If Not To Kill Mold When Should I Use Mold Resistant Paint
Mold resistant paint is designed to work in rooms with extra moisture in the air. The kitchen, the bathroom, moist closets, the basement, the attic, and all rooms that have had mold problems before. As we said, the fact that mold resistant paint doesnt kill the mold, doesnt mean that it doesnt work killing mold is just not what it is made for. You can good mold resistant paints from any reputable home improvement store. These paints may not be a guarantee that mold wont spread in the future, but they certainly help a lot.
Before painting over the surface with a mold resistant paint, make sure that the surface is as clean as possible, that all the mold is either removed or covered with a mold sealant, and that the surface is as dry as possible. One of the few things that are worse than painting over mold is painting over wet mold.
How Do You Treat Mold Before Painting
Before you begin a new paint job, its essential to remove all mold and mildew from the surface.
While some mold can be cleaned with a simple bleach solution and scrub brush, not all types respond favorably to this treatment. In most cases, scrubbing will only remove the surface mold that you can see, without truly addressing the root of the problem underneath.
At the first sign of mold, call our team. Our mold technicians carry certifications from the following industry bodies:
- Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec
- National Association of Mold Professionals
Our mold removal and remediation process is intensive and thorough. We take a dedicated approach to removing the mold from the inside, so your home can look as great as possible on the outside. Whether your surface consists of drywall, carpet, wood or tile, we can get right to the heart of the issue as quickly as possible.
Once weve finished completely removing all signs of mold, youll be ready to begin your paint job, confident that the results of your effort will stick around for years to come.
What Causes Mold Or Mildew Inside The House
Mildew can show up in rooms with high levels of humidity such as bathrooms, kitchens or basements and can appear as black, gray, green or brown spots. Areas in the home with high levels of humidity that are without proper or adequate fresh air circulation can eventually create mold or mildew problems.
To prevent mildew buildup ensure you create good air circulation within the home by installing bathroom vents that lead to the outdoors, replace air filters on furnaces and/or air conditioners at recommended intervals, open windows even slightly to allow some fresh air to circulate through the room. You should also make sure the proper ventilation is set up for any washers and dryers in any basement or laundry room.
Mold is typically caused by water leaks where the water infiltrates the drywall materials of the ceiling or walls and is left to sit and soak into the drywall for a long period of time.
Leaks are usually caused from leaks from a bathtub, a toilet, a water faucet or sink, a leaking roof or from flood damage. It is imperative to find the source of the water damage causing the mold and fixing it before it wreaks havoc on your home and your health.
Paint itself is not a cause of mold or mildew but the appearance of bubbling paint, peeling or cracking paint are usually signs that high levels of moisture are present and that immediate action should be taken.
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Mold Is Not Dirt Or A Stain
This is something else that a lot of people forget. Mold is an actual microorganism that grows on your walls and other surfaces. It is a fungus and it doesnt really mind paint. In fact, mold eats through painted surfaces without a problem. Thats why mold causes discoloration its the result of the chemical reactions between the mold and the painted surface.
Will Kilz Kill Mildew
If you are wondering if Kilz will kill mildew, the short answer is no. Mildew needs to first be cleaned using vinegar and hydrogen-peroxide before its painted over with Kilz. To explain why that is, its important to understand how mildew differs from mold. Mold can cause serious health and property damage while mildew is much less harmful. Also, mold is much more difficult to get rid of because it expands behind walls while mildew just grows on the surface.
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The Bottom Line: Painting Over Mold
We don’t recommend that you paint over mold because it won’t stop its growth. Painting over mold is a short-term solution that has many drawbacks. These include health risks and accumulated expenses in the long run.
Instead of painting over mold, you should call for professional help. Get a mold inspection and remediation done on your home to stop the hazardous growth. Following this, take the necessary steps to ensure there won’t be any further mold expansion.
If you’re interested in hiring professional help, give a call at 913-6363 for more information on our mold inspection and testing services.
Here’s what Beth Johnson, a satisfied Markham customer, had to say about working with us:
I could not be more pleased with the promptness and professionalism of Markham Services. It is not an easy time when you have issues in your home particularly when they could be making you sick. They put my mind at ease as I knew that I was being given accurate information by people that knew what they were talking about! Thank you Liz and Marvin!
Mold issues can progress very quickly and are a hazard to your health. Don’t wait to schedule your appointment.
Can You Just Paint Over Mold With Kilz
In high-humidity areas where mold is known to grow, it is a primer, sealer, and stain blocker in one product. It would be great to have KILZ and similar products before mold starts. It is possible that the current mold problem could have been prevented by these. The mold cannot be painted over, however.
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What Happens If You Paint Over Mold Facts And Myths
There are quite a few myths and facts when it comes to getting rid of mold. From vinegar to freezing, people have devised all sorts of ways to send the fungus back where it came from. Out of all these methods, not every method is believed to be useless. Some work quite well due to the fungicides and anti-bacterial ingredients included in the materials involved in the procedure. However, have you ever thought of bidding farewell to mold by simply painting over it? We are sure the thought must have passed your mind that what happens if you paint over mold. This is generally because molds look like stains to many so painting over it seems like a perfect solution. But will painting over mold kill it? Read the article to know whether painting does the job well or not.
Contents
The Best Mold Killing Primer And Mold Resistant Paints
No matter if you live in a new house or an old house, youre likely going to run into mold issues at one point or another.
Mold needs three things in order to grow, organic material, oxygen, and water, three things that are readily available in homes.
In this post, were going to talk about mold killing primers and mold resistant paints, and do they really work. Were also going to discuss how to properly clean and paint over existing mold, prevent future mold growth and give you a little info on mold in general.
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What Happens If You Paint Over Mildew
What specifically happens will depend on whether the mold is hazardous or non-hazardous. Do that before committing to any plan of action.
If you havent got mold or mildew yet, paint over high humidity areas with paint that resists its formation and spread. If you absolutely must paint over mildew, you should only do it over non-toxic cases so that it doesnt become a threat to the occupants.
When you paint over mildew, you fail to remove the problem or eliminate the symptoms stemming from that problem. All you do is remove the mildew from sight. This may make a room look better and grant you peace of mind but that mildew is still there and still causing damage to your home.
If the mildew is caused by water damage somewhere in your home, the problem will get even worse after you paint over it. Moist and humid closed spaces are where molds and mildews thrive, so youre only helping them grow by shielding them.
You cut off the circulation of fresh air too, so the mildew will only spread and grow in severity. If the affected area is a humid room, like a kitchen, basements, or bathrooms.
What Do Painters Do About Mildew
Mildew tends to freak people out when they find it. You’re likely to run across it on the painted surfaces in your basement, laundry room, or in and around the shower area of your bathroom. You may also see it on the outside of your home in areas that get little or no direct sunlight.
People often mistake mildew for mold and assume that their house is infested and will soon be uninhabitable. Although mildew is similar to mold, just because you have discovered it in your home doesn’t mean that you have a major problem on your hands. In fact, professional painters deal with mildew all the time during painting projects. Getting rid of it can be a lot easier than you think.
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When To Use Mold Resistant Paint
Use mold resistant paint in areas that are subject to lots of moisture, like bathrooms and kitchens, in damp spaces like basements, and in any areas that have previously had mold problems. You can purchase paints designed to resist mold at most home improvement stores. These paints dont guarantee mold wont grow on surfaces, but they do help prevent it.
Make sure surfaces are clean, free of mold, and completely dry before painting them. If you apply a mold sealant to a surface, allow the surface to dry completely before applying the sealant and then allow that to dry completely before painting it.
What To Do Instead Of Painting Over Mold
Get a professional mold inspection done by an expert. This will help you understand the situation better. The professionals will evaluate the type of mold and the extent of its growth.
After you have more knowledge about your mold issue, it’s time for mold remediation. Opt for professional help to completely remove the mold colonies from your property.
Also Check: How To Clean Mold From Boat Seats
The Best Mold Resistant Paints
For mold resistant paints, you have a much larger selection than with mold killing primers!
Most paint brands offer at least one mold resistant paint with antimicrobial properties.
If you look around here at DIY Painting Tips, you may notice that I am quite fond of Behr products. This is because they are high quality, readily available and not only state a great warranty, but my experience with their warranty is better than any other paint brand. So once again, Behr tops my list.
- Valspar Reserve
Common Places For Mold Growth Inside And Outside Your Home:
Behind drywall where leaks have occurred in pipes.
In high humidity rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and basements.
In your air conditioning system or within air conditioning window units.
Inside air ducts which subsequently spreads the mold in the blowing air.
Within rooms where the heat has been turned off.
Inside your attic, indicating a leaky roof. Mold in the attic can also occur when the bathroom fans vent to the attic space instead of the outside.
On your exterior, especially in shady areas that dont get a lot of sunshine.
On your homes exterior soffits and fascia this indicates poor ventilation in the attic space.
Exterior porch ceilings when theres inadequate ventilation in the porch area.
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My Experience: Combating Mould Under A Fresh Coat Of Paint
1) Diagnose The first thing I did was scrape off a small area of the top coat of paint so I could get a closer look and diagnose the diarrhea stains that were gobbling up the walls. I had to be sure it was mould before treating it with anti-mould remedies.
Fortunately, in my case, it was pretty obvious I was dealing with mould because it looked all moudly and stuff. Good technical diagnosis from me there.
Apparently mould commonly gets confused with dirt . I read that the best way to distinguish between mould and dirt is to apply bleach to the area. If the brown stains lighten then its most likely mould, because bleach wont change the colour of dirt. Im not sure how true that is, but it seemed to be the general consensus among the forum contributors. Either way, I bypassed the bleach test, I just went with my unqualified gut-instinct and my lifetime experience of never dealing with mould. But come on, mould looks like mould! It was definitely mould!
2) Cleaning the surface The aim at this stage was to clean the surface from dirt and rub away as much of the fresh emulsion as possible. I wiped the area down with warm soap water. Surprisingly, the newest layer of paint came off effortlessly. Believe it or not, but mould isnt the most effective adhesive primer. Go figure.
Having rubbed off the majority of the top coat of paint, it soon became clear what I was dealing with. This is what my tenants had painted over:
Should I Paint Over Mold
In short, you should not paint over mold.
Beyond simply masking an underlying issue, painting over a mold growth can actually make it worse. The mold growth will grow out of sight and may even become so extensive that it requires professional remediation.
If you wish to paint a surface that has mold growing on it, you will first need to treat the mold growth itself before you can begin painting.
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Can I Paint Over Mold On Wood
A: Painting over mold may cover up the dark patches where the mold is growing, but it will not eliminate the problem. Mold is a fungus that will thrive where there’s enough moisture to encourage its growth. … You can paint over mold, but it will always reappear if you don’t stop it in its tracks.
Most Common Places Mold Is Found In The Home
Since moisture is a required ingredient in the growth of mold, high moisture areas in your home are the most susceptible to mold growth.
These areas include bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, humid basements, cabinets under sinks, plumbing areas and storage rooms among other places.
These are the areas that you should always keep an eye on for mold growth. The sooner you catch it, the easier it is to deal with.
One area Ive personally dealt with mold is in the basement of my home when I first moved in. Non-green treated wood was used for the sole plates and drywall came into contact with the concrete floor. This allowed moisture to form on the organic materials in my basement and cause significant mold growth on the framing and drywall. I had to gut and redo my entire basement.
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Solve The Water Problem
Mold thrives where there is a damp surface. The first order of business is to solve that dampness. If the mold is a result of a leaky roof or broken pipe, then solving the dampness problem is fairly straightforward: stop the water flow and use blowers to dry out the wet area.
Most people find it more cost-efficient to rent dehumidifiers and blowers for drying out wet wood. However, if you want to buy the equipment, ToolTally has some of the best deals on commercial blowers and humidifiers.
If you are dealing with mold on a porch or exterior wood, it pays to look up. Often this water is coming from above. There may be a gutter that is overflowing and causing the wood to rot from the constant dampness. Or trees might be dropping water on the wood for days following every rain storm.
Another common problem is damp crawlspaces. Damp crawlspaces are a haven for mold and will coat the entire underside of a house with mold growth if given a chance.
If you are dealing with a damp crawlspace, It could be that your house needs some landscaping around the house to route water around the crawlspace. Additionally, the crawlspace vents should be left open to make sure that it airs out properly.
A mildewing bathroom is also common. Older bathrooms tend to lack proper ventilation. Adding a vent even a passive vent can do a lot to help remove mildew problems in a bathroom. If you have a vent, make sure to turn it on while you shower.
Can I Paint Over Mold In My Bathroom
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Regarding this, what happens if you paint over mold?
Painting over mold will not kill mold or stop new mold from growing. According to the CDC, mold can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, skin irritation, and more severe reactions in immune-compromised people. Keep in mind that: Paint does not kill mold.
One may also ask, what paint to use in bathroom to prevent mold? Bathroom paint should offer mold and mildew resistance.To prevent these health hazards, homeowners should opt for paint with anti-microbial additives that resist mold. Many options for this type of paint exist on the market today, such as Benjamin Moore’s Aura Bath And Spa Matte Finish and Zinsser’s Perma-White.
Simply so, will painting over mold kill it?
Painting over mold does not remediate the problem. The paint will not kill the mold, and it will only hide it for a short period of time.
How do I get rid of mold in my bathroom?
To remove bathroom mold, add distilled white vinegar to a spray bottle and spray the liquid directly onto the mold. Next, scrub the moldy surface with a brush or sponge and rinse the vinegar away with hot water. For more stubborn mold, mix 1 part bleach to 10 parts water and transfer the solution to a spray bottle.
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