Mold Removal Guide

Ensuring your home is mold free will not only help keep your house looking nice, it will also make sure you are not exposed to potentially hazardous mold spores. The numerous home improvement shows and increasing popularity of "do-it-yourselfers" out there has exposed more people to the dangers of mold. This article will help explain why it is dangerous, and guide you down the path of mold remediation in your home. Since prevention is easier, cheaper, and safer than removal, it will be addressed here as well. Furthermore, it will suggest to have mold testing done by a professional as well as the process of cleaning mold.  Hopefully by the end you will have a better idea of how to get rid of mold.

Mold is a fungi, related to the mushroom family, that can take numerous forms. While forms of mold are used to develop the flavors of cheese, most people know mold for being the stuff you don't want to see on your bread loaf at home. The variety of mold that grows on your food, while not the same as house mold, does share its negative affect towards our health.

House mold, also known as black mold, forms when mold spores (think of them as seeds that float through the air) are exposed to an area that remains moist for a period of time. These spores reproduce rapidly, forming the fuzzy or hair masses we associate with mold. While they rely on moisture to exist, the mold is actually rather dry. This allows the mold spores to easily be dispersed into the air. In damp areas, such as basements, bathrooms, or laundry rooms, the situation is perfect for the spread of mold.  Water damage mold is very common, especially when homes are flodded during floods or basements fill during storms.

Since humans breath a lot of air each day, and the rapid reproduction of mold produces millions of spores, we could potentially be exposes to enormous quantities of mold spores if it is present in ares such as a frequented bathroom. Exposure to these quantities of mold can cause many problems. Problems can range from minor, such as eye irritation, sneezing, runny nose, coughing, and throat irritation, to more severe such as asthma and sinusitis. It has been confirmed that there is a link between chronic sinus infections (sinusitis) and asthma with mold exposure. Other common problems are those associated with VOC exposure (volatile organic compounds from paints), such as dizziness, headaches, and concentration difficulty. Furthermore, those with immune systems that are weak or compromised, such as the young, old, AIDS victim, or cancer patient, are at risk of have more severe reactions to mold spores.

From a distance, mold appears to just be a smooth smudge on the wall, ceiling or ground, when in actuality it has a fuzzy surface. That fuzzy surface is millions of mold spores waiting for a chance to float away. Air movement, vibration, or impact can cause those spores to be released into the air. The release of those spores can be reduced greatly if the mold growth is dampened first.

Mold spores are a floating seed waiting to start a new colony, they need to be neutralized in the most effective way. Using a chemical appropriate for this, such as chlorine, will help destroy the spore cells that it contacts.

While mold reproduces by spores on the surface, it does grow networks of mold "veins" throughout the material it is on. For surfaces such as concrete, plastic, or metal, this is merely on the surface. Therefor, if the mold is on one of those surfaces then it can be treated on the surface. For items that can absorb water, such as paper, wallboard, plaster, wood, carpets, and rugs, safe disposal is necessary to eliminate dangerous mold.

Regardless of how safe you approach mold removal, there will be large quantities of mold spores released into the air. Breathing them in is harmful, but having them land on your skin or get into your mouth, eyes, or ears is just as bad. It is imperative that during mold removal, the entire body must be covered, a breather mask outfitted with the appropriate filter is used, and gloves are worn. These items must be disposed of after use properly to fully eliminate mold spores.

During the removal and clean up process, the mold spores that are sent into the air can travel into nearby rooms. It is important to seal off the room that is being worked on by taping off doorways, vents, and any other openings. After the room has been cleaned and the contaminated goods removed, the seals can be opened.

Summary Points:

1. Mold Spores are Dangerous, especially when dry. Applying Chlorine (Bleach) diluted with water to the mold will reduce the number of spores that become airborne, and help kill spores on the mold spot.

2. Mold Spores are Dangerous, so making sure that the mold colony is destroyed is very important. Mold grows veins down and outward. If mold is growing on material that absorbs water or is very porous, then the material must be removed to fully eliminate spores. For non-porous surfaces, a proper surface treatment can be used.

3. Mold Spores are Dangerous, so the entire body must be covered, and an appropriate breathing mask be used to filter spores. Discard of clothing after use in the proper way to keep from spreading mold spores to other areas of the house. Washing the clothes might not removed or kill the spores. Don't risk it, get rid of the clothes.

4. Mold Spores are Dangerous, so make sure that you keep the contaminated room sealed off, including any vents, doorways, or openings. This will isolate the mold spores, and keep them from spreading to the rest of the house during the clean up process.

These are the basics of mold removal.  Black mold removal is a dangerous and challening job to do, and ensuring mold abatement is hard to do.   Having a mold inspection done by a mold remediation and mildew removal company will ensure that your household mold problem is properly addressed.

Prevention mold growth is much easier than fixing a mold problem, and it is much easier to build preventative methods into a home during construction that retrofitting post-construction.  The main supporter for mold growth is moisture.  Normal levels of humidity and water exposure typically don't support mold growth.  For example, the back splashes in kitchens are many times just painted drywall.  At times water is splashed onto the drywall.  A normal home kitchen has enough time when there is no activity that any moisture in the walls can fully dry quickly, and mold will not grow.

For areas that are exposed to high humidity or moisture consistently, the chance of mold growth is much greater.  Therefor, it is important to have humidity control everywhere possible.  Exhaust vents for bathrooms can help remove humidity from the air.  Dehumidifiers can be used in each room, or set up with the air system, to remove excess moisture from the air. 

It is inevitable that mold spores will be present in your house.  For many people, there is an opportunity to filter those spores through the use of the central air system.  Central air has vents that pull in air to either heat or cool, which have filters to remove contaminants.  Purchasing proper filters that will remove mold spores can help reduce the number in the air.

For some places, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, it is really hard to keep humidity levels low at all times.  There are versions of drywall that are more suitable for more humid environments, which would be the best choice for those situations.

Basements are a common place for mold growth because they tend to be damp.  The normal requirements for sealing a basement are not very affective for most.  Cinder blocks still tends to leak or weep moisture, especially during wet weather.  There are more advanced moisture barrier systems that can be used to fully seal the cinder blocks.  This is especially important if you want to finish your basement.  You must be completely certain that the cinder blocks will remain dry if you are to finish them with drywall.  Using breathable wall materials, such as eco-friendly clay plaster, will allow the walls to release excess moisture into the air.  By also utilizing a dehumidifier along with breathable wall materials, mold risks would be virtually eliminated.

When you have a mold problem start, it might be extremely hard to get it under control.  It could cost a lot of money and time, all the time putting you and your family at a major health risk.  The best thing you can do is work on mold prevention, and get a step ahead of this problem.

The very first thing you want to do is examine your home thoroughly to see if you can spot any mold.  If you see any mold at all, you know there is already a problem, one that might be much larger under the surface.  If so, then look at the mold removal basics above, and contact a mold removal professional for assitance.  If you cannot find any, then you should be safe.  It might be a good idea to have an inspector come to your home to help search for mold signs.  If you are moving into a new house, condo or apartment, you should have it inspected before you move in.

After an inspection of all surfaces that could potentially support mold, you should check all the areas that are exposed to moisture or humidity.  The most common places are bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements.  Ventilation fans are extremely helpful, and if they are left running during humid or moist times, you should be ok.  There are a lot of places that do not have these fans, so a good alternative is a simple fan.  It can be a table top compact, free standing, or a tower fan.  The air should be directed so dry air is being blown in from outside if the room.  This will help to reduce moisture and humidity, and prevent mold.

Knowing your home explicitly, and constantly monitoring high risk places, is the best way to prevent mold.  If you see areas are damp or wet, try to dry as best you can.  If able, apply a weak solution of bleach and water to the area after is has dried some.  This will make sure that any possible mold spores are eliminated in the even the area becomes moist or wet again.