kill me, even in the slightest amount." I want to say, "Well, you look pretty good for someone who's dead." They are simply uninformed, or misinformed. Perhaps they've watch a couple too many 20-20 episodes on television.

Mold is serious, and often should be handled by a professional mold remediator. You have not gained sufficient information in this post to take care of it. The internet is full of information on mold, and much of it is accurate. Do your research, and don't ignore the issue. It won't just go away on its own. It isn't always dangerous, but it might possibly make you sick or harm you.

Mold remediation is sometimes covered by your homeowners' insurance policy. Some insurance carriers have written it out of their coverage. Other carriers offer mold insurance, and others have dollar amount limits. Your agent can tell you whether or not your have that kind of coverage. In recent years, real estate transactions have begun to require a signed statement about microbial (mold) growth remediation and water damage mitigation similar to lead paint and asbestos abatement, although that clause has been there for fifty years. We regularly are called on by home sellers to provide certification for work we've done.

Churches are notorious for having mold, as well as asbestos. In our industry, one type of asbestos floor tile is affectionately known as "church tile" because so many churches have it. Schools used to have it, but most of them have long since had it abated. But asbestos is another tale for another day.



Way more than you wanted to know. :)

[Barb Bouldrey]

What an education. I guess you can teach old dogs new tricks. Now I am ready to go out and reach the world with my new knowledge.

Now, Dennis, what prompted this poll? Mildew in the shower? Or too much time on your hands????

LOL

P.S. Does that mean my shower is living????

Barb

[Dennis M. Scott]

Barb,

My company has done mold remediation for several years, but following the massive flooding around Mothers' Day, we now are receiving calls for mold remediation way more than ever. Some inquiries are interesting, and it made me aware of some common misconceptions about it. I knew it wouldn't be the hottest poll ever, but not many here really showed they knew a whole lot about it. Someone would have never convinced me while I was in seminary that I'd be doing something like this someday so I could respond to my call to ministry! It's one of those things that you don't need to know until you need to know it, I guess. I do frequently get calls from churches.

[Barb Bouldrey]

Wow...Now I have learned something about you, Dennis. All I knew was that you are a pastor. I did not know you have a secular job, too.

Now I understand your poll better.

And your explanation really was interesting.

I hate opening an old box of books and finding them covered with.....mildew(?) In our first pastorate John lost some of his books because his office was in the basement of the chapel/parsonage.

Barb

[Dennis M. Scott]

Barb,

That opens a topic that is far longer than the mold thing.

My real passion is starting new churches. While I am fully committed to that, and the path the Lord has taken us, I don't think it is the path for everybody else: perhaps not even anybody else. It has been my privilege to be a part of the beginning of 39 churches and CTMs. A few years ago we were able to identify over a hundred grand-daughter, great-grand-daughter, etc., churches. It appears that I am more effective as an enabler for church planters than being personally a church planter.

One of the issues I've consistently seen is that especially when new churches are for new people, that new group is unable to provide a solid enough financial base to support a pastor/church planter. In 25 years in New England of the 45 churches that have been planted, 43 presently have bivocational pastors. I have observed that in this century when church planters attempt to be fulltime, financial pressures and disappointments often lead to dissillusion, bitterness, frustration, personal financial ruin and professional despair: all of which effects more than one generation. Admittedly, those things happen in ministry in general - not just church planting. About fifteen years ago, we admitted that church planters in New England COTN are going to be bivocational, and that in many cases they would be that way for a pretty long time. We learned many more facets of the issue than can be numerated here.

About a decade ago, after a career of fulltime ministry positions, I felt the Lord's nudge to become bivocational, and to begin a business that could provide secular income for bivocational pastors and church planters. Church planters and pastors also need some training in business procedures, business planning, etc., etc.. Hence, DOVE Drying Services was begun. We provide restoration services largely in the insurance industry following floods, water damages, fires, and mold incursions. Most of the time we are working with people in crisis situations, and the healer/fixer in pastors is often utlized.

Over the last ten years, we've been able to employee fifteen pastors, ministerial students, and church planters. 22 PKs and 24 ENC students have worked part time, and I think the Lord has been pleased to use us in a variety of ways. Nearly all of our employees have been believers. I've discovered that I need about 4-5 employees to "support" one ministerial type. We have learned more than we anticipated. Some of our assumptions have been confirmed: others have been corrected. It has been an interesting experiment. DOVE has also been a healing place and a growing place for some wounded pastors to recover.

But that's why this preacher has a business "on the side". Bivocational pastors do what they do so they can do what the Lord has called them to do. My scripture for this past decade has been Acts 20:34 ". . . these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions."

[Cindi Hammons]

Church planters and pastors also need some training in business procedures, business planning, etc., etc..

Amen! Tell that to our universities and Seminary. We had one pastor absolutely refuse a board vote to get some continuing ed. in the administrative area. Even the District Secretary backed him up saying that business training was not needed. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed in their reactions to the vote of an elected board.

Most church budgets are the size of small businesses, most churches have a couple of extra employees...like small businesses, etc., etc. Needless to say, I have strong feelings about pastors needing some business/administrative education. On our district, some of the strongest churches have pastors with a background in running their own businesses or in management.

Of course, this has nothing to do with mold or mildew. :)

Cindi H.

[Barb Bouldrey]

Wow, Dennis,

You have a unique ministry history.

You know, when we were all in college we thought there were 3 basic types of ministry: pastoral, evangelism and missions.

We were all so innocent and uneducated to ministry.

In the pastoral ministry alone there are so many diversities. There are church planters, church builders, troubleshooter pastors, administrator pastors, shepherd pastors, etc. I think we were all told to be church builder pastors and when that did not happen we thought we had failed. I know a couple of pastors on our district that have been at the same church 28-45 years.

After our 3rd pastorate John was so discouraged. He asked, "What did I do there?" I told him, "You mended walls and fed the sheep."

In all of our pastorates we have seen new converts. But we have never built a church to be a LOT larger than we came. John has been a troubleshooter pastor. Every pastor we followed left the ministry for one reason or another...mostly under a dark cloud of problems leaving a hurting church.

Sometimes John talks about how exciting it would be to plant a new church. I guess that is because he has never done that.

God calls each of us to our own area of ministry.

You have had a part in helping so many more congregations than if you had been a full time pastor in a few churches.

I believe you will be totally awed at the many faces you will see in heaven because you helped them get there.

Barb

[Dennis M. Scott]

Barb,

Ministry is exciting and dynamic. We have the opportunity to do such a wide variety of things, in such different places, with people who are so unique.

A few years ago Linda and I had the privilege of returning unannounced to the first church we ever planted, after an absence of twenty years. In new churches there is typically a lot of turnover, and this church was no exception. We were there on a summer Sunday that happened to be VBS Sunday. There were a lot of visitors and several people greeted us - none of whom we recognized, and no one knew who we were. Finally one woman said, "Who did you say you were?" Then the service began. The pastor, whom we knew, was on vacation, and the associate pastor was leading the service. We saw one of the ushers hand him a note, and he tried inconspicuously to look around to see which of the visitors we were. Finally, he asked the sender of the note to come to the platform and introduce "A couple of special guests." The next few minutes were pretty special, and everyone said all the right things. It remains one of our best memories.

I know that the Lord could have used other churches to reach the couple hundred people who have come to faith through that church plant - but He has chosen to use that group that began in an unheated barn in the middle of the country in Upstate New York. I am confident that it has been the wisdom of the Lord that has called other - and perhaps for the time, better - pastors to lead that congregation. But in the starting days He apparently thought it at least possible to use us, and we're thankful He did.

I really don't think the Lord wants every pastor to plant churches. If I were to go to a "problem church" I'm pretty confident I could make it worse. You and John have served Him faithfully where He has chosen to use you. That's pleasing to Him. When we stand before the Lord, all we want to know is that what we did was pleasing to Him.

And in this life, you and we get to be partners together. One of my life heroes has been Dr. Carl Clendenen, who was DS in Northwestern Ohio where we became acquainted while I was in college, and then last in Oregon Pacific. At a conference one time I said to him, "Man, it would be great to work together!" His response was, "Dennis, we ARE working together. You work the east coast, and I'll work the west coast." We really are in this thing together. Naznet lets us discover one another like never before.

Dennis

[Barb Bouldrey]

Dr. Clendenen was John's D.S. when John was first licenced. John grew up on the NW Ohio district at the Bryan church.

In the ministry we love seeing visible results of our effort. That does not always happen. Sometimes years later we learn of someone who found the Lord and stayed faithful because of our influence.

Our first pastorate started with 12 people and ran 25 when we left 2 years later. 20 years later, during Pastor's Appreciation Month we received a letter from a lady who was a teen while we pastored that little church. She expressed to us that her spiritual stability now was because a young preacher and his wife loved her and set the example for her.

That church has been closed for several years, but there are people in the kingdom today because it was there.

Barb