Mold Damage Found in Your Home

7/26/2016 (Permalink)

Mold Damaged Bathroom - Result of Damp Conditions

Regardless of Type, Mold Damage Must be Remediated Thoroughly

Many people are concerned about mold growth they may have found in their home, or because of musty odors they have encountered. Some wish to know which kind of mold they have, although according to the CDC, this will not provide anything beneficial to them. Mold is mold, and all types can cause health effects in people.

But what can mold do to your home's health? In Lutherville, mold damage can affect any part of your home where moisture exists, including walls and ceilings, floors, under stairways, and the contents and belongings you have in your home. These can all be damaged by mold. You need to remove any mold growth, and then have the air cleaned so that spores are filtered out.

Air ducts in your heating and cooling system should be scraped and then vacuumed with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner.  If your home does not have central air, then your air conditioner should be examined to ensure that it does not have mold growing inside of it. At SERVPRO, we have mold detecting equipment that can quickly determine how much mold is present. We are certified in IICRC methods of not only measuring mold contamination but also remediation of mold.

Mold can grow on the surface of painted drywall, spreading underneath the painted surface. Because of this, it is tough to control without training and specialized equipment. While many sites online claim that mold can be controlled with a bleach and water solution, what they fail to point out is that mold is very hardy, and thrives in damp conditions. This is why many homeowners who attempt to get rid of mold on their own find that the mold not only comes back but comes back in additional locations. We do not recommend homeowners to clean mold because of this, and the fact that when mold is disturbed, it will send off spores, which is a part of its life cycle.

Mold can also grow inside the crevices of natural wood, in the porousness of concrete that never can dry out, and under your roof's eaves outside. Mold can grow anywhere, and scientists have found that while most strains of mold enjoy living in warmer temperatures, there are strains that find it easy enough to survive temperatures that were once thought to kill them off. This means that mold can make it through the winter in warmer states and not be killed off. The most reliable solution is to have certified professionals who are experienced in remediating mold growth in homes and other settings assess your home for mold growth. If mold damage is found, SERVPRO professionals are also skilled and experienced in performing the work needed to protect your home from further damage while restoring and repairing the damage that currently exists.

When mold damage is a concern in your home, call us at SERVPRO of Hunt Valley / Lutherville at (410) 229-0012. We can assist you in cleaning and repairing mold damage and ensure that mold does not easily return. We can also point out practices that we observe that may be the reason behind the mold damage's presence.