WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOUR HOUSE HAS MOLD

If you are a homeowner, the last thing you want to find within your home is mold. This dangerous fungus is not only unsafe for you and the others living in the environment, but also damages your house. It can weaken the walls, ceilings and floors and if the growth of it becomes too severe could make it nearly impossible to sell.

Testing for Mold

The presence of mold within a home is more common than one may think. Unless it is physically visible, the only way to know for sure is to test for it. Although testing for mold can be expensive, it is necessary if you suspect that you have mold.

Here in Florida we see mold growth all the time, especially in wet areas like the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and lanai. We often hear, “I have no idea mold was developing until I could smell it.” Here is another story that illustrates why you want to be vigilant about checking you home for mold, and situations where mold is likely to develop.

A plumbing leak had unknowingly occurred in a home and unfortunately began to develop mold. It was only when a woman smelt the mold that she detected the issue. By this time, the mold had grown substantially and there was no going back to cooking in the same kitchen. She had to hire a flood restoration team. As if the situation wasn’t lousy enough, they had to gut her kitchen, remove the mold and build a new one in the middle of Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

“My house looked like a hazmat Scene,” Wilson says, adding that on the bright side, “That’s one way to get a new kitchen.”

If you are skeptical about the existence of mold in your home, it is vital to hire a mold inspection company. Mold testing home kits are sold as an alternative ranging anywhere from $10 to $50. However, be aware that these kits can occasionally be inaccurate. With that being said, its necessary to make the buyer aware.

If you have mold….

If you do have mold, don’t panic yet. As previously stated, many homes are contaminated with mold. Depending on amount of mold present and the space it occupies, the seriousness is revealed. If the mold covers less than 10 square feet, it is considered to be small. At this point, it’s necessary to either remove the mold yourself or hire a handy man to do it for you. The process to eliminate the fungus is explained on websites. RemoveMoldGuide.com and other housekeeping articles give you tips on precisely what actions to take. They call for 1-part chlorine bleach for every 15 parts water. The website advises that you wear goggles as well as protecting yourself with a well- ventilated room. To ensure you clean and remove all the mold, and prevent the possibility of regrowth, it is always best to consult a mold remediation company.

Here is another story of mold in the home and the impact it can have on health of the inhabitants- mold is nothing to mess around with.

An owner of a public relations company living in Pensacola, Florida depicted her nightmare experience with mold.  Her son, only being 8 years of age was experiencing unidentified stomach illness. In conjunction with the illness, the child’s asthma was also getting worse. Unfortunately, not a single doctor had an answer for what was causing these issues.

Eventually, they discovered that the dehumidifier located in the office to keep it dry had become unattached from the drain pipe behind the wall. All that time, the pipe had unknowingly been dripping behind the wall creating mold.

“I opened up that door one day and the inside of the closet was filled with black mold. The wall of that closet leaned up against my son’s playroom—and his TV where he spent countless hours with his brothers playing video games. Air tests revealed a really bad mold problem not only in the closet, but in the air”. Twenty-four hours later, Rivera says, “hazmat suits came and demolished my completely finished office.”

Don’t wait until the problem is this BIG! Most really big mold problems are a result of procrastination or neglect. Letting a small mold problem go, can be a really big mold problem later. Contact OneRestore for professional mold removal today.

Stay cautious. Keeping an eye out for toxic mold is crucial even if you aren’t aware of any mold in your home as of right now. Mold grows best where there is moisture and darkness present. Although it may seem obvious where these places would be, one might not suspect the washing machine or a soap tray to acquire mold.

Simple maintenance tips that can reduce the mold in your home:

• Seal around water fixtures. Leaks in and around showers, sinks, bathtubs or other areas that provide water are a strong source of the development of mold. Caulk the water fixtures to secure them.
• Clean out the gutters. Although this is a chore that we all procrastinate, cleaning the gutters is another essential key to prevent the growth of mold. Clogs that cause water to stay stationary inside of gutters can lead to water leaking into the eaves and exterior walls. Cleaning out your gutters can also prevent the risk of a flood.
• Seal your windows. After heavy rainfall, leaks in the windows can cause damage. Caulk around them to avoid this.
• Take care of any roof leaks. If you experienced a leak in the roof located over your bedroom, you would most likely notice it soon. However, there are less obvious spaces where roof leaks occur, such as the attic that may go unnoticed for a long period of times, even years! This can produce a great deal of mold.
• Do you have crawl space under the home? Despite the fact that it may seem gross to check under the home for water accumulation, it is better than the alternative. If water is aggregating underneath, it can lead to mold and structural problems within the home.

Mold is essentially like a guest in your home who isn’t welcome. Make sure to visit areas of your home you wouldn’t normally reside in. Remember to check in the corners and crevices that typically aren’t considered. Mold is a visitor of your home, but a very shy one.

Professional Mold Removal Services

If you think you might have mold in your home, contact OneRestore. We provide mold testing and are professional mold remediators.

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