Content Summary
- Mold in homes and buildings is a significant health hazard.
- If your home is affected by mold caused by a flood or otherwise, it’s not safe to stay there until you get rid of it.
- Remediating Mold With all the damaged materials removed, and the contaminated areas isolated, the actual remediation can begin.
What Causes Mold to Grow in Homes?
Mold in homes and buildings is a significant health hazard. If your home is affected by mold caused by a flood or otherwise, it’s not safe to stay there until you get rid of it.
Mold remediation requires taking important safety measures and is best conducted by professionals. You’ll need to act immediately to prevent further damage to your home and belongings.
In this guide, we’ll explore the causes and health risks of mold and walk you through the remediation process.
Mold can grow wherever there is oxygen and moisture. Naturally, damp and moist environments are perfect breeding grounds for mold and mildew. Floods and water leaks are the most common causes.
Several daily activities like cooking and showering contribute to high humidity and mold growth, particularly if the home isn’t ventilated well enough. Poor ventilation not only affects indoor air quality but also increases the risk of mold growth.
What Are the Health Risks of Mold?
Prolonged Exposure to large amounts of mold can affect your health in several ways. For instance, it can cause allergic reactions with varying degrees from one person to another. Symptoms include respiratory infections and eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation. People who suffer from pulmonary issues are significantly more vulnerable to mold exposure.
It’s possible for mold not to cause any noticeable symptoms. However, repetitive exposure will increase the risk of allergic reactions and respiratory problems in the future.
How to Get Rid of Mold
Identifying Mold and Assessing the Extent
Start by inspecting the affected areas and measuring the extent of the damage. This will give you an idea of how to proceed. Take pictures and send them to a professional so they can propose an effective mold remediation plan and to your insurance company in case of property damage. Be mindful that some types of mold are not visible to the naked eye. Trained professionals will have the necessary equipment to inspect your home and detect all the contaminated areas.
Fixing the Water Problem
To prevent new mold spores from growing, it’s necessary to find the source of growth and fix it. Leakage in refrigeration, air conditioning, and drainage, among others, will have to be dealt with to prevent further damage.
Isolating the Contaminating Area
Mold mostly spreads on surfaces but can easily go airborne, particularly if disturbed. It’s necessary to isolate the affected areas to prevent mold from spreading to other rooms. This may include sealing doors, windows, and ducts near the contaminated area.
Removing Damaged Materials
Damaged and porous materials and appliances need to be removed before remediation. Some can be cleaned up, while others need to be disposed of. Depending on the extent of water damage, this can be both a difficult and dangerous process if you choose to do it on your own.
Remediating Mold
With all the damaged materials removed and the contaminated areas isolated, the actual remediation can begin. This includes cleaning the surfaces using damp cloths or detergent solutions, vacuuming up the moldy debris, dehumidifying the air, and more. Once the mold is cleaned up, the necessary repairs should be performed to replace any damaged and discarded materials.
Is It Safe to Clean Mold by Yourself?
Despite the noticeable effects of mold on walls, ceilings, and surfaces, most spores are not visible. Mold remediation involves thorough inspection and clean-up procedures using the right equipment. Handling mold on your own is workable but can affect your health and safety. In addition, if not completely removed, mold will spread and resurface again.
To protect yourself and ensure a quick and effective solution, your best bet is to have mold remediation experts take care of the issue. Contact Enviro-Dry at 816-654-5067 for all your mold remediation needs in Creighton, Missouri. Our trained technicians will handle every stage of the process and get your home back to normal in no time.