Is mold a health hazard?
How do I know if I’m having a reaction to mold?
How can I tell if I have mold in my home?
What does a mold test involve?
What can be done if I suspect and can smell mold but I can’t see it?
Can mold cause structural damage?
How do I get rid of mold?
When does mold need to be handled by a professional remediation company?
Are there different kinds of mold? Are some strains more dangerous than others?
What is black mold?
What causes mold growth to occur?
What can I do to prevent the growth of mold in my home?
Is mold a health hazard?
Answer: Yes. Mold spreads by releasing spores into the air, which can contribute to serious health complications. Besides causing eye and skin irritation, spores can be inhaled and cause allergic reactions and respiratory illness, which can be deadly for people with weak immune systems such as infants and the elderly. Inhaled mold spores can also cause asthma attacks.
How do I know if I’m having a reaction to mold?
Answer: Symptoms of an allergic reaction to mold include sneezing, a runny nose, itchy red eyes, and skin rashes. Worsening asthma symptoms are also an adverse reaction to mold.
How can I tell if I have mold in my home?
Answer: Look out for water stains or visible mold growth in areas where a water leak has occurred. This is common on roofs, pipes, ceilings, and walls. Mold is particularly fond of dark, cool, and damp areas such as basements. Mold is often first identified by its musty smell.
If you believe there’s a mold outbreak in your home, it’s important that you act quickly to prevent it from spreading to other rooms. A fast response could make the remediation process much easier and less expensive. To schedule a mold inspection from an expert technician, contact Allied Restoration Co. today at 415-529-5637.
What does a mold test involve?
Answer: Mold is detected using a digital moisture meter and/or an infrared camera. These devices measure the amount of moisture contained in a specific spot such as a wall or an area of your floor. Mold often leaves a water stain, smell, or actual growth areas that are visible to the naked eye, but if the outbreak is not easily visible, a mold cleanup specialist from ARC will conduct an air sampling test, which detects the presence of airborne spores.
What can be done if I suspect and can smell mold but I can’t see it?
Answer: Even if mold cannot be seen or smelled, it can still be detected through air sampling. This provides details about the mold spores themselves: how many there are, where they’re growing, and what type of mold they are.
Can mold cause structural damage?
Answer: Yes. Mold can grow on just about any type of material as long as there’s enough moisture in the air. It often causes stains and structural damage—especially behind walls where mold often goes unnoticed for a significant amount of time.
How do I get rid of mold?
Answer: The first step in ridding your home of mold is to locate the source of the moisture since moisture is usually the root cause of mold growth. Make sure the issue that contributed to the mold, such as a leaky pipe or roof damage, has been addressed.
The next steps in the cleanup process can be hazardous to your health, so it’s best to contact a professional. A technician from ARC will start by ensuring the cause of the growth has been fixed. The next step will be removing any excess water. Your technician will also dehumidify your home to prevent future mold outbreaks.
The next step is removing the mold and cleaning the area. You may also need structural repairs due to stains or damage from the mold or excess moisture in the air.
When does mold need to be handled by a professional remediation company?
Answer: Since mold can cause skin and eye irritation as well as respiratory issues, it is usually best to leave the cleanup to a professional. Even if you have easy access to an outbreak, it may have spread to another area of your home that is more difficult to access. A mold remediation expert will have the tools to identify all growth areas, remove them without incident, and help you avoid future outbreaks.
Are there different kinds of mold? Are some strains more dangerous than others?
Answer: Yes to both questions. Some mold is very toxic. One of the most dangerous and common strains is “black mold.”
Even if you think the type of mold in your home is benign, you should never disturb the growth since it could release spores and spread to other areas of your home. And never touch mold with your bare hand since it could cause skin irritation or even use your hand as a transport vessel to other areas of your home.
What is black mold?
Answer: Black mold, also called “toxic mold,” can be incredibly hazardous to your health. It is relatively benign at low levels, and there are trace amounts of black mold in many homes. However, when an outbreak occurs, black mold is one of the world’s most dangerous strains.
What causes mold growth to occur?
Answer: Mold spores exist in many indoor and outdoor environments, but it only grows and spreads under certain conditions. Specifically, these four factors often contribute to mold growth:
1. Food: Mold can grow on just about any organic substance such as the food in your cabinets and the wood in your walls.
2. Warmth and Darkness: Mold tends to flourish in warm, dark areas such as the attic or basement. Mold cannot survive in areas that are exposed to high levels of UV light or in very cold conditions.
3. Moisture: Mold needs moisture to grow, but all it takes is humid air to set the foundation for an outbreak. This is why dehumidification is a necessary step after suffering flood damage.
4. Time: Mold can grow quickly, causing significant damage in a matter of days. But as you may suspect, the longer an outbreak is left unaddressed, the bigger it will become and the more likely it will be to spread.
What can I do to prevent the growth of mold in my home?
Answer: The best way to prevent the growth of mold in your home is to control the environment. Keep the humidity level between 40 percent and 60 percent. Make sure damp places have sufficient ventilation, and use exhaust fans in areas that are likely to collect heat and moisture such as your bathrooms and kitchen.
Unfortunately, since mold only requires a small amount of moisture to grow, you could take all of these steps and still fall victim to an outbreak.
If you believe mold is growing in your home, or if you recently suffered water damage and you want to take steps to prevent mold growth, contact Allied Restoration Co. Call 415-529-5637 today to schedule a visit from a mold remediation specialist.