What it is
Fusarium grows in wet conditions and can persist even when temperatures are low. Color varies - pink, white, or red.
Where it grows
Wet carpet, water-damaged drywall, soil tracked indoors. Can also colonize the underside of leaking refrigerators and freezers.
Health impact
Triggers respiratory irritation. Produces mycotoxins. Can cause skin infections through wounds. Eye infections in contact-lens wearers have been documented.
This species produces mycotoxins. That matters because mycotoxins can affect indoor air quality even after visible mold is gone - they ride on dust particles and require thorough removal, not just surface cleaning.
Property risk
Spreads quickly in water-damaged areas. Hard to fully remove without addressing the moisture source.
When to test
If you see what looks like fusarium in your home - or if a lab report flagged it in your air samples - testing the affected area against an outdoor baseline is the most useful next step. The decision about remediation depends on:
- How much is present (spore count per cubic meter, or visible square footage)
- What's beneath it (porous materials like drywall and insulation usually need removal; hard surfaces can often be cleaned)
- Whether the moisture source is identifiable and fixable
Our approach
For confirmed indoor fusarium colonies, our process is the same as for any mold species: identify and stop the moisture source, contain the work area, remove what's compromised, HEPA-filter and HEPA-vacuum the surrounding area, dry everything, and verify with a post-remediation clearance test against the outdoor baseline.