Mold can inflict significant damage to your home’s structure and belongings, not to mention all its health risks; Mold Remediation is needed in these cases. It spreads rapidly and will continue to endanger your safety if you don’t take care of it immediately.
Since not all mold can be seen, remediation requires a thorough inspection using the appropriate equipment. It’s also important to know what you’re dealing with and take the necessary safety precautions to protect yourself and your family.
In this article, we’ll explain why mold grows in homes and how it can harm your health. We’ll then explore the basic steps needed to remediate mold and restore your home.
How Mold Builds Up in Your Home
Mold and mildew thrive in damp and humid conditions and will continue to reproduce and spread as long as high moisture levels aren’t addressed. Mold will continually eat away at your house’s structure and materials, such as the drywall, tiles, fixtures, wood, ceiling, flooring, and all your belongings.
Excess moisture can originate from several sources, including sewage backup, plumbing leaks, flooding, and overflowed water appliances. For instance, high humidity levels can be caused by evaporated water from cooking and showering. Moisture is more likely to be trapped if the house is poorly constructed or ventilated, leading to more mold growth.
In the early stage, mold can grow for days before it’s noticeable. Dealing with moisture levels early on is the best and easiest way to kill mold and stop its growth.
Why Mold Is a Health Hazard
Mold growth is hazardous not only to your home but also to your health. At first, you may notice slight discoloration in certain damp areas. It is easily identifiable, but you still need to pay attention.
As it continues to spread, mold will start to affect the indoor air quality in your home and become a significant health concern. Whether from touching or breathing in the mold, mold exposure can cause several allergic reactions, such as nasal congestion, throat irritation, sneezing fits, and respiratory problems.
Those suffering from weak immune systems, asthma, or lung diseases are more likely to have severe reactions to mold.
It’s possible for mold not to cause any noticeable symptoms. However, repetitive exposure will increase the risk of future allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
How to Eliminate Mold in Your Home or Business
Identifying Affected Areas
It’s fairly easy to figure out what areas in your home are the most affected by mold, especially if the source is known. With that in mind, mold can grow out of sight, which requires thorough inspection using the proper equipment.
If no mold is visible, but you want to be sure, you can test for moisture levels using test kits. Alternatively, you can use bleach on the discolored area. If the color fades, there is definitely mold in the area.
On the other hand, if your home is flooded or there is a water leak, you’ll most certainly have to deal with mold. In this case, your best bet is to act quickly to prevent mold growth and extensive property damage.
If there is significant mold presence, it’s highly recommended to call a professional remediation service to safely and quickly handle the issue before any further damage.
Containing Mold Growth
The first step toward remediating mold is to figure out where it comes from, which may not always be obvious. Detecting moisture levels around your home will help you determine the source of mold growth. Once you do, it should be taken care of immediately.
Once the source is taken care of, it is then time to isolate the affected areas to prevent mold spores from affecting other parts of the house.
Dealing with Damaged Items
The damage can be significant if mold has had plenty of time to spread. The best way to proceed is to remove and clean anything affected. This includes your house’s materials, appliances, furniture, as well as your belongings. Sometimes, the damage is irreversible, especially if you’re also dealing with water damage. In this case, some things will need to be replaced or discarded completely.
Eliminating Mold
After removing the affected materials, all the contaminated areas and surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned using the appropriate antimicrobial applications. Moist areas will be dried and humidified to restore good air quality. If any materials are removed and discarded, the necessary repairs and replacements will be made to restore your home to its original condition.
Have you noticed any mold in your home in Grandview, Missouri? If so, then you may need to contact a company for mold remediation. Enviro-Dry is a company that specializes in mold removal and remediation. They have a team of experts who can inspect your home and assess the extent of mold growth. They will then develop a plan to safely remove the mold and ensure that it doesn’t come back. Contact Enviro-Dry at 816-654-5067 to immediately start the process.