Prevent the Spread of Mold in Your Home

6/30/2020 (Permalink)

Homeowners everywhere will most likely face the horror of spreading mold at some point. You probably won’t escape it, no matter how clean your home is. Black mold can be especially worrisome. If you find it, what should you do to stop it from getting worse?

How Does Mold Spread?

Mold is a type of fungus. It reproduces via microscopic airborne spores which are invisible to the naked eye until they start breeding a colony. So, mold exists wherever there is air and is attracted to moisture. It also thrives in warmer temperatures, usually between 77 and 86 degrees. Mold grows as multicellular filaments called hyphae which give it a fuzzy appearance and emit a distinct musky odor. Spreading mold can cause structural damage to your home if left unchecked. Some common types of mold are:

• Black mold — Stachybotrys chartarum
• Blue/green mold — Penicillium
• Pink mold — Aureobasidium
• Yellow mold — Serpula lacrymans

What Not To Do

If you discover mold damage in your home, do not attempt to remove it yourself. If you do so, you are more likely to contribute to its spread rather than getting rid of it. There are specific steps to follow for the removal of mold, so it’s best to leave this process in professional hands.

What You Should Do

Your home can never be completely free of mold because of its nature as a microscopic airborne particle, but growth can be stopped and removed, and appropriate spore levels can be managed. Your first step is to set up a mold damage assessment. There are many specialists that offer mold remediation processes that include containment, removal of infested materials, air filtration, cleaning of belongings and restoration of the area. These techniques all follow strict protocols and professional standards.

Mold is an especially tough obstacle to overcome for the average homeowner. To avoid accidentally spreading mold and making it worse, don’t be afraid to turn to the experts.