It’s a biological reality that you have mould in your home, your children’s school, your workplace, and even your car. It exists on your skin, in your hair, and in the air you breathe. For some people, it is even found in their beards. Unless you live in a sterile bubble or a highly protected operating theatre, microscopic fungi are all around you.

Why the Fuss?

If mould is so common, why do we experience such concern when it appears in our living spaces? Part of the issue is our perspective. For most of us, the word mould brings to mind visible growth on old bread or fruit you’ve seen thousands of times before. In reality, mould is a vital part of nature. The world relies on fungi to decompose organic material; quite simply, our planet could not function without it.

Outside, we expect to see a diverse range of species that vary based on our geography and vegetation. While these outdoor moulds typically do not cause significant health concerns, high concentrations of certain species can trigger asthma in sensitive individuals. The problem arises when this natural balance is lost inside our buildings.

When Normal Becomes Abnormal

Because most modern buildings have restricted ventilation, a high concentration of indoor growth can have an adverse effect on occupant health. Most of the mould around us is microscopic and cannot be identified without specialised sampling and analysis.

Since every person has an individual level of sensitivity, there is no published scientific consensus on exactly what levels of specific mould are acceptable indoors. This lack of a fixed limit is why professional guidance is essential to distinguish between a healthy environment and one that has become contaminated.

The RIC Solutions Guide: Problems and Practical Steps

Identifying the Problem

The shift to an abnormal indoor environment is usually driven by a specific moisture event. This might be a sudden escape of liquid or a prolonged period of high humidity that goes unmanaged. When moisture meets modern building materials, the risk to your health and the building structure increases.

If You Have Water Damage

Speed is your most important asset when dealing with liquid ingress. To protect your property:

• Extract all excess water immediately to limit the amount of moisture absorbed by surfaces.
• Remove all unsalvageable water-damaged materials that cannot be dried within a forty-eight-hour window.
• Begin professional drying using specialised equipment to stabilise the site as soon as possible.

If You Have High Humidity

You do not need a plumbing leak for mould to grow. High humidity alone can trigger environmental mould growth. To stay in control:

• Keep your indoor humidity levels consistently below 65% relative humidity to stop mould spores from becoming active.
• Be aware that environmental growth typically begins once humidity levels exceed 70% for a prolonged period.
• Use correctly sized air conditioning systems that provide genuine dehumidification rather than just cooling the air.
• Avoid opening windows to let in humid outdoor air when you are running a cooling system, as this creates condensation on cool surfaces.

What to Avoid

When you see mould, your first instinct might be to scrub it away. However, cleaning must be done methodically to avoid making the situation worse. Disturbing growth without proper control allows microscopic spores to be easily aerosolised and spread to unaffected areas. Improper cleaning can also smear spores across a surface, often leading to a return of growth that is more aggressive than before.