Is Mold As Bad As You Think?
Well, the answer is a complicated “yes and no”.
Why?
Because some mold is much more dangerous than others, like black mold. And the severity of that danger is based on personal health.
For example: Someone with severe allergies or asthma might face respiratory issues because of the presence of mold in their home much sooner than someone without those issues.
What Can You Do About Mold in Your Home?
So, you have a mold problem. The question now becomes, "What can I do about my mold problem?"
This is a great place to start.
The best way to protect your home from mold including the integrity of the structures including the walls and the floors, and to safeguard your health is to keep the home clean.
Sometimes mold starts to grow without you realizing it, especially as the weather changes and you, for example, fail to visit the attic or the guest bathroom regularly.
Still, once you do take note of the signs of mold and mildew, you want to take action quickly.
Mildew Problems
Let’s start with the most basic of issues: mildew. When the first signs of mildew start to show, mildew remediation is a requirement, a term that just means removing the mildew and eradicating the cause.
There Are a Few Levels of Mildew Remediation
Level 1 of Mildew Remediation
The first level includes home remedies while the second level of mildew remediation includes calling in professionals to assistance. As part of mildew remediation you should thoroughly inspect your home and the surrounding premises.
Every small nook and cranny should be examined since fungus will accumulate in these areas first. If you have recently incurred flooding, drafts, or have broken pipes, be sure to address these immediately.
Level 2 of Mildew Remediation
The next step in mildew remediation is eliminating the threat. The spores are what need to be removed thoroughly because just removing the top layer of mildew does not remove the problem or the potential threat that it poses.
Chemicals can be used to ensure that all mildew spores are removed. If you do not want to call in professional assistance for this step, you can use either bleach or a mixture of white vinegar with warm water to scrub down any infected areas. Both of these methods will kill the remaining spores.
Level 3 of Mildew Remediation
The final step in mildew remediation is restoring your home and making any necessary repairs to prevent this infection from taking place in the future. This includes repairing any drafts, installing vapor barriers, or even putting in air exchangers. You want to remove or replace any materials in your home which are damaged from water.
Preventing Future Mildew Problems
To prevent future mildew problems you should call in professionals who can offer advice about preventative measures in your home. You might eliminate all potential threats, but there could be something in your living style or in your home which will invite the mildew back such as large accumulations of moisture. To avoid this, be sure to guard your home against water build up.
This can be done by waterproofing any concrete in the basement, thoroughly drying clothes before they are placed in the drawers, installing vapor barriers in your walls, and including better ventilation systems throughout the home especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
How to Handle and Prevent Black Mold in the Bathroom of Your House
Bathrooms are one of the most common areas where mold growsin homes.
Black mold in bathroom areas is not healthy for anyone, but especially not for people how suffer from allergies or have asthma. When you see that black mold in bathroom areas have appeared, you should begin rectifying the situation immediately either on your own or by calling in professional assistance to remove the problem. It is very bad for anyone’s health to breathe in mold spores from black mold in bathroom areas.
Bathroom Black Mold Removal
To begin removing the black mold in bathroom areas on your own, you should have rubber gloves, a bucket full of water, a bucket full of soapy water, a cleaning crush, a clean towel, a mask for breathing, as well as a product which kills mold such as Tilex or white vinegar.
Supplies Needed for Cleaning Mold
Before you begin removing black mold in bathroom areas you should place the rubber gloves and breathing mask on properly so that you do not breathe in toxic mold. The next step is to determine the severity of the black mold in bathroom areas and on the bathroom surfaces.
Mold Caused From Excess Moisture
If the mold is from excess moisture, you can clean this with cleaner and a sponge. However, black mold in bathroom areas could be caused by a leaking pipe, in which case you need to repair the leak, clean the current mold on the bathroom surfaces, and in the pipe.
Cleaning Mold On Bathroom Surfaces
To clean black mold in bathroom areas and off of surfaces you should first use the soapy water with the cleaning brush. Pour the water on the area and clean as much as possible with a stiff brush. After this, the remaining black mold in bathroom surfaces should be removed by spraying the household mold-killing cleanser on the area, letting it sit for ten minutes, then remove the mold and mold spores. You should rinse this area with warm water and a clean sponge after this step. Then the surfaces should be dried throughout.
Preventing Future Bathroom Mold Growth
When you shower, be sure to leave the windows and the doors—if possible—open before, during, and after the shower or bath so that the moisture does not build up and create the perfect living environments for black mold and other types of dangerous fungus. If your bathroom has an exhaust fan, leave it on while showering.
It is important, however, that if you have a bathroom exhaust fan, you check to see if it travels through an attic in your home. If it does, you want to make sure that condensation is not building in the attic by preventing it from building in the bathroom. If you are cooking in the kitchen and the stove top is producing hot air as is the dishwasher or the sink with hot water running, leave the windows open or turn on any fans above the stove top so ensure that the moisture can escape and does not get caught.
Whether you prefer using harsh chemicals such as bleach or Tilex cleaner, or you would rather use natural ingredients such as white vinegar, ensuring that black mold is removed from your bathroom is the best step to preventing health problems for you and your family.
How to Prevent and Treat Mold in Your Attic
There are potentially more serious types of mold that can cause severe health issues. Attic mold is a serious problem that often goes overlooked. Many homeowners use their attic as a storage space and avoid entering unless necessary because it is musty or damp.
What Causes Attic Mold
Seasonal and holiday decorations are typically stored here which means that entrance happens only twice per year. This means that attic mold will often go overlooked, especially if there is poor lighting or no lighting in the attic space. If you cannot see the mold, and do not already take preventative measures to fight against the attic mold, and then you will not know it is there until you attempt to move out, or suffer damage which requires an inspection of your home.
Attic mold is toxic and if it is growing in your attic and goes unchecked, it can account for health issues suffered by your family which might otherwise be attributed to the common cold. The first step in preventing attic mold is being able to identify it.
Common Places Attic Mold is Often Found
Attic mold is usually found in green, black, brown, or white colors. It might appear as a stain or slight discoloration on wood or drywall. It can be in small splotches or larger spots. Sometimes attic mold appears to be a light powdery coating. If the surfaces in your attic are worn, mold will grow there especially.
Other areas in the attic which attract attic mold include areas which are very damp and those areas which are poorly ventilated. If you attic has a single, small window which only lets natural light into one side of the attic, the other side will be prone to darkness and dampness and if moisture is caught here, it will not be dried. The walls and the ceiling of your attic are the most prominent places for attic mold to be found.
There are some types of attic mold which are harmless but others which pose severe health risks. Some allergenic molds will cause respiratory infections or irritations to the sinuses if they are inhaled.
The Dangers of Attic Mold
Pathogenic attic molds will threaten those who suffer from autoimmune disorders. Mycotoxic molds will attack the immune system in everyone and are the most dangerous of all the attic molds. Some effects of attic mold include wheezing, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headaches, diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, or sinus infections. Each of these symptoms might mirror the flu or asthma which means the attic mold might go undetected.
If your attic is ridden with mycotoxic mold it can cause brain damage, depression, mental confusion, miscarriages for pregnant women, joint pains, cramps, swelling, or aches. Diseases and infections can also occur for people who have underdeveloped immune systems or suppressed immune systems.
If you notice small spots or areas on your attic surfaces they will not be as harmful to the residents as several feet of mold which is embedded deeply into the crevices and insulation. Since air travels upward, attic mold will be less of a risk than mold on the main floor.
The best way to prevent attic mold is to ensure that your attic is well ventilated and not prone to dampness or accumulating moisture. Make sure to regularly examine the roof for leaks. Following these simple steps will keep your home clean and safe long term!
Why You Should Work With a Mold Removal Specialist
While these mold removal and prevemtion techniques usually work very well for most home owners, there are some concerns about treating mold in your home by yourself
Mold is Dangerous Depending on the Type
With thousands of species of mold known to grow in homes, and with very few ways to distinguish between them easily, you may be better of hiring a mold removal specialist in order to get the mold out of your home. Mold can be very dangerous in your home, and can cause health problems.
This is the best way to ensure that you play it safe and do not expose yourself and your family to very dangerous strains of mold which can cause health problems from prolonged exposure.
It Can Be Hard to Tell if You Have Eliminated All Mold
Mold is sneaky, and unless you are a professional, your removal efforts can likely lead to it coming back even stronger in the end.
Hiring a mold removal professional is a quick and easy way to get rid of mold in your house while ensuring that it stays out. Our methods are very thorough and leave little to no room for mold to come back as long as you regularly maintain your home afterwords.
Contact a Mold Professional For Help with Your Mold Problems
Give us a call today to work with some of the best mold removal specialists in the Greater Boston Area, with over 20 years of mold removal experience.
Free consultations, and expert removal including dustless demolition which ensures that we leave your home the way we found it after the job is done.