Mold: it’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare. When it happens, it can cause severe structural damage to your home and negatively impact your health. When you’ve tried cleaning it yourself but still can’t seem to fix it, it’s time to call in the mold remediation professionals.
What is Mold?
Mold is a type of fungus that grows on plants, food, and inside your home when exposed to moisture. It is usually black, gray, or green and has a recognizable foul and musty odor. There are three main categories of mold:
- Pathogenic — a type of mold that can cause infections in humans
- Allergenic — a common type of mold that can trigger allergies
- Toxigenic — a type of mold that is toxic to both humans and animals and can cause serious health problems
The most common type of household mold is Stachybotrys chartarum – also known as black mold. Black mold can usually be found on carpets, in drywall, and underneath floorboards that have been exposed to water damage. Like other types of mold, prolonged exposure to black mold can lead to coughing and cause headaches, dizziness, and nasal congestion.
Signs You Should Call For Help
After first noticing mold in your home, your first instinct is going to be trying to clean it up. Unfortunately, because mold is a microscopic organism, you can never be completely sure you’ve removed it completely.
Here are the most common signs you should call a specialist to help with mold removal:
- You have young children in the home. Babies who suffer from prolonged exposure to mold can develop bronchitis and pneumonia.
- You or someone you’re living with is immunocompromised or on chemotherapy treatments and susceptible to airborne illnesses caused by mold spores.
- You can’t locate the source of the problem. Mold thrives in dark and damp areas, but sometimes it may be located behind a wall, making it impossible to find. If you can’t find the source of the mold to remedy it, it’s time to call in the professionals.
- It’s present in multiple spots around the house.
- It’s already caused structural damage.
- You’re suffering from respiratory illnesses.
- You aren’t sure how to remove it properly.
Why Should You Hire a Professional?
Because there are so many different types of mold, it’s important to hire a professional who can conduct an air quality inspection to determine the best course of treatment. A mold removal specialist understands how mold grows and spreads and will take the time to get to the root of the problem, as opposed to providing a temporary fix that could leave you susceptible to a continuing infestation.
If you recently found mold in your home, your best course of action is hiring a professional to come take care of it. The mold removal and remediation specialists at Green Genie Environmental use eco-friendly tools and techniques to eradicate your home’s mold problem. Visit us on the web or call us at (716) 466-6653. Our mold removal technicians are available 24/7.