As a homeowner, know your enemy... mold!

1/22/2018 (Permalink)

This homeowner did not realize the mold hiding behind his cabinets until he tried to do a kitchen model.

What is mold?  Mold is a fungus which reproduces by releasing tiny, microscopic spores into the air.  Mold is a naturally occurring organism in the air outdoors which means that there will always be some amount of mold spores in the air indoors as well.  Mold must have ideal temperatures, and moisture in order to take hold of a material and grow.  These are two reasons that Floridian homes are more susceptible to mold due to its sub-tropic climate.  Mold must also have one more thing to grow, and that is food made up of organic materials.  The most common source of food for mold is dust.  Dust in itself is made up of 70% to 80% human skin – a great food source for mold.

Now that you know the general details of what mold is, what do you do if you suspect mold in your home?  Other than the obvious of seeing actual mold growth, the presence of mold is often detected by a musty odor.  The spores that it emits to grow are microscopic, but can be detected by odor.  If you see mold or what looks like mold, it is best to leave it alone.  Once mold has grown on a porous surface such as dry wall or grout those materials need to be removed because they are embedded in the material.  If you try to clean mold, it feels as if it is in danger and with sporulate and send thousands of spores you can’t see into the air to seek out moisture and food throughout your home. 

The best way to deal with a mold issue is get have a mold assessor come out and test your home, this will tell you is you have a mold problem, what’s affected, and what type of mold/molds you may have.  Once your assessor has tested and found you have a mold problem he will write a protocol for remediation that your chosen Certified Mold Remediation Company will follow during remediation, followed by post testing to make sure your home is at safe mold levels after remediation. 

This process can be overwhelming for many homeowners and this is what sets SERVPRO of Alachua County West above its competitors.  We are here every step of the way, educating and supporting our community whether or not they choose us for their remediation.  Not sure what to do when you suspect mold?  Call us and we’ll set you on the right path to a clean and healthy home.