Mold infestations after natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes are threatening enough. However, the bigger danger for the entire population is the mold lurking where you can’t see it. Exposure can cause a host of health problems, such as severe allergic reactions, chronic lung illnesses, infections, and more.
Visible mold growth might seem like an obvious sign of mold. However many people don’t notice small amounts of mold growth or they think it’s just soot or dirt. Sometimes people simply ignore visible mold in their house.
If you can see mold growth, even if it’s only small, you should take action immediately. Small mold patches can spread and the fact that there is any mold shows that the conditions in your home are right for mold to grow.
When you have mold growing hidden away in your house, often a moldy smell might be the only clue that it’s there. Don’t ignore mold odors if you can’t see any mold. You should thoroughly inspect your home before any mold problems get worse.
Some other signs that you have a moisture problem include water stains or discoloration on walls, floors or ceilings in your house. Seeing these could be a clue that there is mold growing within or behind the material. Also surface abnormalities like peeling, bubbling or cracking of the paint or wallpaper. If your walls are bowed, bulging or warped it probably means moisture has gotten into them. Another clue is if the surface of walls or other materials feel damp.
The above signs of water problems in homes are usually created by leaks. However if you already know that you have had a water leak (such as leaking pipes or a leaking ceiling) then just that knowledge by itself, even if you don’t see signs of water damage, is a good sign that you might have mold growing in your house around the area where the leak was.
When it comes to remediating mold it’s always best to hire a professional mold removal and remediation service.
Once your home is rid of mold, use a mold killing solution to clean surfaces that had mold growth and even surfaces which were free of mold, because all of the surfaces in the room will have some amount of mold spores on them. These mold spores can grow into mold later if moisture accumulates in the room again so killing them will help prevent the mold coming back. After everything is completely clean and dry vacuum the room with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner to remove any residual spores and mold.
It is also very important that you fix the cause of the mold in the first place otherwise you are likely to have a mold issue again. Use a dehumidifier in damp areas such as basements. Increase ventilation or air movement by opening doors and/or windows, when practical. Use fans as needed and cover cold surfaces, such as cold water pipes, with insulation.
