Refrain From Installing Carpet In Areas Prone To Moisture
Theres a reason most kitchens and bathrooms have tile or vinyl floors. Carpet attracts moisture. When its put in areas prone to a lot of moisture, its more likely to soak up the moisture and grow mold. If you live in an older home and it came with carpet in these areas, consider having it removed in favor of tile or vinyl flooring both of which are non-porous and wont soak up moisture.
Do I Need Professional Testing
In short, usually not! Because, remember the saying: no mold, no matter what color, belongs in a healthy home. And that is good news because a professional mold inspection with testing can run anywhere from $300-$750. In most cases where mold is clearly visible, knowing exactly what type of mold you have is unnecessary. We advise most of our clients to forgo the inspection process and just apply that money saved to the cost of fixing the problem. The EPA agrees that mold testing isnt necessary in most cases.
There are exceptions, however, such as when a mold inspection with testing is required as part of a real estate sale or if you require proof that a mold problem is present, such as for a legal dispute. If you think you may have a mold problem, but arent sure, then we recommend formal testing from a professional. And if you require clearance testing to verify an all clear after a mold problem is fixed, then professional mold testing is necessary.
A Qualified Environmental Lab Took Samples Of The Mold In My Home And Gave Me The Results Can Cdc Interpret These Results
Standards for judging what is an acceptable, tolerable or normal quantity of mold have not been established. Sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth. If you do decide to pay for environmental sampling for molds, before the work starts, you should ask the consultants who will do the work to establish criteria for interpreting the test results. They should tell you in advance what they will do or what recommendations they will make based on the sampling results. The results of samples taken in your unique situation cannot be interpreted without physical inspection of the contaminated area or without considering the buildings characteristics and the factors that led to the present condition.
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How Do Doctors Test For Mold Exposure
If you are aware of mold growth in your home and you feel sick let the doctor know that right away. But sometimes you cant see mold, and it is not clear whether its mold exposure thats made you sick or not.
Because mold allergy or mold exposure symptoms can resemble that of other allergies, the doctor will typically start by asking about your medical and family medical history. Additionally, doctors usually run tests for mold exposure which may include one or more of the following:
- Skin test for reactions to allergens, including mold
- IgG mold antibodies test to see the immune systems reaction to molds. A positive test means that an individual was or is currently exposed to mold
- Urine mycotoxins test
- A fungal culture of the nose sinuses
The type of testing youll receive depends on the doctor you visit, so be sure to ask questions ahead of time so you can feel confident in your diagnosis.
Hi The Attached Image Is Of A Growth On An Interior Hallway Wall Next To A Doorway It Has Been There For A While And The Last Time I Redecorated About 6 Months Ago I Chipped Out This Corner Refilled It And Decorated However It Is Back It Doesn’t Smell And This Is The Only Place In The House That It Exists The House Has Suffered From Condensation In The Past But Since I Installed A Piv Unit We Get No Condensation Any More Any Idea What This May Be Thank You
This is a bit strange. It certainly looks like distortion caused by a water intrusion. Condensation would not occur on an interior wall. Therefore the water must be coming from a liquid source I recommend renting or borrowing a moisture meter to verify the presence of water and trace the pathway to the source. If there is a bathroom above this area, check around the toilet and shower with a moisture meter. If its the top floor, check the attic for a roof leak.
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How To Remove White Mold
While some types of mold and mildew are easy to remove with household products like vinegar, white mold is much more difficult to remove on your own. It may have penetrated deep below the surface of the contaminated material or it may be growing in places you arent even aware of.
Furthermore, do-it-yourself mold removal always puts you at risk of spreading the contamination and exposing yourself to toxic mold, which can lead to serious health effects. Furthermore, most people do not possess the equipment or know-how to remove toxic mold safely and effectively.
Whatever you do, dont let mold grow in your house for a long time. Contact a certified mold removal expert to explore all remediation strategies and help you pick the one thats best for you.
Due to its changing appearance and tendency to grow in areas of high moisture , white mold is not the easiest to recognize unless you are a trained and experienced mold professional. Furthermore, properly identifying white mold is only part of the problem. The other part includes finding the moisture problem thats causing the mold growth and cleaning up the contamination effectively. For this, it is always better to rely on a reputable mold remediation company.
Mold Is Bad For Your Health
Mold can cause detrimental effects on human health, especially for children or people with pre-existing health conditions.
Asthma is the most common health issue associated with long-term indoor mold exposure. Adults who live in moldy homes are up to 50 percent more likely to develop asthma. Children are even more likely to develop health issues like asthma and rhinitis.
Mold exposure has also been associated with other upper respiratory infections, with symptoms that can range from sinus infections to sore throats. Mold can cause infections of the lower respiratory system as well. This often leads to shortness of breath, wheezing, or even whooping cough.
As if this all werent enough, mold can also trigger allergies. Sometimes mold-related allergies can develop into more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
If someone in your home has a weakened immune system, they will be more susceptible to develop mold-related infections. These infections are dangerous to immuno-compromised people and can lead to long-term illnesses and, in some cases, death.
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What Are Signs Of Mold In Your House
Homes are supposed to shield us from the harmful things outside like water, wind, and extreme temperatures. Sometimes, however, our houses fail to provide the necessary shelter and moisture enters our house and allows mold to grow.
If there is adequate moisture mold can grow in our bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and attics. Mold can also grow undetected inside of our walls.
As someone who grew up with allergies, Im vigilant about monitoring moisture inside my home. I have felt the effects of mold allergy symptoms and suffered for a long time.
In addition to health problems, mold can cause structural damage and damage to furniture inside a house.
In todays article, Ill share 13 important signs of mold in your house. Growing up I remember seeing mold in my bathroom and near windows. At the time I didnt realize it but the fungus was affecting the quality of my life.
My Father Passed Away Recently There Are Several Antique Pieces In His 70 Year Old Home That I Would Prefer To Keep If I Remove The Mold With Clr Mold And Mildew Remover Is It Safe To Bring Them Into My 20 Year Old House That Is Not Experiencing Any Mold Issues
Yes, if you thoroughly remove the mold spores, there should be no danger in bringing the items into your home. After cleaning, you might see residual staining on the items. Staining is much more likely to occur with black mold vs. white mold. This is not active growth and poses no health threat.
If the items are non-porous, such as wood, plastic, etc. the cleaning should be fairly straightforward. Heavy scrubbing is not needed. Simply damp wipe the items with a cleaning agent. If the items are soft/porous, such as upholstered furniture, removing all the spores can be difficult. I would recommend a professional for the soft/porous items.
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What Is White Mold
White resembles many other molds and thrives in wet or musty environments. Many homeowners dont realize that they have a white mold problem because of its colour, which makes it difficult to detect. It can grow on plants, fabric, food and other organic materials like drywall, wood and carpeting. This makes it a threat not only to your health, but to the structural safety of your home.
Mold Inspections Identify Potential Future Issues
Moist environments breed mold growth and this is often caused in homes because of condensation. Condensation occurs when theres a major difference in temperature between indoors and outdoors. Mold thrives in moist environments where condensation is present, like around windows, doors, or walls with poor insulation.
So, if mold is identified during the inspection, it could be a sign of structural issues that need to be addressed. This could be as simple as re-sealing entry points but it could also require more intense renovations.
Identifying points of condensation before putting any money down gives you the chance to ask the owners to correct the issue before you purchase the home.
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I Found Mold Growing In My Home How Do I Test The Mold
If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you cannot rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk.
How Does Mold Grow
Just like any other living being, mold needs water to grow. As a matter of fact, without water, mold cannot grow at all. Other factors that are crucial for mold growth are food source, oxygen and temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does that mean that by removing the main mold growth factors, we can eliminate mold once and for all?
Sadly, the answer is no. It is almost impossible to keep a place mold-free mainly because you cannot eliminate oxygen from a place and actually stay at that place, nor can you build a house without any organic materials such as wood, carpet, plants, etc.
What you can is focus on:
If you want to ensure a healthy living environment, its important to know the common causes of mold and repair them sooner rather than later. And when in doubt, contact the mold experts at Mold Busters.
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Mold And Mildew Health Concerns
The health of both humans and pets may be affected by the presence of mold and mildew in the home. While some people may not be affected at all, others who are especially sensitive may experience symptoms such as itchy eyes, wheezing, or a runny nose. People with asthma or allergies will feel the most severe reactions to mold and mildew.
Top Tips For Controlling Mold
It’s impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores in your home, but because mold spores can’t grow without moisture, reducing moisture in your home is the best way to prevent or eliminate mold growth. If there is already mold growing in your home, it’s important to clean up the mold and fix the problem causing dampness. If you clean up the mold but don’t fix the problem, the mold will most likely return.
Following is some advice for reducing moisture throughout the home with specific tips for the areas most prone to dampness and mold growth:
Around the house:
In the kitchen:
- Use exhaust fans to move moisture outside whenever you are cooking, washing dishes, or cleaning.
- Turn off certain appliances if you notice moisture on windows and other surfaces.
- Check for leaks around the kitchen sink, refrigerator ice makers, and other sources of water. Repair if necessary.
- Empty and clean refrigerator drip pans if necessary.
In basements and crawl spaces:
In the laundry room:
- Vent your clothes dryer to the outside.
- Make sure the vent is clear of obstructions, such as lint, and that there are no holes that leak air. If the vent duct is damaged, replace it with a metal duct. Have the duct cleaned at least once a year.
- Avoid leaving damp clothes in the laundry basket or dryer. Wash and dry them promptly.
In bathrooms:
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Health Effects Of Mold
The presence of mold spores in an indoor environment is a big concern given that mold exposure has been linked to disease in plants, animals and humans.
No two reactions to mold will be the same. Both the extent of exposure and your level of sensitivity influence how you react.
Its important to know the health effects and symptoms of mold exposure so that they are neither ignored nor mistaken for another ailment.
What Does Mold Look Like In A House
What does mold look like in a house? In recent years, the topic of mold seems to be on everyones mind. This is because many more people have become aware of the health hazards that many molds represent. Of course, its also important to note that not all molds are dangerous. Despite this fact, its important to understand what mold looks like and what dangers it poses to both human and animal health.
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White Mold In Crawl Spaces
Crawl spaces are typically very tight spaces that are difficult to dry once moisture makes its way inside. Several reasons why mold tends to grow in crawl spaces are leaking pipes and plumbing, high humidity due to poor ventilation, and foundation cracks that allow water and moisture to enter. For all these reasons, many people question the practicality and necessity of crawl spaces.
Removing Penicillium From Your Home
Any type of mold needs to be removed from your home as soon as possible. Some people are more susceptible to mold-related illness than others, including infants, elderly people, those with respiratory disorders like asthma or emphysema, and those with poorly-functioning immune systems, whether that is due to an illness such as HIV or AIDS or as a result of medical treatment like chemotherapy or an organ transplant. However, previously healthy children, adolescents and adults can become ill as a result of exposure to mold in the home. Even pets can become ill. To protect your health and the health of your family, it is important to have the mold removed from your home as soon as you can.
It is important to avoid further exposing yourself to potentially harmful mold spores and mycotoxins when removing mold from your home. If you decide to tackle the job yourself, make sure you use the appropriate safety gear to protect yourself, including an N-95 or N-99 respiratory mask. You can read more about personal protective equipment for mold removal.
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What Does Mold Look Like On Or In A Building
Be sure to see our full article: MOLD APPEARANCE – WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE that has photographs and descriptions of what real mold looks like inside a building.
But be careful, some of the most problematic common indoor molds, the Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium group can be very light in color and hard to see on building surfaces.
We offer tips on how to look for mold for these hard-to-see molds too:
If you need to see what other indoor allergens look like in a building contact us .
How To Know If You Have Black Mold In Your House
Mold isnt always visible. If you can see mold, its only a sign of the real potential health risk, which is the harmful types of unhealthy levels of mold in the air of your home or workplace.
Airborne mold is all around us in both the outdoors and indoors. The types and amount of mold is what determines the potential health risk. Most of us are typically accustomed to the varieties and amounts of mold present in our outdoor environments.
Healthy indoor environments will have mold conditions similar to or better than those in the surrounding outdoors. Over time, because of moisture , many indoor spaces develop unhealthy types and/or unhealthy levels of airborne mold that can be harmful to you or your pets.
These signs will help you know if you possibly have unhealthy mold conditions in your house:
- Allergic symptoms
- A damp or musty odor in one or more places
- Frequent headaches
- The air in the home feels different
- Your house has been flooded or currently has leaks
- You previously tried removing mold yourself
Take note of how you feel in and out of the house. If the symptoms disappear or decrease when youre out and about, then you might have a mold problem, yes, even if you cant see mold.
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