Why Removing Black Mold From Your House Quickly Is So Important
You will know black mold when you see it and once you see it you will never forget what it looks like. It is a slimy, dark greenish-black material. If you come into contact with it or breathe the spores you can get very sick. The scientific name for the mold is Strachybotrys.
The danger that is associated with this toxic mold should not be taken lightly. It can cause severe respiratory illness, including bleeding in babies. It also is linked to asthma and bronchitis.
Black Mold: Remove it to diminish the possible consequences of lung disorders.
It is important that everyone understand that black mold removal must be started as soon as it is detected inside of a dwelling. What most people don’t realize is that just about every house has some type of mold hiding in their house somewhere.
The good news is that not all molds are toxic. You won’t be able to tell the exact strain or toxicity of the mold you find unless you have samples sent off to the a lab for testing. So until you know exactly what you are dealing with you should always error on the side of caution. Treat all molds as if they are dangerous until you find out with certainty that they are not.
Anytime you find mold in a house it will need to be taken care of. A mold filled house is not the most healthy environment to be living in. The removal of black mold or any mold must be accomplished as soon as possible in order to avoid any health problems.
The way mold spores move around is by finding a host to carry them far and wide. This is pretty easy for the spores to accomplish because the hosts can be just about anything, including dogs, humans, and even sneakers. If you leave a door or window open, your house might find out that an uninvited guest has taken up residence.
Black mold needs a certain type of environment to grow and multiply. The ideal situation for the spores is a place that is damp and moist. It is not at all unusual for dangerous molds to come from a leaking pipe or grow in a damp basement.
You should be on the lookout for black mold in clothing or blankets that are balled up in a closet, long forgotten cardboard boxes, floors, walls, ceilings, and any wood that is moist with water.
Before you start to remove black mold you must first locate where it is growing and why it is growing. Without moisture there will be no black mold. So if you locate the moisture problem you will find the mold. And if you find the mold it will be shiny because it will normally be wet. If you were to touch the black mold (never touch it) it would be slimy and easily spread, like jam, along the surface. A house with mold has a moisture problem. So it is imperative that you correct the origin of the moisture before you can get rid of the mold for good.
If your house has mold growing in it and you start feeling sick then you are going to have to take steps to protect yourself. You could spend time with family or friends if you start having breathing problems. But you must remove yourself from the house until you figure out how you are going to get rid of black mold.
Your first step will be to determine where the moisture is originating from. Is it coming from heavy rain, or maybe a roof that is leaking? Maybe the moisture is from a water pipe that has a slow drip.
What you will have to keep in mind before you start looking for some type of black mold remover is that the moisture could have happened a few weeks or months before you discovered the mold. The problem is that once an area of a home gets damp it normally doesn’t dry out completely without some help. Because of this it should become your priority to find the moisture and dry the area out completely. Then fix whatever allowed the moisture in to begin with.
Getting rid of black mold is probably going to mean that you will have to get rid of all the areas of your house that have been contaminated. That will mean that carpet might have to go, furniture and clothing also might have to be disposed off.
How To Remove Black Mold?
Your first consideration when trying to decide on how to get rid of black mold should be to hire a contractor. This really is not a job for somebody that does not know what they are doing. You will want to check references and avoid contractors without a long history of problem free work. You need to ask questions, don’t just leave it to fate. Your house and health is at risk.
You will want to know how the contractor will be protecting you from the spread of the black mold once it gets disturbed. It is important to know this because if the mold inspection turns up a problem in the attic, black mold can spread through out the house once it is disturbed. You need to know how that problem is going to be prevented before the work starts.
A mold inspector will have to come in and identify areas of moisture that contain black mold spores. Once this is confirmed the spores will have to be sent for mold testing at a laboratory.
Before the toxic black mold removal can begin special ventilation will need to be set up to prevent spores from spreading all throughout the house. Air will have to forced out of the infected area and out the window. The mold will have to be scraped or washed off the walls with a black mold remover. Then the mold is placed in a special bag. Once the bag is full it must be sealed up and placed outside the house.
Once the mold abatement process is completed you can move back into your house with your family. It is wise to prevent a mold problem from occurring in the first place. Keep you eyes open for any moisture problem anywhere in the house and dry it off immediately. Removing black mold is not something you want to do more than once.