How Fast Does Black Mold Spread
Mold begins to grow as soon as its spores land on a damp, fibre-rich material and it can spread around the house within 24 to 48 hours. It colonizes in one to twelve days and grows at one square inch per day. In less than a week, it can cover surface areas of several square feet.
Unfortunately in most cases, mold is widespread and already a big problem before a problem is even suspected by the homeowners.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mold In The Home:
I found mold in my home, what should I do?
The first thing you should do is to bring in a professionalto inspect your home and see how extensive the mold problem is. Often you onlysee the tip of the iceberg and there is more mold in places such as attics,inside walls, in crawlspaces, under carpets, on top of ceiling tiles, etc. Here is a link to our 10 step guide on dealing with mold in your home.
I smell mold but dont see any. Is it dangerous?
If you smell mold, you are inhaling mold spores andmycotoxins, both of which are dangerous and can cause a wide range of medicalissues. To learn more about mold odors and what they mean, see Dealing WithMold Smells.
What are the symptoms of mold exposure?
The common symptoms of mold exposure include a runny nose,itchy eyes, cough, headaches, congestion, and asthma like symptoms. Longerexposure can result in pneumonia, skin rashes, depression, joint pain, chronicfatigue and other life-threatening complications. Follow this link for more onthe symptoms of mold exposure.
Is it safe for my family to remain in the home?
We do not recommend staying in a home that has mold. Thereal question you need to ask is whether it is safe to stay in the home whilethe mold is being removed. This is something you need to determine afterdiscussing it with the remediation company and your family doctor.
Which mold test kit should I use to test my home formold?
Is it safe for me to remove the mold myself?
How do I remove the mold?
More Questions?
Is It Safe To Sleep In An Area With Mold
Because of the risks that come with mold exposure, it can be unsafe to sleep in a house with mold, particularly in the affected areas because you put yourself at risk of mold allergies. This becomes especially concerning if you are sensitive to the mold.
When mold grows indoors, it can often be found in the bathroom. This is due to the high moisture levels. However, mold can also be found in walls throughout your home, including your bedroom. But your room can also have mold growing in the mattress you sleep on.
If you have mattress mold, you can suffer from fatigue, snoring, and sleep apnea. If you experience long-term mold exposure, and continue sleeping in a room with mold, then you may suffer from the following:
- Anxiety
- Weight gain
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Can Mold Come Back After Remediation
The simple fact is that mold can come back even after professionals come out to do a remediation.
The mold grows in areas that are damp. If you have a reason that an area keeps becoming damp, then the mold will keep coming back.
A good example of this is if you have a water leak. The pros come out and do a mold remediation, and in no time, youll have mold in the exact same area. Thats because the water is still leaking and creating a great area for mold to grow.
Keep in mind, this has nothing to do with the remediation work done by the experts. They came out to fix a problem, and they fixed it. The mold will keep coming back until you fix the water leak, which is a completely separate problem.
Some pros during the mold remediation process will point out culprits. They might notice an area where water is leaking, and they can suggest that you reach out to a plumber to fix it after the mold experts are done their work.
What Can Happen If I Stay In A House With Black Mold
Your reaction to toxic black mold stachybotrys chartarum will depend upon your individual tolerance level.
For anyone with asthma or a mold allergy, you run the risk of severely triggering your symptoms by remaining in a house with black mold. Even if you are not allergic to black mold, you may still experience allergy-like symptoms such as difficulty breathing, a runny nose, and skin irritations such as a rash.
Black mold also presents a risk to those who might have weakened or compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV, the elderly and the young.
Regardless of your tolerance level or risk profile, there is still a chance that you can become ill from prolonged exposure to toxic black mold.
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How Do Molds Get In The Indoor Environment And How Do They Grow
Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, and pets can and be carried indoors. When mold spores drop on places where there is excessive moisture, such as where leakage may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls, plant pots, or where there has been flooding, they will grow. Many building materials provide suitable nutrients that encourage mold to grow. Wet cellulose materials, including paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, are particularly conducive for the growth of some molds. Other materials such as dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, commonly support mold growth.
Can You Determine The Full Extent Of Mold Damage Without Opening The Walls Or Ceiling
Finding the source and the full extent of mold damage does require additional investigation, though water damage leaves some obvious signs. Some of them are stains on walls and ceilings, flaking or peeling paint, soft or swollen drywall, musty smell, and warped walls. Each case indicates there is leaking water somewhere. Stains are a clear sign that there is a plumbing issue. Anytime you see evidence of water damage, it is critical to call in a professional for fast help and to prevent mold growth.
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What Is The Difference Between Mold And Mildew
Both are fungi and love damp places. Mildew is a specific type of mold that is usually white or gray, and dry. Mold can be green, red, blue, or black and looks slimy or fuzzy. Mildew has a milder, musty scent, while mold is much stronger and pungent as it produces and releases microbial volatile organic compounds â the stuff that causes people to become sick. Mildew stays on the surface of items while mold burrows its tentacles deep into porous materials.
What Can Happen If You Live In A House With Black Mold
If you find black mold on your property, theres no need to panic. But black mold presents more health risks to sensitive groups like those with respiratory conditions or immune conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control , black mold spores can generate cold- or flu-like symptoms such as: Stuffy nose.
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Is Mold Dangerous Is It Safe To Stay In The House
Perhaps you have recently had flooding or water leaks, or maybe you live in a moist climate. You notice mold on your walls or under the sink and it makes you wonder: Is mold dangerous? Is it safe to stay in the house? There are many varieties of mold, and 12 common types that love to infest human homes. Not all of them are immediately a threat to your health, but a mold-free environment is highly recommended and certainly achievable.
When you see mold, its time to call Go Pro Restoration. Our technicians can inspect your home and let you know what measures are required. We provide professional mold remediation in Ottawa.
Experienced Water Damage And Mold Remediation By Go Pro Restoration Inc
At the first sight of water damage or fuzzy mold, call Go Pro Restoration. Our highly-trained technicians will use our advanced equipment to rid your home from the long-term effects that mold brings from water damage. Look to us for assistance with water damage restoration for your home or office throughout the Ottawa area. Weâre available for emergency calls as well. Keep mold at bay when you call us.
For more information about our water damage restoration and mold remediation service in Ottawa, please call 613-221-9900 or fill out our online formand our team will get back to you soon.
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Residing In A Home During Mold Remediation
Good news! You usually do not have to leave your home during a mold remediation. Its really going to come down to the size of the remediation project. Is the entire home affected? Will you still be able to use the kitchen and one bathroom without passing through any contaminated areas? Or is the mold contained to just one area or room that you can avoid entering or using during the removal process?
The remediation company will in all likelihood set up containment chambers plastic walls or barriers sealed with duct tape that will isolate the affected areas and prevent any mold spores from moving into previously uncontaminated areas. This can be a major inconvenience to anyone trying to reside in the home during the molds removal.
Children And The Elderly
While an adult with a healthy immune system may only suffer minor allergic reactions, this may not be the case for others. Anyone with a weaker immune system, such as an elderly adult, an infant or child or someone with an immune-deficiency disease, may suffer severe health repercussions. Someone with a severely compromised immune system, such as an AIDS patient, may experience infections that can ultimately lead to death. There is no way to determine how long such a person can survive in a moldy environment due to the many variables involved with each person, but for one’s own safety, any immune-compromised person should leave a mold-infested environment immediately.
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Is It Safe To Live In A House After Mold Remediation
A lot of people feel scared and confused during a mold scare. As contractors are performing mold remediation in your home, youre left wondering if its going to be safe to return to your home afterward.
Will the mold come back? Well answer this question and more in the following sections. Lets learn more about the cause of mold, first.
Treating Black Mold Poisoning
If you suspect youre suffering from symptoms associated with black mold exposure or poisoning, there are some things you can do to improve your health.
In conclusion, the best way to avoid the negative effects of black mold poisoning is to minimize your black mold exposure.
You can do this by preventing its growth in the first place. If its too late to prevent it and you suspect theres black mold already in your home, dont wait to book removal, completed quickly and efficiently by the industry experts.
Black mold, typically green or black, in your home, can be extremely hazardous to your health.
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Can A Mouldy Bedroom Make You Sick
Mold inside your house can make you certainly sick, breathing in mold fragments or spores can inflame the air passages, creating a nasal blockage, wheezing, breast tightness, coughing, and throat inflammation. Long term exposure to high degrees of indoor dampness can decrease lung function and also cause persistent health issue such as bronchial asthma.
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Can You Live In A House During Mold Remediation
You will find many homeowners asking this question before have to have mold remediation done. This is because they want to confirm whether it is safe or not for them to stay at home or not. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question as it depends on the scope and location of the mold damage.
Here are a few factors to consider first if you are contemplating whether you should stay at home during mold remediation or leave.
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What Should I Do If My Home Has Mold
When you discover mold growing in your home, it is imperative you address the situation right away. The longer it goes unaddressed, the more mold that will continue to grow, causing further property damage, as well as effects to your health. As such, do not hesitate to get professional mold removal help.
At ServiceMaster Disaster Associates, Inc., we offer mold remediation services to residential properties in Boston, MA, and the neighboring areas. Our professional technicians will help you by addressing the moisture source, then locating and eliminating all cases of mold in your home, using the proper equipment and products to do so. With help from our mold remediation services, your home will once again become a place where you can live, breathe, and sleep comfortably.
How To Prevent Black Mold Growth
Conducting routine home inspections and maintenance are the best ways to deal with a black mold problem. Keep an eye out for evidence of water damage and visible mold on a regular basis. The conditions that cause mold should be corrected in a timely manner to prevent mold from growing further.
The extent of structural damage black mold can cause to your home, depends on how quickly you act to fix it.
Some of the ways you can keep mold out of your home is by:
To completely get rid of black mold from your home, you must address the root cause of the problem, so that there is no recurrence of mold. For example, just cleaning up the mold without addressing the moisture problem will not solve the issue because the mold will very likely return.
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Life After Mold Remediation
After the mold remediation team is done, youll still have to wait at least a day before youre let back into the area. This is to make sure all of the spores are taken out of the room and everything has a chance to settle.
At that point, you might be eager to get back to your normal life. Always take a little bit of time and really examine the area. If you pulled items out of the area, look at them closely, and see if they have mold on them.
You want to make sure that you double-check that the area is perfectly clean before you go back to normal. Even the smallest bit of mold can turn into a bigger issue.
Youll have to check with the mold company you used to see if they offer a guarantee or if they do a follow-up check. A lot of companies will guarantee that the area is mold-free for a certain amount of time. Before the job is done, make sure you know the specifics for moving forward.
Mold In Your Apartment
The first thing you must do when discovering mold in your apartment is notify your landlord. Nearly every state requires landlords to promptly clean up and eliminate mold as soon as they are notified at their own expense. However, your landlord may attempt to hold you liable if you fail to notify him of the appearance of mold, leaks, or water accumulation in a timely manner.
If your landlord fails to clean up the mold upon notification and you experience ill health as a result, you have a case to seek damages against your landlord. Be certain to keep detailed records of all of your health problems and communications with your landlord to support your case.
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Can Living In A House With Mold Make You Sick
Damp and mold are sadly common occurrences in homes that have poor ventilation, single-glazed windows, and other forms of poor insulation. Black mold is one of the more severe types of fungus that can grow in these conditions.
Being constantly exposed to and breathing in black mold is very damaging to your health, a conclusion that goes undisputed in the research behind it. Here are just some of the discovered complications that fungus exposure can cause:
- Coughing
- Inability to breathe
- Bronchitis
just to name a few. It can damage your health permanently depending upon the amount of fungus, the length of your exposure, and whether you already have any respiratory conditions.
Another feature of black mold is that it can grow in those hard-to-reach or seldom-visited places, like behind cupboards and underneath floorboards. This means it could be completely unnoticeable to you, despite the fact that youre breathing it in. It can silently affect your health without your knowledge.
What To Do If Mold Is In Your Walls
Scrub the surface mold stains from walls and wood trim with a mixture of one quart water and 1/2-cup bleach mold cleaner to kill the mold.
Use a soft brush and work until signs of the mold disappear.
After scrubbing the surfaces, allow the bleach solution to continue to penetrate the surfaces and dry..
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Is Resting Beside Mold Bad For Your Health
Direct exposure to mold or wetness in your home has been associated with adverse respiratory results in all age groups. This direct exposure has actually likewise been connected to sleeplessness in adults. We aimed to explore the association between direct exposure to visible mold or wetness at home and also sleep problems in children.