You’ve probably heard about the dangers of mold and how it may be a health hazard. If you’ve spotted mold in your home or business, you probably wonder what to do.
The following are some common questions and answers that help you understand what mold is, what causes it, and what you should do when you see it:
What is mold, and where is it found?
Mold is a microorganism that’s found everywhere, and it grows on surfaces that have sufficient moisture. It can be found and can quickly grow on surfaces like bathroom walls, the trim around windows, and around doors.
How can you tell if you have mold?
You may be able to see mold, which often looks somewhat fuzzy, discolored, or slimy and can grow larger over time. Sometimes, however, you might be able to detect a musty odor when mold is present in your home or business. Also check for signs of water stains or areas where you have warped wood.
What causes a mold problem in your home?
Since moisture provides mold with an ideal environment in which to thrive, its growth is often connected to problems that cause excess moisture. These can include leaks in your roof or plumbing, a damp basement or crawl space, or excessive humidity levels.
Can mold make you or your family or employees sick?
Some level of mold is always present in the air we breathe, but more extensive exposure detected by a musty smell or seeing mold on a surface like a wall or ceiling may make you or your family or coworkers sick. This is especially true if someone has current respiratory issues such as allergies or asthma or has a compromised immune system because of chemotherapy treatments or an organ transplant, for example. Severe reactions to mold aren’t very common, but they can occur. This happens most often in people who have severely compromised immune systems. Others can have symptoms such as nasal and sinus congestion, eye irritation, wheezing, difficulty breathing, a rash, a headache, or throat irritation.
What should you do if you see mold?
If you see mold, you should take a two-pronged approach: getting rid of the mold and fixing the problem that caused the excessive moisture that allowed the mold to thrive.
If you have a small area of mold, you may be able to clean it yourself. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends wearing an N-95 respirator, which you can find in many hardware stores, as well as goggles and gloves that extend to the middle of your forearm. You can then scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water. If you have mold in an absorbent material such as carpeting, it may need to be thrown out.
For more extensive cases of mold or items you may not be able to clean due to their location or value, contact a professional mold remediation service that has extensive experience in mold removal, and if necessary, water removal in the case of flooding or severe leaks.
Contact STOP Restoration at 844-500-4775 if you see or smell mold or have water damage. The STOP Restoration team has over 40 years of experience, and their trained professionals will get the job done right to stop the growth of mold and remove it so you and your family or workers can breathe easily.
