Mold is a type of fungus that lives almost everywhere there is moisture, oxygen, and organic matter. Mold plays an important role in nature as it helps decompose organic material. However, mold found indoors can cause health problems, as well as structural problems to buildings. Mold removal can be a complicated and confusing process for many people. You’re already stressed that mold was found in your home or business and you just want it out, but the proper way to remove it may not be what you’d expect. That’s understandable, and that’s why professional mold remediation is needed. Experts spend years studying and getting on-the-job experience so they’re capable of dealing with any mold situation that may arise.
Here are 4 FAQ’s About Mold:
Q: What Does Mold Look Like?
A: Mold has many different appearances from varying textures, colors, and sizes. Unfortunately, mold can take on several different appearances and it can sometimes be difficult for the naked eye to detect mold. It is sometimes confused with mildew or even just dirt, depending on its appearance. Mold can vary in color from black to green and anything in between. Sometimes you can immediately notice that you have mold from the appearance or odor, but some spores are hard to recognize. It’s best to get an expert to come to your home and identify what you’re dealing with instead of taking a guess. Once the mold is identified, mold removal can begin.
Q: How is Mold Detected?
A: Mold is usually detected by its characteristic musty odor that causes a person to investigate the source of the odor. Mold spores are usually found after looking further. It’s important to know that not all mold has an odor, so some can be present without ever smelling that well-known musty smell. Sometimes you’ll see the mold before you smell it, and in some cases, you’ll accidentally discover it while going about your day. In some cases, you won’t know it’s there until it’s become a major problem.
Q: What Causes Mold?
A: Mold can be caused by many different things, but in most cases, a warm, damp area with poor ventilation and some type of nutrient will cause mold. There are at least 300,000 types of mold! Since there are so many, and mold can have a lot of variety, we can’t list all the ways mold can grow. The easiest thing to keep in mind is that mold will grow in an area that doesn’t have proper ventilation and that’s warm and damp. Mold can grow on anything it can absorb nutrients from – dead skin cells, wood, cardboard, fabric, etc.
Q: Can I Remove the Mold in My Home Myself?
A: You shouldn’t remove mold yourself unless you can throw out the contaminates without any danger to health. Mold is difficult and tricky, and in some cases, you can actually make it worse. You may encounter common household mold while you’re doing your normal housework. If the patches are small and don’t pose a major health risk to you personally, you can wear protective gear and clean them off hard surfaces like glass, tile, porcelain, and metal. In some cases, like with dishes, you can simply throw away the contaminated materials.
Although it is always better to hire a certified mold removal company, you might be able to remove small patches of mold yourself (which are smaller than 10 square feet). When you’re not sure how to remove mold, or if the infested area is larger than 10 square feet, contact a qualified professional.
If you find mold that fits the following criteria, you shouldn’t try to remove it:
Mold inside your walls
Mold inside your heating and ventilation
Mold that’s caused by water damage or flooding
Mold that has a diameter of more than a few feet
Any mold you experience when you have a major allergy to mold or are asthmatic
It’s better to be safe than sorry since some mold spores can be deadly. Let your friends at Blue River Restoration clean up the mold so your home/business is safe.
