Testing For Black Mold
You can have your mold tested to find out exactly what kind it is. Cost varies, but you can expect to pay hundreds of dollars to determine the type of mold.
There are also black mold testing kits, available at the hardware store or on , that you can purchase for around $35-50. With this DIY route, you take samples from a suspected affected surface, then send off to be tested in a lab.
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 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.
Is Your House A Victim Of Black Mold
Houses that have been flooded or have poor roofing are very prone to black mold, especially when thesehouse issuesdont get resolved right away. So, you might notice the musty odor of black mold if your house has a history of flooding or roof leaks.
Even if your home hasnt suffered any water damage, you may still have black mold growth hiding in your home. Black mold odors might lead you to dark, moist places of a house where mold commonly grows. This includes areas such as inside attics, cabinets, bathrooms, and other enclosed places.
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Getting Rid Of Black Mold In Any Room
Unless the mold is very extreme and prevalent, it should not be necessary to call in professionals.Affordable mold testing kits are available to test the home and urine sample tests can be done by laboratories if you are worried you may have been exposed to unhealthy amounts of mold spores.
Conventionally, mold in the home can be treated using a bleach solution. But why use harmful chemicals when there is a gentler, more natural way? like this DIY Tea Tree Mold Spray If items like carpets, clothing or shelving, that is porous, are infested, you may have to toss them out.
Via : helloglow.co
Warning Signs You Have A Mold Problem
- Date: 05-2017
Molds are types of fungi that may grow indoors or outdoors, usually in damp, warm, and humid environments. The most common types of household molds might be found around bathrooms, basements, drywall, ceiling tiles, carpet, wallpaper, under sinks, and around plumbing pipes.
Mold in the home can pose serious health risks, but unfortunately many dont realize they have a mold problem because they dont know what to look for. Here you will read a little about mold warning signs, first as it relates to your health, and secondly as it relates to the structure and history of your home.
Mold Warning Signs: Allergies and Other Health Issues
When someone has mold in their home, they usually show allergy-related symptoms. If youre not sure whether your allergy-like symptoms are caused by mold in your home, then consider this question: do your symptoms get better once you go outdoors or leave your home? If so, then there is good chance that mold is the culprit.
Symptoms of mold allergies include:
- Coughing
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Irritated, itchy skin
Some forms of household mold are toxic, causing serious, life-threatening illness. These highly-dangerous molds might cause symptoms such as bleeding, internal organ damage, mental impairment, cancer, and even death.
Mold Warning Signs in Your Home
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Find The Moisture Source
Black mold removal is important. But first, one must identify that it is black mold. First, look at the color, followed by the smell. Black mold is black or even dark grey in color, and often smells wet and musty, as it usually grows in areas with a lot of moisture. Black mold is also usually noticeable in the home if you experience a burning or scratching sensation in your throat or lungs. Black mold is dangerous, and can greatly affect your health if left untreated, so it’s important to remove it as soon as you’re aware of it.
Before you can begin any black mold treatment, youll need to perform a black mold test and find the source. Its often the result of excess moisture in a particular area. Youre most likely to find black mold in areas of your home that you dont visit as often like the basement, but it can pop up anywhere. Here are a few common moisture sources to look for:
- Faucets and fixtures. Sink, shower and bathtub faucets and fixtures that are leaking can lead to the growth of black mold over time.
- Exposed plumbing. Damaged or leaking pipes, especially in warmer temperatures, can often create black mold in areas like basements.
- Water heaters. A small leak can create black mold in your basement or water heater closet.
Is All Mold That Is Black Dangerous
It is important to remember that black molds are hazardous. Thus, you should tiptoe your cleanup around it or else you might get unwanted bodily reactions. However, the question of whether all black mold is dangerous or not still stands.
The color and toxicity of a black mold goes separately. This means that not all molds that appear in black are fatal.
Similarly, not all deadly molds merely appear in black. White mold usually looks like a white powdery residue, and its health issues are dependent on the individual.
Thus, before you deal with this mold with your scrub brush and cleaning agent, there are differences you should remember. Through this, you know which mold you should protect yourself from and which one does not really need much caution.
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Can Black Mold Look Like Dirt
Black mold may not have a strong odor when it begins to grow. As it matures, black mold smells like soil or strong soil like rotten leaves.
Given this, how can you tell if there is black mold or dirt? One way to distinguish between the two is odor. Mold smells obviously unpleasant and musty, like rotten wood, wet socks, or sticky paper. Dust smells like a dryer. Its more earthy like soil. If you put a few drops of bleach on a dark patch and the area brightens after a few minutes, its mold.
What mold looks like dirt in this regard? Signs of black mold A musty, earthy odor like soil or rotten leaves is a clear sign of the presence of mold. Stachybotrys have a particularly strong odor.
How do you further identify black mold? Black mold, as the name implies, is often dark in color. When looking for black mold, look for circular spots of black, dark green, or dark brown. Some black molds may also have an orange tint or white spots in them. In most cases, black mold has a slightly furry appearance.
Similarly, what does a harmless black mold look like? Black mold can be gray or green. Like most molds, black molds begin to grow as blurry white fibers that look like cotton balls. However, this small and light mold is often hidden in the home environment and is not commonly seen outside the laboratory environment.
What Are Black Mold Health Symptoms
We all know mold isnt welcomed in the home, but did you know too that breathing in the presence of mold can harm your health? There are over 2,000 different species of mold and the most dangerous of all is called Stachybotrys Chartarum, also known as black mold or the invisible killer.
Why is black mold so dangerous? Black mold releases toxic spores that linger in the air and attack your respiratory health. The potency of these toxic spores has proved to be the most detrimental to human health.
Black mold often appears as slimy and greenish-black. If its water source runs out, it can also appear as dry and powdery. Black mold is also dangerous because its sometimes difficult to distinguish from other species of mold.
The following are health symptoms associated with black mold exposure:
- Eye irritation
In severe cases, symptoms caused by inhaling black mold can lead to the following health troubles:
- Vomiting
- Asthma
- Respiratory complications
Sometimes mold invades spaces that are hard to see and reach. It spreads fast, burrowing into walls and ceilings and hiding in cupboards and under carpets. Quite often, people are exposed to black mold without even knowing it. If you or anyone in your home is experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms without knowing why, you may be exposed to mold.
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What Happens When You Breathe In Mold
Tiny mold spores are always floating through the air at any given time, looking for any warm, moist area to land and colonize. When you breathe these spores in, they dont typically last long inside your body. They may stick to the sensitive linings of your nose, mouth, throat or eyes and cause discomfort, but your immune system can typically flush them out. This is why you may begin to cough, sneeze, develop a rash or experience watery eyes or a runny nose after prolonged mold exposure these are all methods your body uses to expel foreign irritants.
In some rare cases, however, mold spores may be able to reach your lungs through the trachea and colonize. Typically, people with compromised lungs or who have had recent lung surgeries are the highest risk group for this to happen, as there is extra room inside their lungs for the mold to grow. That being said, mold growth in the lungs can typically be treated through oral medications. In some severe cases, surgical removal may be required, but this isnt always necessary.
Is Black Mold Dangerous
The short answer isnot really. But that doesnt mean you should keep black mold as a pet.
Everyone has different levels of tolerance to allergens like mold spores, but thats all black mold isan allergen.1 Those with asthma, respiratory allergies, or immune suppression will feel the effects of black molds mycotoxins more than most folks.
As one source put it, Previous reports of toxic mold syndrome or toxic black mold have been shown to be no more than media hype and mass hysteria. 2
But whether you feel black mold symptoms or not, its best to get rid of black mold as soon as you find it.
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You Live In A Wet Environment
How to identify black mold on wood. Drywall is one of black molds favorite surfaces on which to grow. To identify black mold, look for mold that’s black with a wet, slimy texture or a light, fuzzy texture. Thus, when looking for black mold, check for areas with a high concentration of moisture and dark greenish colors spreading to other areas.
Leaking water pipe and plumbing. As you get closer to the mold, you should also detect a strong mildew or musty smell. This pattern maps the points of contact of the wall insulation kraft paper with the drywall surface, and the movement of moisture and spreading mold growth on the wall surface.
The term toxic black mold is not a scientific term and was created by the media. Wood is up to 50% cellulose, so any kind of soggy wood in a bathroom or. The easiest way to identify black mold is when you can visibly see it growing on a porous surface.
But not all kits are the same. Begin searching for patches of mold on walls. Look into areas which are exposed to large amounts of moisture, such as the basement, the subfloor, the bathroom, cabinet interiors, etc.
It grows in dark, unventilated areas on floors, walls and ceilings, and it can also grow inside drywall, on wood framing and in other places where you can’t see it. black mold is toxic, and prolonged exposure can have serious health. As you get closer to the mold, you should also detect a strong mildew or musty smell.
How To Identify Black Mold Top 3 Indications You May
How To Prevent Black Mold From Growing
It hides in plain sight. Mold loves damp, humid conditions. It will thrive and multiply at a tremendous rate in perfect conditions. But when those conditions change the spores can stay dormant in arid conditions, for very long periods. This is when you may not know the mold is present. As soon as damp returns you will be able to see exactly where the mold is.
Start by inspecting your home. Look in the kitchen around the sink area, where the tiles meet the sink. Mold loves to grow under the silicone that seals the cracks between wall and sink. Over time water gets trapped behind the silicone and mold will appear.
Look in all your cupboards, in the dark corners, both bottom, and top. If a room is not well ventilated and the climate is humid, no doubt, mold will be growing.
Air ducts of aircon systems gather moisture and condensation, perfect breeding grounds for mold. Surfaces with a high cellulose content are also favored by mold colonies.
Check the bathrooms, around the sink and bath and in the shower. Check for mold and check for damp.
Prevention is always better than cure so if you find damp areas, a leaking tap or an outlet pipe, on the outside of the house, sort it out fast.
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How Do I Know If My Cough Is From Mold
Coughing. Another one of the most immediate symptoms of a mold allergy is a dry and scratchy throat, prompting a nagging cough. In some cases, mold can cause heavier coughs as well. Mucus and histamine production can lead to persistent coughing as your body tries to clear the throat of mucus buildup.
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Can Black Mold Spores Travel In The Air
Yes. Mold spores are airborne and can attach themselves to peoples skin, clothing, shoes, shopping bags, furniture, carpets, and even pets. Once spores enter your home, they can settle onto any surface and start to multiply. They can also enter your house through open doorways, open windows, and HVAC systems.
Mold spores are microscopic and are virtually found everywhere. They are naturally found in the air we breathe, both indoors and outdoors. Since spores are tiny and lightweight, they become airborne easily, every time we vacuum or walk on the carpets or even sit on our couch.
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Direct Water Away From Your House
Take note that black mold prevention isnt just an indoor task. You should also control moisture sources outdoors, especially your downspouts.
Make sure that your drains and downspouts are pointed away from your homes foundation. This way, the moisture wont get into your basement and allow black mold to form. You should also fix your landscaping to ensure that water isnt getting trapped in certain spots.
Can Mold Trigger Illness
Mold and mildews are generally not a trouble inside or unless mold spores land on a wet or damp area as well as start expanding with touching or breathing in mold or mold spores could induce sensitive responses in delicate people of mold and mildews could likewise create bronchial asthma assaults in individuals with bronchial asthma that are sensitive to mold How Do You Know If You Have Black Mold.
Mold and mildews slowly damage the many things they expand on. You could avoid harm to your home as well as home furnishings and conserve cash that as well as stay clear of possible illness by regulating wetness as well as removing mold development how do you know if you have black mold poisoning.
For even more in-depth details get in touch with a health expert. You could additionally desire to consult your state or neighborhood health division.
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How Did I Get Mold
Like any other living thing, mold needs food and water to thrive. Mold problems start when a mold spore thats floating in the air lands on a wet piece of organic material , takes root and starts to multiply. Mold spores are everywhere in the air, including in the cleanest of homes.
In fact, every breath you take likely has some mold spores in it at low levels! In the home, mold usually grows wherever there is dampness and moisture, like basements, attics, kitchens and bathrooms, or areas that have experienced flooding.
With over 100,000 species, mold comes in about any size, shape, and color you can think of, making it impossible to tell what type of mold you have without testing by a certified mold inspection professional.
What Does Toxic Black Mold Look Like
Dealing with mold in your home can be a major struggle by the time youve actually seen it, theres a good chance its already been growing for a while and the outbreak might be bigger than you think. There are many different kinds of mold that can develop in your home, and most of them are stubborn and can be hard to get rid of. However, one group stands out over the rest: toxic mold.
Theres a lot of false information surrounding toxic mold, what it is and how it can affect you. Some people may think all molds are toxic, while others may not know the difference between toxic and non-toxic mold. There are actually several different classes of mold and ways to identify them. Whats more, even most toxic molds arent lethal to people with healthy immune systems. That being said, many molds can cause uncomfortable symptoms for anyone exposed to them long enough, which is one reason why its important to address an outbreak in your home once youve discovered it.
So where do you start? Once youve spotted mold growing in your home, your next question is probably how can you tell what type of mold it is and how do you know if its toxic. Then, of course, you have to figure out what to do about it. If youre worried about identifying and handling your mold outbreak, this quick guide can help you figure out what youre dealing with.
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