No one likes having mold around the house. Aside from being unpleasant to the eyes, mold can have adverse effects on one’s health. So when you confirm the presence of mold in your property, you must do everything you can to get rid of it.
The question is, should you terminate the mold growth yourself, or should you call in the cavalry and have professionals do the mold removal for you?
What you need to know about mold
Mold, a type of fungus, may be a bother inside our homes or workplaces, but as far as the ecosystem is concerned, it plays a crucial role in breaking down biological components like dead leaves, plants, and trees.
Mold thrives in places where there is excessive moisture, so if certain parts of your home tend to be damp for one reason or another, you can expect mold to form there and eventually spread to other areas. Mold formations are often found on shower curtains, the walls and floors of poorly-ventilated bathrooms, and basement floors, where sump pumps and water heaters are usually located. And if you have broken or leaking pipes especially within your walls, don’t be surprised if mold takes up residence there too.
The colors of mold may vary, but their colorfulness doesn’t do anything to make any formation unsightly. If anything, mold can make any property ugly, and that will take a toll on its overall value. Whether it’s white, green, purple, orange, white, or black, mold is never pretty to look at, especially when it comes in the form of a slimy spot, slick film, or a fuzzy patch.
Aside from not being easy on the eyes, mold is also not easy on the nose. When your home smells a bit musty, then that’s a possible sign that there is mold inside your property. It’s even worse if that smell permeates the entire place and you have no idea where it’s coming from because that means there is a huge mold infestation somewhere behind the ceilings and the walls.
The adverse health effects of mold
In tiny amounts, mold spores are usually harmless and won’t make you sick if you unknowingly inhale them. Health issues could arise if you take them into your system in much larger quantities, especially if you are particularly sensitive to mold. You could find yourself getting caught in a sneezing fit. Your eyes could also turn red, and you could develop a skin rash. Coughing and a runny nose are also symptoms of an allergic reaction to mold spores.
And if you’re exposed to mold and you suddenly find it difficult to breathe or suffer a full-on asthma attack, get medical attention immediately because you’re experiencing a severe allergic reaction to mold.
Removing mold by yourself
If you take it upon yourself to remove the mold, then you are going to need vinegar. It may be the safest mold-removing material available, but its efficacy at killing mold species stands at about 80%.
Use a spray bottle to apply vinegar on the affected area of your property. Wait for an hour, then rinse it off with water. To make sure mold stays away, repeat the entire procedure every few days.
Bleach, borax, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and water with detergent can also prove to be useful.
When to call mold removal professionals
The DIY process described above, however, only works on small mold formations on exposed walls. When you’re dealing with 10 square feet of mold growth behind drywall and subflooring, vinegar, bleach, and all the materials previously mentioned won’t cut it. You are going to need help, and that’s when you call in the mold removal pros.
Mold removal experts are trained and adequately equipped to rid your property of mold for good. Once they get rid of all the mold, they will repair or replace any parts of your property it has damaged. When the place is finally mold-free, the mold removal pros will work to keep it that way by identifying where all the excess moisture is coming from and dealing with it.
Leave huge mold infestations in your home or place of business to the pros, and you won’t have to worry about mold for the foreseeable future.
About The Author
Judy Olsen is the Content Marketing Strategist for ASAP Restoration LLC, a company that specializes in damage restoration, asbestos and mold removal/testing in the Phoenix metro area. When not writing, she spends her time doing yoga and playing bowling with family and friends.