Causes of Mold in Your Home | How to Spot & Prevent Mold

Mold is always present in our environment; these fungi spores grow on wet material and form green/brown colonies on dead organic matter or concrete.

The problem with mold arises when it grows in an indoor environment as it can lead to the production of mycotoxin – the toxic variety of mold. It gives rise to bad odor, major breathing problems, headaches and, in some cases, permanent neurological damage.

If you suspect mold formation in your house, the best solution is to seek professional mold remediation specialists’ advice.

What Are the Factors Required for Mold Growth Indoors?

You might have observed mold infestation in buildings as even small leaks, and inadequate airflow can provide a perfect atmosphere for mold growth.

The mold spores need three things to grow :

• Food – Nutrients such as cellulose (the cell wall of plants.)
• Moisture – To start the decay process.
• Time – Under favorable conditions, it can take anywhere between 24 hours and ten days to form mold colonies.

The food for mold growth is always present as standard building materials such as plywood, drywall, wooden furniture, carpets are all cellulose-based.

Signs to Look For to Determine if Your House Has Mold Growth?

Most of the time, a mold issue can remain unnoticed until it’s too late. Immediately call mold remediation professionals if you see these signs of mold growth:

1. Discolored or peeling walls: If your wall is damp and the surface looks bulged or abnormal.
2. Visible mold spots on surfaces: If you see green, gray-green, black, white, dripping slimy mold spots on your walls, immediately reach out to the experts to help keep mold under control as a simple scrubbing of the mold with soaped sponges can’t get rid of it completely.
3.  
4. Experience breathing or respiratory issues: If you experience unexplained allergic reactions like a runny nose or sneezing and the symp

   toms get worse if you spend time in a particular room or space

5. Aggravated Asthma: If your pre-existing breathing problems increase after you stay at home for long times. Consider scheduling a mold inspection if your breathing problem worsens without a medical cause by your doctor.
6. Musty or nasty smelling odor: If your house is clean and still there is a strange reek or if you have a funky smell from your air conditioner/ heating systems, it’s time to get it checked by HVAC specialists for mold.

If you have a continually leaking pipe or water overflows in regular intervals, it’s crucial to fix them and get your home checked for budding mold issues before it becomes a nightmare.

How Can You Prevent Mold in Your Home?

The best way of preventing mold is by controlling humidity as mold spores cannot grow in the absence of moisture.

Following these steps can help you prevent mold:

1. Identify and fix water problems: Check for leaks around the kitchen sink, plumbing leaks, or constant water overflow from sink or bathtub and repair it to prevent moisture buildup.
2. Clean and dry areas after water leak: completely drying water-damaged areas within 24-48 will help prevent mold.
3. Control indoor humidity levels (30%-50%): In humid seasons, use air conditioners and dehumidifiers to reduce moisture buildup and avoid using carpets in damp areas.
4. Use fans to maintain proper ventilation: Fans can help improve air circulation and prevent dampness in bathrooms and basements. Avoid leaving damp clothes in the dryer or laundry basket for a long.
5. Insulate surfaces to reduce potential condensation: Cold surfaces such as windows, pipes, roofs, and floors should be appropriately insulated to reduce moisture formation due to temperature differences.

In addition to all the above steps adding mold inhibitors to your household paints can help you prevent the chances of mold formation at your house or property.

Mold Remediation Process

The main goal of mold remediation is to clean contaminated areas, and prevent further contamination of mold on unaffected materials while ensuring the safety of the person performing the cleanup routine.

You might be tempted to fix mold by yourself, it often leads to additional health risks, future mold problems, and more damage to your property as every mold damage scenario requires a unique process to handle it.

Trained professionals and specialized equipment are required to ensure complete mold removal.

The general steps followed in a mold remediation process are :

1. Contact: Take an appointment with a mold restoration company
2. Assess: The professionals inspect and assess the mold damage to your property.
3. Contain: The cause of the moisture, such as leaks are fixed and removed to contain further moisture buildup.
4. Clean-up: The mold and mold-infested materials are safely removed to prevent further contamination. And the air is filtered and cleaned by the use of air-cleaning equipment.
5. Restore: The damaged walls are replaced, and affected materials are cleaned and restored to its original condition.
6. Prevent: Large industrial fans, dehumidifiers, and other specialized equipment are used to control the humidity and dry up the area faster to minimize the risk of future mold growth.

It is important to wear protective clothing, gloves, and respirator masks along with goggles to prevent mold spores from reaching your eyes and entering the skin through cuts if working in mold-infested areas.

Why Choose Pacific Flood Restoration Services?

Our restoration professionals are trained to expertly restore your house’s indoor environment with the least inconvenience to you. We are available 24*7 to provide you with an immediate response to your mold restoration needs.

If you are unsure about mold in your property or are curious about the process and equipment used by us. Feel free to visit our website or call us on 760-815-3033 to schedule a free inspection of your property.