Difference Between Black Mold And Mildew
Black mold and mildew are two very common problems that people face in their everyday lives. Both can be equally bothersome and even have negative effects on your health. These types of fungi grow quite commonly in places like showers, attics, and even on food. It is important to understand the differences between the two because each has a unique course of action that should be taken.
Do You Suspect You Have A Mold Problem
Dont let mold growths make you and your family sick! Learn more about the risks of black mold growing in your home.
If youre worried about mold growing in your home, the best next steps to take are to . Not only can they remove the mold growing in your home, they can also do any necessary reconstruction to remove and rebuild any areas that were irreversibly damaged.
Navigating All Of The Confusing And Concerning Information About Black Mold Is Hard But Were Here To Tell You The Truth
Many of us have heard of the dangers of toxic black mold and may worry about black mold poisoning, but the truth is that black mold is a much more manageable problem than you might expect.
Few topics get us more upset than seeing misinformation publicized about toxic black mold, and mold in general, by unscrupulous companies and zealous media articles that seem more interested in sensationalism than fact-based reporting.
When you understand what youre dealing with, you can make informed choices to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy. Were here to cut through the mess and help you understand what having black mold in your home may mean, and give you some tips on how to fix the problem yourself and save big money in the process.
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Contact Hrs Restoration Services Today
It is no secret that mold and water can do great damage to a home. To avoid the worst of results after an emergency like these, reach out to our certified team to help bring your home back to life.
Specializing in disasters like mold, water, fire, and trauma we have a combined two decades of experience in helping homeowners just like you.
As soon as you discover damage happening in your Denver or Phoenix area home, call us and we will begin the process of cleanup and restoration of your home.
what is iicrc and Why is it important?
IICRC stands for the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Formed nearly 40 years ago, it is a non-profit organization that establishes globally recognized standards for the cleaning and restoration industry, as well as providing certifications, journeyman and master designation, and education.
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What Is The Cost To Inspect For Black Mold
Cindy R. Altadena CA.
The cost for Inspection for mold can range on a few factors which include: The location of the areas that need to be inspected, the access to the areas, easy or difficult? Crawl space or attic? Does the inspection include testing or no testing? Does the inspection require a large report or small written report?
On average, you can expect to pay $125.00 to $450.00 * plus sampling If requested or required.
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How Does Black Mold Form
The main reason behind the formation of black mold is moisture, which can be caused by several things, such as, water leakage, lack of proper ventilation, flooding, irregular maintenance, humidifiers, condensation, clogged-up gutters, damp clothes, humid basements, or even water accumulation around the foundation of your house.
Is It Really Mold
Mold is a type of fungus that produces pigmented spores and can grow on the surface of wood packaging. There are thousands of molds that grow on wood, feeding on the structural polymers, sugars, and proteins in the wood. Generally, molds produce spores that are clearly visible as black, white, green, orange, or purple spots on the wood. There are even some molds that are not visible to the naked eye.
Mold spores can easily spread to other damp surfaces, including other woods products. Depending on the mold species, surfaces available, and environmental conditions, spores can grow and spread in a few days, but can also take months or even years to spread and grow. In addition, different wood species are affected differently by molds, due to the woods stored sugar content. Any untreated wood can be at risk of acquiring mold without the proper care.
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How Can I Check For Mold
Its best to hire a professional to help you identify and remove mold, especially if youre allergic or vulnerable to it.
You should also consider hiring help if the mold covers more than 10 square feet, or if its hidden behind wallpaper, ceiling tiles, or other areas.
Here are some steps for identifying and removing mold.
How Can You Tell The Difference
In some cases, like iron stain, its pretty obvious that youre looking at staining, rather than mold. Other times, it may be a little more difficult to tell the difference and you may need to consult a wood packaging professional. In the absence of a professional, there are some other clues you can look at to decide if the discoloration that youre seeing is mold or staining.
- Moisture in the wood causes mold, so the presence of moisture may indicate a mold problem.
- If the structure of the wood looks damaged, in conjunction with discoloration, you may have mold.
- If the wood looks completely intact, but is just slightly discolored, it might just be staining.
- If you can see the presence of spores on the surface of your wood packaging, then youre probably looking at mold.
- If your wood packaging is grayed out and has been sitting outside, its likely that you simply have sun exposure.
- If you see streaks or stains emanating from the nails or fasteners in your wood packaging, its likely that youre simply seeing iron stains.
This is mold. If you look closely, you can actually see the mold spores.
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Treating Black Mold Poisoning
If you suspect youre suffering from symptoms associated with black mold exposure or poisoning, there are some things you can do to improve your health.
In conclusion, the best way to avoid the negative effects of black mold poisoning is to minimize your exposure to black mold.
You can do this by preventing its growth in the first place. If its too late to prevent it and you suspect theres black mold already in your home, dont wait to book black mold removal, completed quickly and efficiently by the industry experts.
Black mold, typically green or black, in your home can be extremely hazardous to your health. Learn about black mold poisoning and start preventing black mold growth today.
Differences Between Mold And Mildew
While mold and mildew are both fungi that need water, oxygen, and food in order to live and survive, they differ in a number of ways. Mold tends to have a higher profile and can even become fuzzy, while mildew is usually flat. Mold exhibits darker colors such as deep green and black mildew may begin as white, then turn brown or gray. Mildew converts to a white, powdery substance mold never does.
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How Do I Know If The Mold Has Been Fully Removed Once It Is Been Remediated
Bill W. Santa Clarita CA.
You can always hire a third party mold inspector to verify. Always make sure you hire a Los Angeles black mold removal expert, youll see their work and they will provide you spectacular results giving you peace of mind.
They should also provide you a great warranty as well.
How To Identify And Treat Mold In Your Basement
- Working Time: 3 – 4 hrs
- Total Time: 3 – 4 days
- Yield: 80 square feet of basement wall
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Estimated Cost: $30 to $60
If any place in the house will grow mold, it’s the basement. Basements collect and trap moisture, and moisture is one factor that leads to mold growth. And because basements have less natural light and airflow than other parts of the home, that mold will not die off on its own.
Some strains of black mold can be a health hazard. Plus, mold can quickly decay organic materials such as wood, leading to structural failure. This means that identifying and treating mold in the basement should be a priority as soon as you believe that you have it.
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Visible Dark Rings And Spots
One of the early signs that mold could be lurking in your home is the appearance of dark rings or spots on the ceilings or walls. Even if these spots arent mold per se, they may be indicative of water damage or pooling water, which is a recipe for mold growth.Dark rings on your ceiling? It might be an early sign of black mold.
If you see anything like this in your home, its best to mop it up as quickly as possible and clean the area using disinfectants. If you cant access the area, get an inspector to do it for you. Be sure to check other areas as well, since there could be more widespread water damage.
How To Test For Black Mold In Your House
The first step in figuring out if you have mold in your house if it is not visible to the naked eye is by smell. Since mold grows in wet and damp locations, it could be hidden behind a wall, floor or ceiling. A musty, earthy odour will permeate around building materials.
Basements and crawlspaces are places that promote black mold growth, especially if there has been flooding due to heavy rains or snowmelt. If mold issues are not dealt with in these less-trafficked areas, mold can continue to grow and spread, and affect the indoor air quality and the health of you and your family, in your entire house.
Black mold in attics is also a problem for houses that have leaky roofs or are not properly weatherproofed or insulated.
If you discover black mold in your home, it is recommended that you get a mold inspection from a certified professional. If it is present then mold testing can let you know if the black mold in your home is toxic or non-toxic to ensure your safety. Hiring a mold removal company would be the next step.
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Why Choose Hrs Restoration Services
HRS Restoration Services employs the best technicians in the industry. Our trained and certified team is able to assist you, the homeowner, in bringing your home back to its pre-damaged condition in the quickest and safest fashion.
Using the latest technology, we are able to provide water and mold damage restoration in Phoenix and Denver. Our technicians stop water from coming in and identify hidden mold colonies, limiting the chance that mold would return to your home.
Protecting the health and safety of your loved ones is our highest priority and our team is ready to help as soon as you suspect mold is growing in your home.
How To Identify Mold Vs Mildew In Your Home
Mold and mildew are often spoken of together, almost as if they were the same substance. We fear mold and mildew growing below our homes in crawl spaces, under house siding, around the bathroom wall surround, and behind the sink. Excessive, pervasive mold and mildew can hamper a house sale or cause homeowners to move their bedroom elsewhere. Neither mold nor mildew is welcomed in the home, in any form.
Though related, mold and mildew are separate microorganisms that grow differently and must be treated differently. Safely eradicating mold and mildew is crucial to keeping you safe and your home in good shape.
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What Does Black Mold Look Like
When you want to identify positively the signs of the dangerous type of this fungus versus the regular type, you need to know for what characteristics to look. The toxic variety can look dark green or black in color. It may also be gray, depending on where it is growing in your home.
You can also identify it by its odor. The odor is one of the tell tale signs of it that can help you detect its presence. It may smell musty and like mildew where it grows.
Preventing Mold In Your Home
The best way to keep your family safe from black mold is to prevent it from growing. Since mold grows in damp, dark places, you should aim to improve ventilation and reduce humidity in areas that are prone to mold.
In your bathrooms, for example, you can use a shower squeegee to remove excess water from shower walls and bathroom mirrors. You can also install a vent fan or open a window when showering to allow humidity to leave the room. These steps help reduce the moisture in your bathroom and make it more difficult for black mold to grow.
Make searching for black mold or potential growth areas a part of your spring cleaning routine. The sooner you catch a mold growth, the better chance you have to get rid of it before it causes health problems.
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Discoloration Caused By Enzymes
Hardwood species, such oak, maple and beech, are the most commonly susceptible to discolorations caused by natural enzymes. Enzymatic discoloration is caused when the natural enzymes in the wood react, and can cause parts of the wood to take on a gray or brown tone. These are cosmetic changes that dont affect wood packaging strength.
The Truth About Black Toxic Mold
The truth is there really is black mold over 20,000 species in fact. However, Stachybotrys, the toxic black mold of most concern, is not always toxic. The truth is, none of the million-plus mold species are always toxic. Another truth is that mycotoxins, while real, are one of the lesser of the several evils of mold.
We cant say this often enough. The only two things you know for sure when you see black mold is you have mold and that it is black in color. Thats all. Scientifically, there is no mold genera or species that is called black mold or toxic black mold. Of the million-plus species of mold, about 20,000 species are indeed black. Most species appear green, brown, orange, white, or even pink. Stachybotrys, a common type of mold thought to be the most toxic, is actually a greenish-black in color but can be white or a slight pink color depending on the environment it is growing in and the food it eats. Mold of any color can be toxic under the right conditions, so using color as a red flag is a bad idea.
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How Can You Tell Black Mold From Regular Mold
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. In this manner, is all mold that is black black mold?
The only two things you know for sure when you see black mold is you have mold and that it is black in color. That’s all. Scientifically, there is no mold genera or species that is called black mold or toxic black mold. Of the million-plus species of mold, about 20,000 species are indeed black.
Similarly, can black mold kill you? The short answer for most healthy people is no, black mold won’t kill you and is unlikely to make you sick.
Considering this, what does toxic black mold look like?
Black toxic mold is also known as Stachybotrys chartarum and is dark black or sometimes dark green. It is a highly toxic form of mold commonly found in attics. This mold releases mycotoxins which are toxic chemicals that are present in mold spores that get released into the air and can then be inhaled.
How do you know if mold is making you sick?
Symptoms of mold exposure may include headache, sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes and fatigue. In those with asthma, asthma attacks can occur. In those with impaired immune systems, serious infection can occur.
How To Remove Mold
- Wear old clothes and shoes that you can launder or throw away after the cleanup work.
- Wear special N-95 or P-100 respirators, in addition to goggles and gloves.
- Set an old box fan or a cheap new one in a window to ventilate the room while working. Throw it out when you’re done cleaning, because the spores are almost impossible to clean off. Tape plywood or cardboard around the window openings so the spores can’t blow back in.
- Wrap and tape moldy carpeting in 6-mil plastic, and double-bag mold-infested debris in garbage bags for disposal.
- To control airborne spores, moisten moldy areas with a garden sprayer while you work.
- Turn off your furnace and air conditioner and cover ducts and doors to contain spores.
- Keep your wet/dry vacuum outside when you vacuum.
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How Does Black Mold Get Inside A House
Mold spores find their way inside by hitchhiking on clothes, pet fur, and air currents into your home. But spores cant get comfortable without plenty of water. This is why youll usually find black mold around water-damaged areas impacted by plumbing issues like floods or leaky pipes.
Materials like drywall, carpet, or gypsum board can soak up water, creating a perfect home for a black mold colony. If you find water damage at home, its crucial to remove all the affected materials to prevent mold from growing.
