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Mold FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions About Mold:- What is Mold?
- How did mold get in my house?
- How does mold affect my families' health?
- I have mold, do I need to vacate my home/office?
- What can I do about the mold?
- What can I do to prevent mold in the future?
- What is mold remediation?
What is Mold?
Mold, in its many species, is a member of the fungi family and is naturally found in indoor and outdoor environments. Mold serves a purpose in nature in breaking down organic materials such as plants, leaves and fallen trees. In order for mold to grow it requires moisture, suitable temperature and organic materials that serve as food for the mold, such as your drywall, insulation materials, wood studs, carpeting, upholstery or baseboards.
How did mold get in my house?
Mold produces spores that can become airborne, when these airborne spores find places where there is excessive moisture they can begin to grow. Being that mold needs moisture, suitable temperature and organic materials, the most opportune time for mold to grow would be after indoor flooding or some kind of leak in the house has occurred. There is no guarantee that mold will grow every time that there is a leak, but mold can begin the process of growth approximately 24-48 hours after it has found a comfortable source. If you have observed mold growing on a structure, it is quite possible that there is a greater problem going on in the unobserved areas behind that structure, such as areas behind drywall. The best preventative to mold is proper drying of the structures as soon as a water loss is observed.
How does mold affect my families' health?
It should be understood that molds themselves are not toxic or poisonous, yet certain molds are toxigenic, which means that they can produce toxins or more specifically with mold, mycotoxins. People who already are sensitive to airborne allergens are more likely to be sensitive to molds and people with immune suppression or other lung diseases will be at greater risk for possible fungal infections. If you suspect any health effects related to mold you should consult your doctor.
I have mold, do I need to vacate my home/office?
There are many factors that affect this decision and ultimately you must make that call. This consideration should include proper air quality testing, consulting an indoor environmental professional experienced with mold, the recommendations of your doctor and even your insurance company. The scope of work to be performed will also factor into this decision, if affected areas include kitchens, bedrooms and/or bathrooms, the living space may not be useable.
What can I do about the mold?
Many people have tried to wipe away mold from visible structures with store- bought products or cleaning solutions, which can be effective on small amounts of surface mold (realistically the proper wiping away of the mold is more important than the products used). But it is important to understand that mold forms roots and actually feeds off of organic materials in your home, so if mold is observed there could be a much larger contamination of mold growing behind that visible structure. If the visible mold is not properly dealt with there can be further decomposition problems in the structure and possibly lead to health problems.
What can I do to prevent mold in the future?
It is very important to keep your house properly ventilated, especially rooms that are prone to increased amounts of moisture such as the bathroom. These are some things that can help to prevent possible mold and/or the spread of noticeable mold:
- Fix the source of the water problem or leak as soon as possible
- Eliminate visible sources of moisture
- Check pipes, valves and angle stops regularly and replace if necessary
- Keep the humidity levels in the house below 50%
- Remove and/or replace previously soaked carpets and upholstery
- Clean and dry wet damps spots within 48 hours
Quick response and thorough drying of affected areas are the keys to saving time, money and protecting property and health.
What is mold remediation?
Mold remediation is a process involving containment of the affected areas, removing affected building materials and thoroughly cleaning the affected area in order to bring the presence of mold to acceptable levels. Notable industry recognized standards for remediation are found in sources such as IICRC S520, Standard Reference Guild for Mold Remediation. If remediation is to be done, only workers who are thoroughly trained and qualified mold contamination remediation technicians who are equipped with proper safety equipment, should perform the mold contamination remediation.
Contact us today about your project: (541) 981.1109 or info@handioregon.com
We have helped clients throughout Oregon perform the remediation requirements so that thier homes could be listed and sold with a minimum of complications related to mold concerns. We have completed mold remediation, water damage restoration and insurance repair projects throughout Oregon's communities such as Albany, Corvallis, Salem, Portland, Clackamas and Oregon Coast - to name a few. To find out more about what we have done with disaster restoration services, please follow the links below.