Elnora Jones 
Those black, smelly, flaky spots that you see growing on the walls of your home, during rainy or winter seasons or after your home goes through a water-damage crisis, could be more than just meets-the-eye. They are mold growing on your walls and furniture, and if you leave them untreated, they can cause serious health complications.
So, what should you do when this happens?
In this article, we will share the things you must do after mold detection in your home.
Mold can cause anxiety and stress, but the good news is we have quite a few great mold damage restoration companies around that can help you get rid of them quickly.
Mold Facts:
- Molds grow quickly, probably within 24 to 48 hours in wet and damp areas. They can thrive for years if undetected.
- They are microbes that grow in wet, moist, damp, dark, and humid places. Ideal places at home include kitchen cabinets, lofts, basement, behind the wall, underneath floorboards and carpet, and closets.
- Molds can cause several diseases if the air around the mold is inhaled recurrently. They include asthma, allergic cough, lung infection, and other allergic reactions. They can affect pets too.
- Molds dispose of a fowl, musty smell, which could be one of the easiest ways to detect their presence.
- If undetected, mold removal can turn expensive.
- Most insurance policies do not cover mold removal. Therefore, precaution and early detection are crucial.
- Molds can grow on clothes, upholsteries, cement, walls, wood, plastic or any surface that is constantly damp and warm.
- Toddlers, pets, individuals with weakened lungs, people with a weak immune system, and people above 65 years are most likely to be affected by mold.
- Water damage due to flood, pump burst, leaking pipe, roof leak, damaged water appliance heavy rain and cyclone or stagnant water are primary reasons for mold growth.
- Symptoms of mold caused illness – Fatigue, nausea, headache, sore throat, itchy eyes, runny nose, cough, and fever. These signs will be recurring and persisting.
What Should You Do If You See Molds?
If you spot mold growing on your walls or upholsteries, do not touch them without wearing proper gloves and masks.
Depending upon the severity of the mold growth, do the following things:
- Test the mold to identify the type of microbe growing in your house. You can collect a sample and get it tested from a restoration company.
- You can also ask the restoration expert to visit you and do a thorough check-up of your house to detect mold growing in hidden places.
- If the mold growth is minor and growing in a single place, we recommend you to do the cleaning yourself.
- If the mold growth is large and spreading, or if your home is affected by water damage, you must hire professional water damage or mold restoration company for removal and cleaning up of mold. A licensed mold restoration company will further employ preventive measures to avoid future mold growth. Depending upon the condition, they may come back after a week to test the area again to make sure the clean-up and sanitization were properly done. Do not pay the company in full until they complete the follow-up process.
- Before anything, you must identify the cause of the mold growth and address it. The most common reasons for mold growth include water damage, flood, damp walls, rain, cold weather, leakage inside the wall, pipe burst, and basement flood.
- Try to dehumidify your home and circulate fresh air to lower the humid level of your environment.
Make sure you sanitize the area and hire a licensed and professional mold removal company to complete the job.
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