Mold isn’t something that you want to have present anywhere. The risks to your well-being are quite serious. If it’s in your home or office, this can lead to a whole host of health concerns that you need to worry about. Coming into contact with mold can cause infections, allergic reactions and much worse. If you have found mold somewhere on your property, there are some steps that you should take in order to stop this problem from spreading. Let’s take a closer look at what you can do.
Causes
Mold is a fungus that grows when moisture gets into damp and dark spaces. It thrives on excess wetness in areas where evaporation isn’t likely to occur. If you’re dealing with a basement that is already known for its dampness, adding more water to the mix can be devastating. It doesn’t take more than twenty-four hours for mold to begin to grow after moisture exposure. This moisture can be introduced by a leaky pipe, a compromised foundation or storm damage. If surfaces become soggy and can’t be dried out promptly, mold is almost certain to occur eventually.
Cleaning
Most people’s first reaction to seeing mold is to immediately try to clean it up. While you want to take the appropriate steps needed towards rectifying the situation, it’s important that you take precautions when dealing with this substance. For instance, you should make sure you have your mouth and nose covered before commencing. Inhaling mold can lead to some long-term lung issues. An area needs to be well-ventilated before mold can be properly cleaned away. There are special products and tools that are used to prevent mold from spreading or becoming airborne. If this is a very involved problem, give us a call and let us take care of it for you.
Prevention
No one wants to find mold in their home or on their property. Luckily, there are some steps that you can take to prevent mold from growing. If you know that you have a high level of moisture in one or more areas of your home, you can use a dehumidifier to remove this moisture from the air. Just make sure that you are thoroughly disposing of this collected liquid. Otherwise, you could be allowing more mold to grow. When you shower, turn on the exterior fan to circulate the steamy air into the outside of your home. Also, keep an eye on the structure of your house. If you have missing shingles on your roof, a leaky pipe in your bathroom or a malfunctioning sump pump, the issue should be addressed as soon as possible.
There are professionals like us who can help you clean up a mold problem, so don’t feel as though you have to take this kind of issue on by yourself. If you’re not trained or educated on how to safely deal with mold, turn to us for assistance. Even if you decide to undertake a major project on your own, do your research ahead of time.