How Water Damage Can Lead To Mold Problems

Mold and water go together like salt and pepper or bread and butter. If you find leaky or flooded water in your home, you are likely to acquire mold as well.

And it’s not just major water leaks either. Even minor water leaks can lead to mold.

What is mold? Is It In Long Island?

Mild is a fungus, and it is important to realize that in nature, mold grows by digesting organic material, and as a result, mold helps decompose wood, leaves and plant debris.

Unfortunately, the positive benefits of decomposition in nature may have a decidedly negative effect when it comes to living spaces.

Mold can pretty much live on and inhabit any surface in your home, whether it be wood, floors, ceilings, carpets, and more.

And mold, from mold spores, is very easily brought into the house. Mold spores float in the air, attach to people’s clothes, come in via attaching to your pets, your shoes and more.

Mold spores are virtually everywhere. There are millions of tiny mold spores spread throughout our environment, and according to the Center for Disease Control, there may be up to 300,000 varieties of mold that can invade your home.

Fortunately, most mold simply dies a quick death because the environment is inhospitable for the spores to live. However, when there is enough water in your home to serve these spores, they soon develop into mold.

And it doesn’t take much water either. That’s why health officials even recommend keeping your home from being too humid, as spores can attach to glass, books, toys, and even plastic.

If you think you have water damage, then it may be smart to hire a Long Island water damage company to help with the repairs and prevent mold.

But why is mold a problem?

Unfortunately, mold is not just ugly looking but can cause genuine health problems.

Many people, particularly young children and the elderly are very sensitive to mold, and it can cause breathing problems. Many types of molds produce toxins that may significantly affect the ability of people to breathe.

In addition, many molds produce toxic substances that people are quite sensitive to. They may have an allergy to these toxins and experience everything from constantly running noses, watery eyes, itch throat, and a great deal of sneezing.

If they already are afflicted with asthma, the addition of the mold will tend to accelerate asthma attacks.

In addition, there can be skin irritation, fatigue, nausea, and insomnia brought on by excess mold in the house. So it’s not just a case of mild inconvenience.

Bring in a professional

If you notice a significant amount of mold in your home, perhaps mold on your ceiling, along your baseboards, mold in your ceiling tiles or mold in your attic installation, you actually may need not one but two professionals.

The first is to call in a professional plumber to inspect your home for water leaks. While small amounts of mold may easily crop up anywhere, major mold infestation almost always comes from water leaks. and you really need to have those fixed pronto.

The second professional is for clearing up the mold. Yes, you can try to do it yourself, but professionals have anti-fungal germicides that, when once cleaned of fungus, keep more showing up at bay.

In addition, since many types of mold are quite toxic, professionals have hazmat suits and respirators to clean up the mold. They will also seal off the area with plastic so that mold spores to not spread further.

And regardless of where the mold is, professionals have the tools to get into tiny spaces such as your HVAC system, which may be spreading mold spores everywhere.

A professional mold removal specialist will also be familiar with special anti-fungal paints and materials to insure the mold does not come back.

4 Reasons To Hire A Professional Mold Removalist To Remove Mold From The Home

Mold can wreak havoc in the home. It can grow under your bathroom tile, in your laundry room, and in your kitchen. If the issue goes untreated, mold can cause serious problems within the home. If you smell mold, if you see mold, or if you suspect mold, it is best to hire a professional to remove the mold. Many homeowners make mold removal a DIY project, however, there are a few reasons why it is best left to a professional.

Mold Spreads Quickly
Mold can start off as a tiny patch and soon it can grow to the point where the structure of the home and its belongings are compromised. If you have a mold issue and you make the removal a DIY project, there is no guarantee that you will eradicate the problem completely. If you leave just a few mold spores behind, the problem will continue to grow. Professional mold removalists have the knowledge and experience to remove the issue completely. There will be no risk of the mold issue recurring.

Mold Removalists Know How To Detect Mold
Most homeowners don’t know much about mold growth. They also don’t know how to detect it. If you don’t have the knowledge and experience necessary to remove mold, there is a good chance that something will be left behind. Professional mold removalists know how to detect all types of mold. Not only will they be able to detect the visible mold, they will also know how to detect hidden and dormant mold. They also know the proper technique to remove all types of mold.

Mold Removalists Use the Proper Equipment
Many homeowners who try the DIY method of mold removal will use home remedies that they find on the internet. In many cases, these DIY methods don’t work. Professional mold removalists have the necessary equipment to remove all of the molds from the closets, in the walls, from clothes, and all other places that it could be hiding. Best of all, they can do this without causing any damage to your home or your belongings.

Mold Removalists Will Repair the Area
When mold grows in the home, it has to have come from moisture that is coming into the house. If you attempt to remove the mold on your own, there is a good chance that you won’t be able to repair the problem that caused the mold growth in the first place. A professional mold removalist has the knowledge and experience to know exactly how the mold growth began in the first place so that they can make the necessary repairs. This will keep the mold from regrowing in the future.

When it comes to removing mold from the home, making it a DIY project isn’t always the best option. When you try to remove the mold on your own, there are no guarantees that the problem will be eradicated permanently. If you hire a professional mold removalist, you can sure that the mold will be removed quickly, efficiently, and permanently.

Why You Should Take Mold Removal Seriously

Mold is present everywhere. In the natural environment, it is actually useful in the breakdown of dried leaves, dead trees, and other forms of organic matter. It is a crucial factor in the cycle of life. However, it is not as welcome indoors where we can interact with them. This is because their excessive growth can cause unwanted effects on both the home and the occupants. This can be prevented by making sure that the house is always clean and dry. There are certain areas that are more vulnerable than others including the bathrooms and the kitchen so pay particular attention to those. Sudden floods can also result in massive mold growth. Here’s why you should have them removed as soon as possible:

Health

The biggest reason why you should aim for quick mold removal is that is can have an adverse effect on health. This organism produces allergens that it releases into the air. This can circulate around the house until it reaches vulnerable individuals. Allergies can be triggered in various degrees. Some may experience incessant sneezing, red eyes, runny nose, skin rashes, and fever. This can happen abruptly or be delayed. It also produces irritants that can affect anyone. People may suddenly complain of irritation in their throat, nose, eyes, skin, or lungs. These will go on until the problem has been completely resolved.

Damage

If the problem is ignored, then the mold will only grow to be more harmful. It will not just affect the people but also the structure. For example, the ceiling is one area that often sees mold growth because of leaks from the roof. The moisture allows it to thrive and spread. This can lead to discoloration in minor cases. This can be annoying but not particularly bad. However, it can eventually lead to the destruction of the ceiling if the problem goes unabated. The mold will chew on the wood until it rots and forms holes around the affected area.

Economics

All of these things will reduce the value of the house. Should you decide to sell it later, then be prepared to get low bids because of this problem. No new homeowner will want to deal with this kind of issue at the outset. They want a fresh and clean home where they can focus on decorating and enjoying the property. If you want to sell it at a good price, then you will have to get the mold removed anyway. By then you might have to spend a fortune because of the high degree of damage everywhere. Prepare to remove mold today while the problem is still manageable.

The Mold Removal Process

Mold infestation can be a nightmare for a property owner if it is not combated with effective solutions. A home or place of business with a mold problem can result in expensive damages to the property itself, the furniture, and other valuables. Mold also degrades the air quality, filling the environment with contaminants that can cause respiratory problems. It helps for a homeowner to know the processes that take place during mold removal to ensure that the technicians who get hired to provide the services do a good job. Watching a precision mold removal video can help get a clue as to the specific details, but a few basics are constants across different companies.

Inspection and Assessment

After contacting the mold removal company, the inspection comes next. Some of the areas with mold infestation may be easily visible and accessible, but others may be hidden. Mold removal experts have to be sure that they get as much as possible to prevent a recurring problem. Remediation and removal companies have tools and techniques for thorough mold inspections. The technicians must also see how far the damage has spread to determine the most effective way to remedy it. The company can also make a precision mold removal video to use as a guide for the removal process.

Mold Containment

Isolating the mold infested area is necessary to prevent it from spreading further, especially if there is already water damage, which facilitates mold growth. Some remediation technicians use negative air pressure to keep the mold spores contained in certain areas. The HVAC system in a home can also allow spores to spread, so it is turned off during this stage.

Remove Affected Materials

Environmental agencies provide information about the materials that should be removed. The mold removal professionals will identify the items that have accumulated mold colonies. Carpeting, flooring, and drywall are some of the materials that have to be removed and place in plastic bags. If possible, some can be cleaned or restored to their original condition.

Cleaning

The mold remediation team will then clean porous surfaces and other areas with a mold infestation. Different methods are used to eliminate mold as thoroughly as possible. Some items may need sanitization to ensure that mold spores are not left behind. In instances of severe mold infestation, the removal professionals will provide odor removal services as well. After cleaning, mold remediation professionals conduct visibility tests to guarantee that all areas are free of mold.

Drying is a critical process during mold removal to make certain that no moisture is left on surfaces. The removal specialists can then use the precision mold removal video to replace items as they were.