How Fast Can Mold Grow?
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Speed
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The rate of growth of mold is important to determining the urgency in action to save an affected area and stop germination. As mold can be both damaging to property and dangerous to human breathing, knowing how fast it can spread allows for better planning to remove it. Mold can germinate (grow) relatively fast on both organic and artificial surfaces. With the right conditions, mold spores can begin to grow after 12 to 48 hours. Mold spores begin to colonize (spread from beyond the initial growth area) in anywhere from one to twelve days. Mold begins in areas where yeast is already present (e.g., bread) or in the presence of water or water damage.
Contributing Factors
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Mold grows fastest with the right food source and environmental conditions. Factors include the strain of mold, water availability, temperature and the surface that mold is growing on.
Mold strains grow at different speeds. Types of strains include Ulocladium, Rhizopus, Aspergillus and Stachybotrys. Of these, Ulocladium germinates the fastest. The best temperature for mold growth indoors is 25 degrees Celsius. Water presence benefits mold growth, especially the level of the activity (flow) of the water. Low activity allows the mold to grow without danger of erosion from strong current. Standing water is a large contributing factor to mold growth.
The surface type or composition contributes to mold growth and its speed. Organically based materials aid as food sources for the mold; wood, wallpaper and even cotton all are mold growth agents.
Removal
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Stopping and removing mold has several important steps. The first is prevention. By keeping areas dry and clean with disinfectants and antibacterial chemicals, the initial presence of mold can be avoided. If mold begins to develop, the next step is containment. Removing infected areas from healthy ones (e.g., moldy drywall from good drywall) or spraying bleach around the area of mold slows and possibly stops the spread. Finally, cleaning is key in removing mold. Household cleaning products have antibacterial chemicals designed for killing mold spores. Bleach is an excellent method for killing mold spores and sanitizing the environment for preventing the return of mold.
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