Although the term ‘toxic mold’ is widely in use, it is frequently misused. It is not accurate, for example, when referring to black mold. (There are hundreds of molds which look black.) Mold by itself is not normally toxic. There are certain molds which excrete a toxin. (Mold-generated toxins are called mycotoxins. It is the excreted mycotoxin which is toxic, not the mold itself, although individuals may be allergic.) To be correctly called toxic mold, the mold must be tested for toxins.
If you read this column regularly, you already know that mold growth is a result of water infiltration.
If you want to jumpstart handling the mold, first stop the leak, and eliminate the humidity. Then you can call in someone like ByebyeMold, who can find mold (not just the obvious mold, but mold in walls and crawl-spaces, so that if you need remediation done, you know where the trouble spots are.
If you’re in California, you might want to give us a call and see about getting an assessment from Byebyemold.