A homeowner should always rely on professional mold remediation to clean large areas of mold growth in the home. Biological contaminants such as mold, algae, moss, and mildew can be very bothersome to a person’s sinus cavities, lungs, eyes, and skin; overexposure to these irritants can also be downright hazardous to your health. While these contaminants can form on many surfaces of a house, mold is often found inside the home, away from light sources and in areas of high humidity.
Mold Remediation refers to a program of returning mold to normal and safe levels in the home and then also working with a homeowner to avoid future mold growth. This remediation service is needed if mold spores have grown to an unsafe level inside the home and if conditions in the house will allow mold to spread continuously, even after the initial cleanup.
Since mold and other such contaminants can be very unsafe and downright dangerous, it’s good for homeowners to understand how to remediate mold, as well as when they should rely on professionals for this service. Note some critical information about mold and its overall handling, and be sure to call a remediation or cleanup professional if you have any concerns about mold or other irritants and contaminants in your home.
Mold is a type of fungus that consists of small organisms that can grow just about anywhere. In nature, mold is beneficial, as it breaks down waste such as old leaves, grass clippings, dead plants and trees, and the like. These materials can then degrade and decay faster.
Mold spores are always present in the air and are not harmless when they remain at microscopic levels. However, mold spores thrive on moisture, so they quickly grow in areas of a house where humidity is abundant, such as along bathtubs or shower walls or in areas of plumbing leaks behind a home’s walls. Leaking air conditioners, and especially car air conditioners that don’t have an opportunity to dry out, can also experience excessive mold growth. This fungus is also more commonly found in areas with high humidity levels.
Not everyone reacts to mold exposure the same, but breathing in an overabundance of these spores can be irritating and unhealthy for anyone no matter their overall health and sensitivity. For many people, being exposed to excessive amounts of mold spores, and especially breathing in these spores, can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
In rare or severe cases, a person might also develop a lung infection or other such respiratory illnesses. Some have suggested that exposure to mold spores causes other health concerns including memory loss and lethargy, but these links are questionable and not necessarily proven.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”sandy_brown”][vc_column_text]
Using bleach or a mold removal spray can often remove small growths of mold spores that develop along showers and bathtubs or that you see clinging to interior walls and baseboards. It can be useful to let a spray saturate the area of mold growth for several minutes before wiping it down, to ensure you reach and kill as many spores as possible.
While bleach and sprays can be useful for addressing and killing small areas of mold growth, these DIY treatments are typically not strong enough to treat larger areas of mold. Store-bought remedies are also not always strong enough to kill mold spores that have permeated wood studs and beams, drywall, or other such building materials. Note, too, that a professional mold remediation service will address the reason for mold growth, rather than merely cleaning up the existing spores.
When you call for professional mold cleanup and remediation services, most contractors will do the following in your home:
After the cleanup, you might need to have specific materials or areas of the home replaced or restored. A contractor would be called to replace carpeting, drywall, and other such removed materials or that now need a fresh coat of paint and the like.
Every homeowner’s insurance policy is different, so only your agent can tell you if your particular company covers mold remediation costs. In most cases, mold removal and cleanup is not included if mold is the result of homeowner neglect, such as neglecting a leaking pipe, or because of trapped humidity in an attic without proper ventilation.
However, mold removal may be covered by homeowner’s insurance if that mold is the result of what is called “covered peril,” meaning that mold spores grew because of other problems that are paid for by an insurance policy. Covered perils often include:
As with any other questions you have about insurance coverage, always check with your agent before hiring any contractors or having work done to the house, and especially before assuming that your insurance company will pay the costs of mold remediation companies!
Homeowners can typically prevent an overgrowth of mold spores in their home by ensuring that the house is in good repair, and by giving extra consideration to the condition of the home’s plumbing pipes, roof shingles and roof plumbing, and interior ventilation. Note a few particular suggestions for keeping a house protected from excessive mold growth:
One last tip for homeowners is to call for water cleanup and mold remediation services if the home has been through any flood, including those caused by a broken aquarium or waterbed, an overflowing bathtub, or broken pipe. If copious amounts of water were used to put out a house fire, it’s also good to call a professional and ensure that all traces of this water have been removed thoroughly, to reduce the risk of mold then developing in the home.