Mold can grow almost anywhere there is water, high humidity, or damp conditions. Molds are often found in homes and schools that have been flooded or have had water leaks (such as from roofs, windows, or pipes. Mold grows faster in dark spaces with warm temperatures, high humidity, and poor airflow.¹ Mold can “feed’ on paper, fabric, cellulose, wallpaper glue, sheetrock, wood, soap scum, leather, upholstery, and many other surfaces. Molds reproduce by making small spores that can enter the air and settle on wet surfaces and grow to the visible forms of mold commonly seen in homes and schools. As fungi grow, they can produce chemicals called “volatile organic compounds” that cause the musty, sour, moldy smell.1 Under some circumstances, some fungi can produce chemicals (termed mycotoxins). As climate change leads to higher temperatures, increased sea levels, and increases in severe storms and flooding, there can be more instances of unwanted water leaking into homes. This creates opportunities for mold growth.