If you recognize your home has mold growing indoors you will want to react immediately to have it removed. Molds are fungi that can come in thousands of species; some are harmless and some can cause many complications in the people exposed to them. This article will go over the types of molds that can cause health problems in people, what causes mold growth and the different types of removal treatments and concerns.
Mold can grow outdoors or indoors. There are molds that can grow on paper, carpet, wood, and foods. They grow best in humid environments that are warm and moist. Basements and showers or underneath sinks are good places for molds to thrive. Molds can also grow in your walls feeding on the drywall or stucco if it is continually damp. Mold can grow in your heating, cooling or ventilation ducts if they are damp. You will usually smell a musty or sweet smell in a home that is moldy. Even though mold grows best in humid environments they can also grow in dry environments if the conditions are right. For example, people who live in dry climates who have evaporative coolers that release a lot of humidity in the home can have mold. Keep humidity levels in your home below 50 percent. Also make sure your home has good ventilation, open the windows everyday, if possible, especially in the bathrooms. Use the exhaust fan in the range hood while boiling water and run the exhaust fan while taking a shower.
Running an air conditioner in the humid season can dry out the air in your home. Fix any leaks or water damaged areas quickly. Avoid carpeting damp areas like bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements. Remove any carpet that has been water damaged and not dried properly. Water should not be able to enter your house from the patio or yard; the ground should slope down away from the house. If you live in a mobile home you may have mold growth under the home if the ground is soggy around the foundation.
If you find mold growing in your home you will want to get rid of it and the problem that caused it immediately. If you do have any health concerns go to a doctor before you have the mold cleaned. The doctor may advice you to leave your home or he might want to test the mold to find out what it is. You can clean up a minor mold problems in your bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms with a cup of bleach mixed with a gallon of water. Do not paint over a moldy wall, it will likely bleed through or peel off. If the area of mold growth is in your walls or in an area larger that 3 foot by 3 foot you can have a professional contractor come in to clean it up. Make sure you check references and be sure they have experience in mold cleanup. You will not want to breathe in the mold spores during the clean up process. You can wear a respirator mask that costs about $15.00. These masks have a respirator nozzle cartridge on the front and are not just paper. Wear rubber gloves and goggles while cleaning up mold.
There are no standards set for acceptable or unacceptable limits of airborne mold in homes or buildings. There is also no Environmental Protection Agency regulations or standards for airborne mold contaminations. You may come across people that say that there is not evidence of illness due to mold exposure in normal people. Right now government officials are stating that mold complications only occur in people that are already susceptible to respiratory illness. But many others, including scientists and doctors are saying that there is more and more evidence that mold exposure can cause severe reaction in even the healthiest of people.
You may find that you have a fight on your hands in getting mold cleaned up if you live in an apartment complex or rental home. You also may have difficulty getting a home builder to pay for expensive clean up if you have a new home with mold. You will need to do your research and fight to get the help you need. Mold growth has become more and more of a problem over the past twenty or thirty years because of the improvements in construction of buildings and homes. This construction results in a tightly sealed edifice which makes it beneficial in terms of energy conservation and keeping bugs out, yet it is difficult for moisture to escape the building. This tightly sealed environment does not allow for ventilation and thus leads to the growth of mold.
There have been many brand new homes in the past decade that have mold growth in the walls and the owners are not even aware of it until they start to feel sick. Being aware that mold can be a health risk is important in preventing illness. Pay attention to the warning signs that mold may be present in your home and get it cleaned up immediately.
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