There is something in your home that is the master of hiding. It usually hides in places you do not often look or forget about until it is almost too late. It starts very small and can grow within the first twenty-four hours of appearing. Have you made any guesses? The answer is mold. Mold is something that almost everyone finds gross and wants to remove as soon as possible. Mold can occur with just a small amount of water damage.
If you were playing a game of hide-and-seek, mold would be the ultimate opponent. It can be found almost anywhere, often out of sight. Of course, that musty smell sometimes gives away mold’s location. No one is perfect, after all, but the point is that mold can be tricky to find. You may not even know you have mold until you or a loved one starts experiencing symptoms: nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, skin irritation, etc. Still, many people write these symptoms off as seasonal allergies. That is until the seasons change and the symptoms stay. Mold needs just three things to grow: moisture, food, and optimal temperature.
Unfortunately for you, mold can find these conditions in more locations than you can probably imagine. While you expect to occasionally find mold in the basement, bathroom, or even your refrigerator, you may be surprised to learn that mold can often be found on ceiling tiles, underneath carpets and pads, inside ductwork, inside walls, behind wallpaper, around pipes, and around water heaters, clothes dryers, really anywhere with moisture, food, and the right temperature: ANYWHERE. Mold is really good at hiding.
How Do Mold Removal Specialists Find Mold?
Mold is no joke and is something that most people dislike. Although throwing the items away that may be infected by mold helps a little bit, did you know that mold can spread through spores and gather in any spot that is warm and wet? It can even grow in poorly ventilated areas. In order to remove mold thoroughly, contacting mold removal professionals – like those at Lamunyon – is the best route to take. Here are a few reasons why:
- Identifying the source: Although you may be able to smell where some mold is located, it can actually be hard to figure out where the source of the mold is coming from. Mold is tricky and can hide in very small places and grow until it is out of control. Using professionals to remove it is the best way to get rid of it for sure.
- Containing the problem: Mold spores that are carried in the air pose a risk of respiratory allergies and other health problems. They may also spread the mold colony to previously unaffected areas. Containing the contamination is essential to complete removal. Using professionals for mold removal is essential because they have the proper equipment to make sure that the mold does not spread. The number one priority is the health of you and your family so containing the mold as soon as possible is vital.
- Cleaning and disposal: Although using Clorox and bleach may give you peace of mind, these professionals are trained to get rid of mold in the most efficient way. They have the best equipment to take care of the problem. Some companies are even environmentally friendly and do not use harsh chemicals that could harm the air.
- Mold Testing: Even if you cannot see mold, mold removal professionals have the ability to check for potential mold. That way, you are able to get ahead of the problem before it gets out of control.
As soon as you find mold, or even if you have suspicions about potential mold problems in your home, contact your local professional mold removal team. They are trained to notice where the source of the problem is and will be able to clean up and take care of the mold problem for good. Don’t be the one caught in a funk, unable to seek out the mold!
What Can You Do About Mold?
Though it can be difficult, recognizing the evidence of mold can be the best tool you have.
Recognize the Hints
- The biggest hint that you have mold in your home is what you smell. Mold has a particularly musty and pungent smell. Even if you aren’t sure that what you’re smelling is mold, if your nose is telling you that it doesn’t smell right, you should call a qualified mold inspector for further investigation.
- Another big hint is experiencing allergy-like symptoms (nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, skin irritation, etc.) that don’t go away with allergy medication. Suppose you or anyone in the home is experiencing this. You might want to call a mold inspector. A mold inspector will look to see if there is mold in your home. If you’ve recently experienced water damage, they’ll check the areas that were most affected before moving on to areas that could possibly have damage. The inspector will check different surfaces in your home, behind your walls, and in small places like crawl spaces.
If mold is found, it’s important to act fast since mold is notorious for spreading very quickly. If the inspector delivers the bad news that you do, in fact, have mold growing in your home, the best thing you can do is call a trained professional in mold remediation, like Lamunyon Dry Out & Foundation Repair. They will use the proper equipment and experience to completely eliminate mold growth in your home.
Health Issues Caused by Mold
Mold can cause health issues. Not only can it begin to smell really bad but for those who are allergic or have underlying health conditions such as asthma can become very sick from being exposed to mold. Even to an overall healthy person, mold can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, skin, and lungs.
What To Do When You Find Mold In Your Home
Once mold has begun to grow in your home, you have a problem. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize the problem until the mold has already started growing through your drywall or covering a large space that trying to remove the mold yourself is an impossible task. To remove the mold safely and entirely, a professional mold removal team, like those at Lamunyon, should be called to come fix the problem. “Do it yourself” methods can leave some stones unturned, making it possible and most likely for the mold to continue growing and can be unsafe for you.
Mold Prevention
Rather than waiting for the mold to come to us and cause a problem before we even think about it, it is better to already be doing things that will prevent mold from growing in your home. The one thing better than having someone come to remove mold from your home is to not have mold in your home at all.
Some ways to prevent mold growth is to ensure that damp areas are kept dry. Dry all wet surfaces quickly to be sure that it doesn’t sit and allow mold to grow. As well in warm, humid weather, keep air conditioners and dehumidifiers going to keep the humidity in the home relatively low and open doors or windows to keep air circulating. Fix any leaks there may be in your pipes or elsewhere that may be getting certain areas wet. One area of the home that isn’t usually thought of but is a favorite of mold is the crawl space. Be sure to check the crawl space for any moisture that may be sitting there and try to get air flow inside the crawl space as well.
All in all, mold isn’t a bad thing as long as it stays outside with all of its other fungi friends. We can do our part to prevent mold from growing in our homes. If it does, we won’t allow it to stay for long. It doesn’t belong there. Call a professional mold removal team, like the experts at Lamunyon, and it will be taken away swiftly.
