The public health officer is a resource for information concerning mold, but NH has not specific laws regarding mold. The health officer will recommend contacting The NH Department of Environmental Services, Environmental & Occupational Health, 271-3911, rmartin@des.state.nh.us

Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

Please contact your local health department, they will be able to assess the situation and decide on what to do. We cannot accept samples from the general public.

Mold growth in foods can raise the pH of the food. In home canned products, this could mean that the high acid products could become low acid and therefore run the risk of botulism or other bacterial spoilage. Thus, any home canned product that shows signs of mold growth should be discarded. The exception to this is jellied products. In these the high sugar content would prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

Generally, it is not necessary to identify the species of mold growing in a residence. Current evidence indicates that allergies are the type of diseases most often associated with molds. Since the susceptibility of individuals can vary greatly either because of the amount of mold or type of mold, sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining the health risk.

Although any visible mold can be tested by an environmental consultant and/or analyzed by a laboratory specializing in microbiology, these tests can be very expensive -- from hundreds to thousands of dollars. There is no simple and cheap way to sample the air in your home to find out what types of mold are present and if they are airborne. As noted above, even if you had your home tested, it is difficult to say at what levels molds would cause health effects.

If you are interested in experimenting with one or more of the most likely candidate bioenergy species in your area, you can start by gaining some working knowledge of growth characteristics and management responses under local conditions - this will be useful if a later opportunity for commercial production and sale of biomass occurs in your area.

In wetter climates, you may find that mold will grow in your cooker if you don't use it that often. First, how to get rid of it? Light up a hot fire in the cooker and let it just burn all the mold away. Second, how to prevent it? Well, any technique that can be used to prevent moisture from getting into the cooker will help: If it is a real problem, try this: After you are done cooking, let the cooker heat up for about 20 minutes after you remove the food.

Prevent mold with moisture control. When anything in your home gets wet, dry it quickly. Mold can grow within 2 days of continuous moisture. Fix leaks in the roof; even the smallest opening in the roof, wall or foundation can permit water to enter your home, especially during heavy rain. Also use water-sealant paint on basement floors and walls. The exterior basement walls should also be treated.

Molds are a part of our environment. They play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter. However, indoor mold growth should be avoided. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. To avoid mold problems, it is essential to eliminate unnecessary moisture. If a surface gets wet, dry it immediately.

Fully dry wet building materials furnishings and carpets within 48 hours of getting wet, if possible. Make sure that heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) systems are always running, to keep the right amount of air flowing inside of the building. Keep indoor relative air humidity below 60% (ideally, between 30% and 50%). Good airflow and dehumidifiers help to keep humidity low. Make sure that stoves/ovens, bathroons, and clothes dryers are vented to the outside of the home, if possible.

It is important to stress that mold spores are everywhere, on all surfaces. When the factors are right, they will grow and form colonies. Add moisture and nutrients and mold will grow. Different types of mold will grow in a variety of conditions. Most likely there is a moisture source in your building that needs to be remedied. Sometimes the building structure was wet during construction. Moisture intrusion (from swamp coolers) may push the building envelope over the 60% mark.

All molds can appear black. So the fact that it is black does not necessarily mean that it is Stachybotrys. However, we should not have molds of any type growing in our schools, workplaces or homes. You should ask to have it identified by a licensed professional mold assessment company.

Mold spores are always in the air around us. They enter your home with the air or sometimes attached to clothing or pets. When a mold spore drops onto a moist surface the begin to grow.

Most Web sites (and newspaper articles) speak of "toxic mold", sometimes "toxic black mold". This is largely a marketing strategy, a scare tactic to make you more willing to part with your hard-earned cash. In fact, most molds are toxic to some extent and most are black because of spore production. But there is one of special concern, Stachybotrys chartarum.

There is always mold outdoors. Your best defense against mold in your home is to check regularly for plumbing leaks and water intrusions. Use dehumidifiers and/or air conditioning during the hot/humid seasons to decrease the humidity in the home.

Generally, it is not necessary to identify the species of mold growing in a residence, and CDC does not recommend routine sampling for molds. Current evidence indicates that allergies are the type of diseases most often associated with molds. Since the reaction of individuals can vary greatly either because of the person's susceptibility or type and amount of mold present, sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining your health risk.

There are hundreds of thousands of types of molds. All are fungi, which means they are many-celled organisms that reproduce by sending tiny seeds called spores into the air. Molds need four things to grow: food, air, the right temperature and water. Although fungi grow naturally "outdoors", molds are very common in buildings and homes and will grow anywhere indoors where there is sufficient moisture.

You can stop mold from growing in your palette by putting a sugar cube in a small plastic container and, in another container, put cotton balls with a small amount of vinegar then place both containers in your palette. This should eliminate mold from growing in it for days.

Bleach (a hypochlorite solution) can become inactivated when in contact with organic substances (i.e. mold). We advise you to seek professional advice to determine a proper course of action.

You can test the air in your home inexpensively with our home mold test kit to determine if you have a mold problem. If the test indicates a problem, then a mold inspection is recommend. If the test doesn't indicate a problem, then you have successfully eliminated mold as a potential source of the problem.

Answer: There is no defined time frame to predict when mold will grow in carpet. For any material to support common indoor mold growth, it must: Most tufted carpet is made of plastic face yarns and backings, and synthetic latex. There is nothing organic to support mold in the carpet itself. Therefore, mold cannot technically grow on carpet.