Decision Time: Save Or Scrap
There are times when removing moldy drywall is safer, more effective, and less time consuming than cleaning it. If your drywall surface is soft to the touch, the moisture and the mold have taken their toll on its structural integrity. In this case, its better to remove the drywall, kill the mold on the framing underneath, allow it to dry, and start fresh.
How To Use Air Scrubber For Mold
When it comes to using an air scrubber inside of your home for mold remediation and removal there will be an array of things to do in conjunction to with the use of an air scrubber to eradicate the indoor environment of a home from mold/mold spores. Firstly, mold is usually brought into an indoor space because of moisture intrusions that allow for the ideal conditions for mold to grow in this area. Moisture can come from an array of sources such as leaking pipes, poor ventilation, and even floods that may have occurred in the home space. Therefore, it is important to locate these sources of moisture and fix them so that the moisture is no longer present in this environment.
Secondly, you will need equipment to help with the halting of this moisture problem this will include the use of an air scrubber that can extract and clean the wet areas in a home that have promoted the development of mold. Lastly, the mold will need to be cleaned up and eradicated from the surfaces or areas in which it has tainted a home, and this is usually completed by a mold remediation specialist who is trained and proficient in safe mold removal indoors.
Best Type Of Air Purifiers For Killing Mold
While most air purifiers have been proven to be effective at removing mold, the most effective are those with a HEPA filter. HEPA filters are able to capture 99% 99.97% of tiny particles, depending on the type, and can capture almost 100% of all larger particles. HEPA filters are able to capture particles as small as 0.3 microns. Because most mold spores are between 1-20 microns, the HEPA filters are able to accurately filter mold spores from the air.
AirPurifiers.com recommends combating mold with mold-reducing Silver Ion filters that capture up to 99% of mold spores from your indoor air. These effective HEPA filters include silver threads that are woven into the HEPA material. This protects the filter from harmful bacteria and mold growth, while helping control the spread of mold. Rid your home of fungi and the breathing problems it causes by finding the best air purifier for mold.
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Boost Your Immune System
Some mold spores can produce mycotoxins, which is dangerous if it enters your body, so one way to combat these substances once its found its way into your systems is to take probiotics.
These will help to boost your immune system to speed up the detoxification of harmful substances.
You can usually find probiotics in fermented food, like miso, kimchi, cheese, and even pickles! Of course, yoghurt is a go-to for people who need probiotics.
How Can I Reduce My Exposure To The Mold While Cleaning It Up
During the cleanup of mold, many spores may be released into the air. To prevent health effects, there are several ways you can protect yourself while cleaning up the mold.
- Anyone with a chronic illness, such as asthma or emphysema, or who are immune comprised, should not do the cleanup.
- Do not allow bystanders to be present when you are doing the cleanup.
- Wear rubber gloves and clothing that can be easily cleaned or discarded.
- To prevent eye irritation, wear goggles that do not have ventilation holes.
- Wear an N95 or HEPA respirator mask purchased from a hardware store to reduce the mold spores you breathe in.
- Tightly cover the air return vent if there is one in the affected area.
- Turn on an exhaust fan or place a fan in a window to blow air out of the affected room to the outside .
- Open windows in your house during and after the cleanup.
- Work over short time spans and take breaks in a fresh air location.
- Double bag materials before you remove them from the contaminated area.
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Stop The Mold Growing
Even with good air purification there will still be 5-20% of the mold products in the air and so there is a need to stop the mold growing and also to remove it.
The best way to stop mold growing is to deprive it of water. This can be done by reducing the relative humidity below 80%. The quickest way to do this is to use a dehumidifier. So you may wish to buy one to keep the humidity in the area with mold at 30-50%, this should stop the growth of mold.
Do Air Purifiers Eliminate Mold
Mold, the disgusting microscopic fungi that invades your home and exposes you and your family to severe health risks. Although mold comprises the blue of bleu cheese, it is neither tasty nor inviting when its invading your home. Now more than ever, those that suffer from allergies and asthma, and even those who arent allergic to mold, are looking for a solution to their mold troubles. Which brings us to a very common question, do air purifiers help with mold?
Inside of the home, molds like Alternaria, Aspergillus Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium and Stachybotrys grow frequently in places that are warm, damp, and dark. However, mold itself does not trigger allergic or asthmatic reactions. Instead, the microscopic mold spores that float around in the air cause coughing, wheezing, stuffy and runny noses in those who are allergic. These awful mold spores make indoor and outdoor air quality unbearable for some. As tiny mold spores float in the air and evade the protective mechanisms of your respiratory system, youll find comfort in the fact that there are effective ways to reduce and eliminate mold in your home.
Most air purifiers combat the multiplying presence of mold in your home by using a very powerful weapon: a HEPA air filter. HEPA filters excel at trapping microscopic particles from the air. True or absolute HEPA filters must meet strict standards of efficiency and must capture a minimum of 99.97% of pollutants down to 0.3 microns in size.
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The Harmful Effects Of Mold
Mold is something that most people are familiar with to some extent, even if it is just the knowledge that it is in some way bad. By definition, mold is a fungus that can be found both indoors and outdoors, in residential areas and in commercial ones. It feeds on organic, decomposing matter and thrives in areas that are dark, damp, and humid. Often, when there is indoor mold, there is also a musty and unpleasant odor that accompanies it and alerts people to its presence. Mold spreads courtesy of spores that, when disturbed, float in the air and can survive conditions that mold itself generally cannot. Indoors, mold is one of the allergens that affect indoor air quality as well as people who are sensitive to it. When people purchase one of our indoor air filters, they have the tools that they need to combat mold. Here at Air Oasis, we produce air purifiers that help to cleanse and sanitize both the air and surfaces. Our air purifiers are an effective and proven way to make any area healthier by ridding it of mold and mold spores.
Mistakes To Avoid While Mold Cleanup
When doing mold remediation on your own, make sure to avoid the following mistakes:
- Choosing the wrong mold cleaner. Again, bleach is not what kills mold. Cleaning mold with bleach is not going to help. The best way to clean mold is by using natural products like the ones mentioned above.
- Not addressing cross-contamination. Heres one important thing you should know. Once you start scrubbing off the mold from the surface, some of the spores will become airborne. This means that your entire home can be exposed to mold infestation. Thus, it is essential to containing the area. Dispose of all the cleaning materials and clothing you used to prevent cross-contamination.
- Not eliminating the moisture source. No matter how hard you clean the parts of your home infested by mold, it will just keep coming back until you address the moisture problems. After the cleanup, speak with a mold remediation professional to determine the causes of water problems or leaks in your house.
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Get The Right Cleaning Products
First things first prepare what you need. Basically, you need a reliable product in cleaning mold. Many household owners think that bleach is an effective mold treatment. But contrary to the popular view, it isnt. Bleach is a strong chemical which can harm your health. Also, it does not get rid of the mold. It only changes its color from black to white or grey. After a few weeks of bleaching, there is still a big possibility that the mold will come back.
A DIY mold remediation product that mold specialists usually recommend is borax a white powder which you can purchase from the grocery, at the detergent or laundry section. To clean mold using borax, mix the powder in one gallon of hot water. Apply the solution on the surface affected by mold and scrub the area with a rug or brush until the mold disappears. Theres no need to rinse it off because borax will keep the mold from coming back. However, do not use this cleaner on porous surfaces like drywall. Such materials absorb water easily. This could aggravate the problem because as you know mold loves moist environments.
Some other safe yet effective products you can use to kill mold are baking soda, vinegar, Tea tree oil, hydrogen peroxide, and detergent. If youre using vinegar, simply put it in a spray bottle. No need to add water. Spray the vinegar on the surface and leave it for an hour.
Is Vinegar More Effective Than Bleach
Vinegar truly is better than bleach at killing mold. The EPA does not recommend using bleach to kill or remove mold, except in special circumstances. In most cases, a background level of mold spores will remain after the application of bleach.
Bleach only kills surface mold, not the membrane underneath, according to ServiceMaster. That means the mold will grow back. In fact, recognizing the bleach as a threat, the mold will grow back even stronger. When bleach is used on porous surfaces like drywall or wood, mold membranes will move deeper into the surface to avoid the chemical.
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How To Remove Mold From Air Conditioner
We dont recommend that homeowners attempt to clean a central air unit or ventilation . If, on an inspection of a small self-contained unit, you have decided to tackle it yourself, heres what youll need to do:
If youre intimidated by the above work, remember: hiring a mold removal expert is always a safe and sure-fire way of getting mold eradicated.
How Do Mold Spores Travel In Air
As aforesaid, mold spores are very tiny and lightweight. Their size ranges between three and 30 microns, half the estimated width for a hair strand.
Their characteristic nature enables the spores to float in the air undetected until they are disturbed and settle on a surface.
Mold spores can enter a home through open doors, windows, HVAC systems, or roofs and attach themselves to furniture, shoes, walls, appliances, floors, or even the carpet and begin to multiply. Because these surfaces often provide food for the mold to grow.
Mold can settle on a persons skin, shopping bag, clothing, or shoes outside the house, bringing mold spores into the home.
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Can Mold Cause Health Problems
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens , irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances . Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash .
Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.
This provides a brief overview it does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional. You may also wish to consult your state or local health department.
How To Remove Mold And Mildew From Your Indoor Air
When you witness signs of molds in your house, remember that mold can be of different types. According to the intensity and impact, the molds are classified by allergenic molds, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Alternaria molds.
- Allergenic molds can provoke allergies and asthma.
- Aspergillus molds are grown from dust during damp and gloomy weather.
- Penicillium molds are often found in wallpaper, old clothes, and carpet.
- Cladosporium usually grows on wood, textiles, and materials that are prone to damp.
- Alternaria molds can be found on food, paper, cables, cardboard and organic materials.
If you are witnessing any of the types of mold, you should initiate the following measures to improve your indoor air quality.
Ventilation
The first and foremost measure to eradicate the fungus attack is ventilation. The air needs to pass outside to remove the indoor moisture.
The continuous movement of air ensures the home is dry, thus the windows, floors, and ceilings have the less propensity to get affected by the mold.
Use a Dehumidifier
If you do not waste your time following routine work to remove indoor moisture, you can invest in a dehumidifier. I would say it could be a necessity if the mold problem is huge in your home.
A dehumidifier can prevent growth and spread of the mold. However, the device does not kill the molds. Therefore, you need to make sure the existing molds are cleaned properly.
Repair Water Leaks
Get a HEPA Air purifier
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Gear Up For Protection And Observe Safety Precautions
More than anything else, when you are dealing with mold, it is important that you protect yourself from its harmful effects. A thin mask will not help. You will need to wear clothes that you can immediately wash or better yet, you can just get rid of after using them. Remember that the mold odor can be strong especially if the mold is thick and clustered. You dont want to be smelling that, right?
Mold can stick on your clothes and may spread to your other clothes if you wash them together with other clothes in the washing machine. So instead of washing it, wear clothes that you can throw away after you soil them. You will need to wear goggles and gloves. You need to protect your eyes from these particles. It is dangerous for them to reach your eyes and not wearing protective gloves when cleaning might allow mold to stick to other parts of your body. May we suggest you do not eat if you have not showered after general black mold remediation.
Do not remove this in the process of cleaning. Turn off your furnace and air-conditioner when you are dealing with molds. We dont want those spores spreading all over the room or even the house and causing some breathing and respiratory problems. You can also seal the door gaps to prevent any particles from spreading to the other room. Prepare your bleach, brushes, rags, gloves, disinfectants and everything you need for the cleaning process.
Air Purifiers Eliminate Mold Spores But
While air purifiers eliminate mold spores, they do not tackle the underlying problems that may cause the growth of mold in your home. Though mold spores freely float about nearly everywhere you go, actively growing colonies of mold will not only dramatically increase the mold spore count found in the air, but they can also produce highly toxic byproducts called mycotoxins. You dont have to have allergies or asthma to suffer from the severe side effects that come from the exposure to mycotoxins.
To ensure that your home remains mold-free, use hygrometers and humidity gauges to monitor and manage the humidity levels in your home. Mold loves humidity and thrives in areas that are damp and dark. After testing your homes humidity levels, use a dehumidifier to lower the humidity level and to keep the humidity level in a range that is inhospitable to mold growth, 40-50%. Place HEPA air purifiers in problem areas to remove airborne particles, and clean up any mold that you may find.
Mold air purifiers offer the perfect solution to filter out the majority of mold spores that are found in indoor air, and while its a continual task, keeping the number of mold spores in your home low is key to controlling allergic reactions to them.
For more in-depth information about mold, cleaning/preventing mold, the health effects of mold, or air filtration, visit any one of these resources.
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