Mold is a type of fungi that is often found in damp and moist areas. They reproduce and grow by digesting the material where they are attached to such as pipes, tiles, damp wallpaper, or upholstery. They can either be found indoors or outdoors and they can get inside your home through your vents and windows, as well as through your HVAC system. In case you see mold growing in your kitchen, bathroom, roof, windows, or your attic, make sure that you address them promptly to avoid any other further problems that they may cause, not only on your home but to your health as well.
Molds and Your Health
The initial appearance of molds may be undetected, but once they spread and multiply in number, they will already give out a musty smell. For people who are sensitive to molds, their presence can trigger an allergic reaction, posing various health concerns. Even people who are not sensitive to molds can also be negatively affected by their presence because molds can also irritate a person’s eyes, skin, and throat.
Molds can also significantly lower the air quality of your home. Thus, the presence of molds can also lead to a variety of respiratory problems. Because of this, people who have asthma are most likely to experience attacks in the presence of molds. In addition to this, a person with a weak immune system is also at risk of experiencing numerous health problems when exposed to a moldy environment.
When Should You Hire a Mold Removal Professional?
Because of the negative effects that molds can cause on your health, you must address their presence in your home immediately. In line with this, below are some of the signs that it is already the right time to hire a professional to remove molds in your household.
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There are Molds in Your HVAC System
Molds can establish colonies inside the ducts of your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. One of the most common signs of their presence is a strong musty smell in the adjacent rooms where your HVAC is installed. Because the spores are quite too small, you will not be able to spot them without special equipment. It is also likely that you will not see any other signs of their presence until their infestation is already widespread. For this reason, some of the experts in mold removal in Charleston suggest that when you smell that strange musty odor, it is time to hire a professional mold inspector to assess your place. In doing so, you will be able to resolve your mold problems immediately before they cause severe health problems to the members of your household.
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There are Molds in Inaccessible Areas of Your Home
Sometimes, not only will you smell the musty odor that signifies the presence of molds, but you will already see them with your naked eye. However, it can be a problem is these molds appear in hard-to-reach areas that you won’t be able to easily clean such as underneath your sink, or in your water system. Thus, they can even affect the water that you use, or worse, drink. When you see mold buildup on the sides of your shower, or when you notice dirt-like substance at the bottom and sides of your toilet, then you better call a mold removal professional to address your problem.
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You are Sensitive to Molds
Some people are generally unaffected by the presence of molds in their home, as long as they don’t further spread. However, some people are triggered by an allergic reaction every time they are exposed to molds, no matter how insignificant. In this case, if you are sensitive to molds, don’t even attempt to remove molds yourself because this can only lead to serious health problems. It is better if you leave this problem to the hands of the professionals who have the proper protective equipment and who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to eliminate molds properly.
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You Don’t Have the Time to Perform the Mold Removal Yourself
You may have the proper equipment to go ahead and remove the molds in your home yourself. However, you may not have the time to do so because of other priorities, such as daily work or other household chores. In this case, it will be better for you to call the services of the experts in mold removal so that your mold problems will be addressed before it goes out of hand.
Things to Consider in Choosing a Mold Removal Professional
As soon as you decide that you need to hire professional services to remove the molds in your home, then make sure that you carefully consider some of the things below.
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Certifications
Before hiring the services of a professional mold removal expert, make sure to perform extensive research to check whether they have the proper credentials to perform the services that you need. Aside from visiting their official online page and scrutinizing whether they are industry certified, you can also check official government sites. You will be guaranteed that the companies and individuals bearing the necessary certifications have the expertise, skills, and knowledge needed to follow the standard practice in mold removal without putting another person at risk or causing any further property damage.
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Testimonials and Experience
Another thing that you should consider in hiring a professional mold remover is their experience, as well as their experience in the field. You can have a good insight on this by visiting the company’s official website, or by word of mouth. Thus, this entails the need for you, not only to look into online sources but also to ask for recommendations from your network. As a result, you will be able to hire the services of a professional who may even exceed your expectations in terms of mold removal.
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Health and Safety
You also need to consider the overall health and safety, not only of your family and household members but the ones performing the mold removal as well. Thus, the mold removal professional must assure you that they will be able to conduct the work that needs to be done without any alarming health or safety concerns. This means that they should have the proper safety gear, and they should also be able to cordon off the areas they need to treat to avoid further mold infestation. They must also implement safety measures while they are removing the molds in your home.
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Insurance
The mold experts that you need to hire must also have the necessary insurance policies that can cover any expenses that they may incur due to unprecedented mishaps. This is very important in case of accidents that may happen throughout the mold removal process. Thus, you must require the professionals to present to you their insurance coverage before you hire their services.
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Cost
Lastly, it is also important for you to consider the fees that they are charging in exchange for their mold removal services. While it is true that the cost may vary from one company to another, it is best if you can ask for a quote from several companies for you to have a good idea of the typical amount that you need to shell out. Some companies require a pre-testing, which can add up to your expenses, but this is not often mandatory in case of mold infestation. On the other hand, you should also be wary of companies who provide an exceedingly low quote because there is a great chance that their personnel is not properly trained to conduct the professional mold removal process.
What You Can Expect From a Mold Removal Professional
As soon as you hire the best mold removal professional to deliver the services that you need, you can expect them to do the following:
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Containment
The first thing that a mold removal professional will do is to close off the mold affected space in your home. This is essential to ensure that mold spores won’t be dispersed in other areas of your home. More often than not, they will use plastic sheeting to seal off the area that they need to work with. Rest assured that this area will be once again accessible as soon as they complete the mold removal process.
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Removal Process
When you hire the services of the professionals to address the mold problems in your home, you can expect that they will use the appropriate cleaning equipment, as well as serialized cleaning materials. Usually, they have specific cleaning agents that are designed for materials like glass, wood, or concrete. They also use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) scrubbers and vacuums, as well as commercial-strength humidifiers after they physically remove the molds from its source. The HEPA equipment is used to clean the air or airborne mold spores because only HEPA filters will be able to capture particles as small as mold spores. Regular filters may only worsen the problem.
In the case of moldy and porous building materials, you can expect that the experts will already discard them because it can be quite challenging to restore them to their previous uncontaminated condition. Don’t fret because drywall, insulation as well as baseboards, which are often discarded, are relatively inexpensive to replace. From there, the professionals will use an antimicrobial chemical to clean the rest of the surfaces from any remaining mold or mold stains.
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Repair
Once the professionals discard certain building materials that can no longer be restored, expect that they will be able to repair back your space using new materials. They will have to fix damaged house parts such as your pipes or roofing. Alongside this, they will also use a sealer to ensure that the areas they have treated are more water-resistant, preventing any future mold infestation.
DIY Mold Removal Process
There are instances wherein you can remove molds by yourself, particularly if the mold infestation in your household is merely in its early stages. In this case, below are some of the steps that you need to take to effectively address the mold problem of your home by yourself.
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Inspect the Mold
The first thing that you need to do should you decide to handle the mold problem of your home on your own is to inspect the severity of the problem. You may see some mildew, which is a type of surface mold that is easy to spot, on your dishes or bathtubs, as well as on other areas in your home, which are often damp or wet. You can also check for mold under your carpets and roof sheathing, as well as behind your furniture or in your walls should you smell a strange musty odor.
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Plan the Removal Process
As soon as you have carefully inspected the extent of a mold infestation in your home, the next step is for you to plan the removal process. You need to allocate ample time to ensure that the entire process is complete. The process can take anywhere from a few hours to a whole day, or even longer, depending on the severity of your mold problem. You also need to equip yourself with the proper cleaning materials to remove the molds. Aside from this, also ensure that children, elderly, or other people living in your household who are most at risk to molds are not present when you conduct the process.
As soon as you see mold growing in any part of your home, make sure that you exert the extra effort to address them promptly. This means calling in the services of a mold removal professional as necessary. Just remember the things that you need to consider in choosing a mold removal professional. Expect that the best ones will be able to resolve your mold problem successfully. Rest assured that they will charge a reasonable cost, depending on the extent of your problem. While there are certain instances wherein you can try to remove the molds in your home by yourself, nothing compares to the meticulous process that the professionals conduct to ensure that your household is mold-free in no time.
