Mold Remediation Specialist - Expert Tips on How to Remediate Black Mold
Mold is a risk every household and business faces. Once it takes hold, it spreads quickly to cause bad odors and health problems in people who are sensitive to mold spores.
While all mold can be an issue, black mold is often a more urgent problem that needs to be dealt with quickly. Use these tips from a mold remediation specialist to reduce the risk of a black mold outbreak on your property.
How to Identify Black Mold
The first step to remediating black mold is identifying it. Black mold is a family of mold that can range in color from blackish-green or blue-green spots or blemishes. You can also recognize black mold from its distinctive wet, musty odor.
All mold types need moisture to flourish, but black mold's moisture demands are greater than most. If you have black mold on your property, it will be in an area with lots of moisture, often because of a leak or drainage problem.
Black mold remediation specialists will determine and repair the source of the moisture as part of their service. If they are unable to perform the repairs, they will recommend an appropriate service that can.
The most common locations for mold to spread include:
● Leaky bathroom and kitchen faucets and fixtures
● Damaged plumbing in walls and basements
● Drainage issues delivering a continuous source of moisture
● Damaged water heaters
Homes that have been flooded are more at risk of a black mold outbreak in out-of-the-way areas with poor ventilation. A mold remediation service knows from experience where mold is likely to grow and spread and will ensure those areas are dried out along with the rest of the property.
Is Black Mold Dangerous?
There's a lot of hype about the health risks of mold. While many reports about its dangers are exaggerated, the truth is, some people can be more sensitive than others to the free-floating spores.
Black mold won't cause you to suddenly expire in your sleep, but that doesn't mean you should co-exist with it. Exposure can make some people feel ill and the smell isn't fun either.
Mold spores are allergenic. Long-term exposure can cause allergic reactions such as itchy eyes, difficulty breathing, and exacerbated asthma. Sensitive individuals exposed to black mold for a long time might develop fevers, shortness of breath, headaches, and nausea.
How Does Black Mold Spread?
Black mold spores are floating all around us all the time. They transfer into our homes via clothes, on the bottom of shoes, on pet fur, and float through open windows on currents of air.
Fortunately, mold spores can't grow, reproduce, and spread without a source of moisture, but many of the building materials in your home are excellent food sources. Timber, gypsum board, and carpet can support mold whether they are soaked from flooding or there's a slow leak somewhere in your plumbing.
It's for this reason that removing water-damaged materials and drying out your property as quickly as possible is critical to effective mold remediation.
Moisture in the building materials will also cause structural damage to your property over time, so dealing with your mold problem can help prevent expensive repairs in the future.
How to Remediate Black Mold?
You can try to clean up the black mold yourself, but we would only recommend you do this for relatively small areas. You should also have some experience conducting repairs to prevent further outbreaks. Always wear rubber gloves, safety goggles, a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and a breathing mask (preferably N-95).
Whether you do it yourself or use a mold remediation specialist, the process to get rid of black mold will be the same.
Find the Source of the Mold Outbreak
Mold can only thrive under favorable conditions, such as those created by leaky pipes, roofs, and dripping air conditioners. Flooding can soak building materials that will support mold if they are not properly dried out.
Improper ventilation in bathrooms is also a common cause of black mold. Find out why the mold is growing and get it fixed before you start the remediation process.
Test the Air Quality
A mold remediation service near you can check the area has adequate ventilation by taking samples and testing what sort of mold is present. Once they know the type of spores that are invading your property, they can use the most effective measures to get rid of it.
Control Moisture Levels
As you know, black mold can't grow without moisture. If an area has been flooded, the best way to prevent an outbreak is to dry the area within 48 - 72 hours.
When black mold in your home is caused by leaky plumbing or fixtures, a water remediation specialist will have qualified plumbers available to fix any plumbing issues.
A good rule of thumb is to keep humidity levels in your property below 50%. Dehumidifiers could be a good investment if you regularly deal with mold growth.
Remove the Mold
You can try removing a small black mold outbreak yourself but care is needed to prevent it from spreading. Contain off the area with plastic sheeting to stop mold spores from spreading. Wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and use a good quality black mold remover to scrub the area. Open all windows and doors, and use a fan to help quickly dry the treated area.
Best Option Restoration understands the distress a mold outbreak can cause and that getting rid of it quickly is a high priority. If you have a moisture problem in your home or have recently gone through a flood, call the mold remediation specialists today to get rid of black mold from your home for good.
Remove the Mold with Best Option Restoration
If you’re experiencing mold cleanup in Denver, Arvada, Thornton, Broomfield, Boulder, or the surrounding areas, Best Option Restoration can help you. We are aware that mold cleanup can leave you feeling overwhelmed, and our goal is to instill peace of mind throughout the project and restore your property in the most efficient way possible. We have many years of experience in restoration reconstruction and all our general contractors are licensed and insured. If your property has been damaged due to water, fire, or mold we will give you the personalized service and expert marksmanship needed to get the job done right. To learn more about our services, call us at (720) 620-3272 or contact us online to receive an estimate on your project.
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