This Is Not a Joke: Mushrooms IN the Ceiling
Just when I thought I thought I’d seen everything, this pops up.
This photo is real. A friend of a friend watched this mushroom sprout out of his ceiling. As I walked into the Apartment Therapy offices the other day, our Creative Services Manager Anna said to me, “I just forwarded you the craziest email.” and boy, was she right.
So, just what does it mean to have fungus in your pad? Is this something to worry about? Mold spores are actually around us all the time, in the air, on our skin and clothes and they’re especially active in the summer. Moisture is what helps them generate faster so no doubt the recent New York humidity helped this little mushroom spring up in the most awkward place possible.
Only a few of the thousands of varieties of mold release toxic spores (like notorious black mold), the rest are simply a green, brown or pink inconvenience coating your bathtub caulk. If you’ve been feeling sick, have allergies or a compromised immune system and suspect mold, it’s worth getting your home checked out, but in many cases, the spores can’t hurt you. Mostly, the presence of mold is an indicator that there’s too much moisture present. In the case of this mushroom, we suspect that there might be a water leak in this particular spot that created the perfect conditions for this little guy. Once everything is repaired, a dehumidifier would help ensure that everything stays nice and dry so fungus can’t continue to grow.
So, have you ever seen anything like this? Spill!