When we live inside and outside, mold spores are a natural part of both places. However, when it starts to grow, the mold can damage building materials and furniture, as well as cause health problems. Not all mold is toxic mold, but many molds can make you sick and must be removed in the same way that toxic mold is removed.
To be clear, it’s impossible to get rid of all mold because it’s part of the natural world. Not all mold can be removed with mold remediation. Instead, it is a process of cleaning and returning your home to normal so that mold doesn’t grow back.
Mold needs three things to grow: moisture, a food source, and a temperature that isn’t too hot or too cold. Mold spores grow best when the relative humidity is above 66% and the air temperature is above 75%. It eats wood and paper products, as well as cloth, like cotton and linen. Mold also likes to eat things that are made of protein, like leather and hair.
Locate the Source
Find all the places where mold is growing. It’s a good idea to look under and behind furniture and other things that are stored on counter tops and in cupboards to see if there are any hidden places. Look under the floor, sink cabinets, wallpaper, drywall, or baseboard to see if there are any problems. You might need to remove some building materials to do this.
Mold can look different. White, gray, black, green, brown, and other colors are available. Velvety, cottony, leathery, or granular: The texture can be any of these. Damaged parts might look stained or discolored. If you smell mold but can’t see it, it’s there. A ventilation system can be a good place for mold to grow, for example.
Locate the source of the moisture. As a guide, look for plumbing and roof leaks, ice dams and wet basements in the area where the mold is, as well as wet lawn run-off and flooding. It will help if there is any moisture around for mold to grow.
Choose DIY or Professional Remediation
A lot of mold removal is done by people who want to do it on their own. However, some situations need help from a professional. Mold remediation experts are trained to find mold and find places where moisture is coming from. They have special tools and equipment, like moisture meters, scope cameras, and infrared cameras, to help them find things. Talk to an expert:
- There are times when you have health problems and can’t do your job because of health risks. People at risk are children and the elderly, people with respiratory problems like asthma or allergies, and people who have had chemotherapy, an organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS.
- For a source of mold or moisture that we don’t know about yet. A professional can find mold if there’s a musty smell even though there aren’t any signs. To find where the mold is coming from, professionals are also trained.
- When there is a lot of damage. If the area is less than 10 square feet, you can usually do the work on your own. There’s a good chance that you’ll need a team of experts who can quickly solve the problem.
- When there are dangerous materials involved. There might be asbestos in the floor and ceiling tiles of a house built before 1980, as well as lead paint. These building materials are known to be bad for your health, and a certified contractor knows how to get rid of them in a safe way.
- To fix the damage to the structural parts. When there is a lot of water damage, it can cause problems that need to be fixed by a building contractor or structural engineer.
It’s important to treat this like a big home project. You should get quotes that outline the scope and cost of the work. Ask about their past jobs, training, and certifications. Those people will be working in your house, so hire someone you can talk freely with.
Control Moisture Problems
Always deal with the source of water or moisture first, because if you don’t, mold will grow. To keep moisture at bay:
- Repair leaky plumbing, roofing, foundations, sump pumps, or other sources of water that you don’t want in your home.
- Clean or put gutters in if rainwater is getting into a house. Make sure the land slopes away from the house.
- If your basement is always wet, you should install and use a sump pump.
- The basement, the bathroom, and the kitchen are all places where there is a lot of moisture, so you should try to keep them dry. Fans that are ducted outside should be used. Bathroom fan: Turn on the fan for at least 30 minutes after taking a shower or bath.
- When it’s cold outside, try to keep the humidity in your home between 20% and 30% during the winter. You should run a dehumidifier (and an air conditioner) all year long if you want to keep the humidity level in your home between 30 and 60%.
