Why Mold Remediation Is So Important

3/22/2019 (Permalink)

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Mold is not fun to deal with. Not only can it cause issues, but it’s extremely difficult to get rid of. Mold is a natural substance, so in many cases, there’s no avoiding it. It’s also insidious in nature, and in some cases, you may not even know it’s there. Once you come across mold, however, you need to act quickly. This is one of the reasons why, with Austin’s climate, and its frequent high mold counts, that having mold remediation in Austin is so important, when you first detect mold.

Mold: Where Does it Come From?

Mold has microscopic pores that can appear just about anywhere, indoors or out. Mold is a frequent result where water damage occurs, whether that be a minor leak, or any instance, where water or moisture is involved.

So why is mold so hard to detect? Sometimes mold is visible, but often it isn’t. Most mold spores are microscopic, and range anywhere from 2-10 microns (microns are also known as micrometers, which individually are equal to one millionth of a meter).

One answer is that if you have a leak or any water issues, most molds can grow in places that you can’t see, like inside walls, inside ceilings, and other places that are often hidden from plain sight. Much of it depends on what is feeding the mold spores, so while we often think of nasty black spots, mold can grow in a variety of colors, mold spores can also appear in white, grey, red, brown and have a fuzzy or dusty consistency.

In most cases within homes or businesses, mold grows as a result of a subsequent water issue, such as a leak that helps introduce its spreading. However, water doesn’t always necessarily equal mold growth, since the actual spores need to be present.

If ignored, mold can start to smell and eventually start to spread into hidden areas. So, if you have a minor leak in your kitchen or bathroom, and it remains problematic, then it can lead to greater problems down the line. Especially in the Austin TX climate, even if you detect the slightest trace of mold, then you need to contact us to initiate its removal.

What to Do at the First Signs of Mold in Austin

Molds will also omit a foul odor when its spores are in the process of colonizing. Initially, you may smell something fairly dank and musty, indicating that the mold has started to spread. Remember, you may not be able to see it, but if you can smell it then you need to take care of it.

Although you can attempt to eradicate the mold on your own, if you don’t have the experience or know how to actually remove it, then you’ll likely run into some problems. That’s why professionals in the water damage and mold remediation industry are highly equipped to tackle this. It’s also best to have a basic understanding of how mold originates and how you can stop it before it spreads. The last thing you want to deal with is a mold infestation in your home and business that’s gotten out of hand.

Understanding what mold is capable of and confronting it before it becomes something uncontrollable is a good way to start. It’s important to prevent the spread of mold by any means necessary because it can affect not just your business and home, but your health as well if it’s not properly remediated.

Finding the Mold Source

As previously mentioned, mold can be invisible, often appearing in areas behind walls, under floors and inside ceilings. Seeking out the source is the route that a professional mold removal and remediation company will take. If there’s a dominant musty smell and the appearance of dry rot, then the mold issue is more problematic and immediate action needs to be taken.

The potential for health related issues grows stronger if the mold isn’t fully checked out. Questionable indoor air quality could also mean that you have a mold issue.

What is Mold Remediation?

If mold has taken over your home or business, then you need to start the mold remediation process right away. Any areas where moisture appears will have to be stopped in its tracks and dealt with, such as turning off the water source. But, first you’ll need to document everything to help with any liability you may face. Take pictures or videos, and make notes documenting where all the leaks and potential damage have occurred.

If too much time has passed before noticing the mold, the spread of it could be more extensive than originally perceived. Remediating mold will help to remove all traces of it in your home, so that you’re no longer exposed to any harmful spores.

If mold has seeped into your walls, they’ll have to be opened up to allow for any dry rot and existing mold to be removed. This may not be the only place where the mold is growing, so you’ll have to investigate further into where any additional traces of it may occur.

Remediation professionals utilize a two level mitigation process, which can help remove the mold from your property.

Since mold issues are most often caused by water damage, the first level primarily handles the repair of any water problems, to prevent any new spores from appearing and growing. Contaminated areas are isolated, such as closing doors, windows and other areas from parts of the home that aren’t affected.

If there’s a fair amount of dust, it should be misted, so that the dust particles don’t spread, which allows for an easier cleanup. This level also includes the removal of any wet or contaminated materials, which should then be double-bagged in thick plastic bags and discarded.

The second level of mold mitigation primarily involves a thorough cleaning of the affected areas with a HEPA vacuum, followed by scrubbing the areas in question with a detergent solution, to ensure that all traces of mold have been removed and mold odors are removed. A visibility test often follows, to make sure that no dust, dirt or anything even resembling mold remains.

Afterwards, extensive drying should take place by properly airing out the areas in question using appliances such as fans and dehumidifiers. Once the areas are completely dry, then all affected parts of your home or business, including walls, etc., should be replaced.

If a mold situation in your home or business starts to develop, and it’s too overwhelming for you to handle on your own, you should contact us for help in remediating the mold in your Austin home or business.    

Located in Central Austin, our SERVPRO team features highly trained mold damage specialists, all of whom have the training and required certifications to tackle all of your mold remediation needs. SERVPRO of East Central Austin uses only top of the line, state of the art equipment for mold remediation projects.

SERVPRO of East Central Austin will thoroughly examine and detect any existence of mold at your home or business. We’re able to provide an immediate mold inspection and if we find any mold, we’ll get started to stop mold from becoming more of a problem.