There’s no question that runaway mold growth is one of the most damaging and destructive problems that can affect a house. Mold spreads quickly, often hidden behind walls and beneath floors. This means that before it’s detected, it can weaken and warp wooden structures, devour insulation and drywall, and poison the indoor atmosphere with dangerous mycotoxins. A mold infestation is an extremely serious issue, capable of devastating and eventually compromising the entire building.
Despite this, the presence of mold in your house does not necessarily mean that all hope is lost. Even advanced infestations can now be brought under control by advanced mold damage restoration techniques. At Biodynamic, we’ve spent years offering professional mold remediation services for homes and businesses, and in that time, we’ve learned a great deal about how to eliminate all traces of a fungal invasion, as well as how to restore affected property. We’ve determined that, in most situations, it is possible to save a house with mold, even in the most severe cases.
In the following blog post, we’ll offer a few practical steps you can take to both eliminate mold and repair any damage that has occurred. We’ll also help you determine when it’s time to call the professionals and explain some of the advanced remediation techniques we use to return your home to a pristine condition.
Is There Mold in My Home?
Part of the reason mold is able to cause so much damage in so many homes is the fact that it’s often extremely difficult to detect. This is because it’s often found in hidden areas, such as attics, basements, behind walls, beneath floorboards, under sinks, and above ceilings. It can spread anywhere it has a ready source of moisture, which means that houses with leaky plumbing or poor ventilation are usually the most vulnerable.
As the infestation spreads, it will consume wood cellulose and other organic compounds that are vital to the structural integrity of the home, which can lead to problems as extreme and catastrophic as collapsed roofs. It will also continue to spread further by releasing toxic spores.
There are several methods you can use to determine whether mold is present in your home. First, consider if there may be a source of moisture for it. If your house has recently experienced a leaky roof, plumbing malfunction, or spike in humidity due to poor ventilation, it’s possible that the conditions for mold growth may exist, and a professional inspection may be warranted.
You might also notice visual signs of mold growth—for example, dark, fuzzy spots on walls or brown splotches on ceilings can be dead giveaways. Green or black patches of growth on carpets can also indicate the presence of mold spores, which tuck themselves away inside the fibers.
Finally, air quality can also be a key indicator of the presence of mold in the home. If you notice that the residents of the house are experiencing unexplained sickness, allergies, or other respiratory system issues, this may be a sign that mold spores have made their way into your air supply.
How To Eliminate Mold When You Find It
Once you have located the source of the mold, the first step is to remove what you can using a scraper or scrub brush. Remember that, because mold is toxic, you’ll need to wear protective gear while you do so. Gloves, safety glasses, and a dust mask are all recommended when working in areas affected by large amounts of mold.
Mold is a fungus, and fully removing it is a matter of breaking down the cell walls that hold it together, ideally without damaging the substrate it’s anchored to. Bleach is excellent for killing mold spores; however, it may often be damaging to the surface that the mold is growing on. If a gentler touch is required, consider using a solution made of vinegar and water. You can also purchase commercially available mold removal products, which may be tailored to specific materials (just be careful to choose a non-toxic product).
For more advanced infestations, secure the services of a professional remediation company like Biodynamic. We’ll do more than simply scrub away the mold; we will also apply antimicrobials and utilize advanced techniques such as mold prevention shields to prevent the issue from recurring. We can also utilize state-of-the-art technologies, such as dry ice blasting and laser ablation, to remove mold from even the most delicate surfaces.
Restoring After Damage
Mold damage restoration is about more than just eliminating the mold, of course. It’s also a matter of repairing the harm it has caused and preventing the possibility of recurrence. The first step to doing so is to eliminate the moisture, as any form of water will always encourage further mold growth. Eliminating moisture is a matter of repairing leaks in roofs and plumbing and improving ventilation in the home.
The next step is to remove as many mold spores as possible, preventing them from anchoring on new surfaces and restarting the infestation. Ideally, you will use a HEPA-certified vacuum cleaner to do this. Only the advanced filtration systems in a HEPA vacuum are capable of capturing the microscopic spores.
For more severe cases, you’ll once again need to contact a professional mold remediation service. We will remove all affected property from the home and remediate it off-site to prevent cross-contamination. We will also repair and replace areas with extensive damage, fully restoring the home to its original state.
If You Have Questions
We hope that this blog post has helped ease your worries about mold in the home. A house with mold can almost always be saved, especially if you catch the problem early. By being diligent with your maintenance and repairs, you’ll often prevent more serious infestations.
If you need professional remediation services, or if you have questions about how to address a mold issue in your home, contact Biodynamic. We’ll help you to return your home to its original, pre-mold condition so that you can enjoy peace of mind in a healthy environment once again.
