Black Mold: An Unwelcome Visitor

8/9/2021 (Permalink)

Mold can grow quickly in humid, wet or water-damaged areas.

Fungus can be good, such as tasty mushrooms that get cooked up in kitchens. Other fungus, like black mold, is definitely bad. This is the kind of mold that people hope never shows up in their kitchens—or in any other room.

Understanding Mold

Black mold gives off tiny spores that can land and start to grow in humid, wet or water-damaged places. Mold also thrives in areas that don’t receive much air circulation. Basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, ducts, attics, ceilings and window surrounds are particularly susceptible to mold growth.

Common causes of conditions leading to residential mold growth include the following:

• Broken or drippy pipes and other plumbing problems
  
• Issues with heating, cooling and ventilation units
  
• Poor insulation
  
• Leaky roofs and windows
  
• Flooding, seepage and storm damage
  
  

Mold has an unpleasant, musty odor and unsightly appearance, although it’s not always plainly visible. Any home in Boca Del Mar, FL, that has experienced water damage could be a candidate for mold cleanup. Those needing mold remediation services should contact a qualified eradication specialist.

Banishing the Moldy Mess

Experienced professional mold cleaners may first ask several questions to help them determine the scope and nature of the job. Next, they can carefully inspect the residence, using special tools to find “hidden” mold.

Professionals often use a variety of containment equipment, such as HEPA vacuums and negative air chambers, to prevent the spread of mold spores during residential mold eradication. They may also turn off any fans, furnaces or air conditioners so spores aren’t dispersed.

It may be necessary for the mold cleanup specialists to remove and dispose of porous materials that have harbored heavy growth, such as carpeting, drywall or insulation. The professionals may clean and sanitize affected surfaces and apply antifungal and antimicrobial treatments to kill mold and prevent new colonies. Finally, any necessary home restoration can begin.

Restoring a Fresh Home

Done properly, professional mold remediation can leave residents with a fresh, dry and disinfected home free of black mold. Residents can then rest assured that their unwelcome visitor has left the premises.