Pretty much if you live in Florida you are very aware of the existence of mold. It occurs in any home if there is excess humidity in an environment. It can easily grow on furniture, rugs, appliances, floors, drywall, and plaster walls. The problem is most of us think its an easy thing to clean up and take care of. Well, at Spectrum Cleaning & Restoration we can tell you from experience, it is not. Mold can create very serious damage to your home not only to the items inside your home but the overall structure of the dwelling and to your health and the health of the others in your home. When mold grows untreated on walls, floors, and foundations, it will, over time, cause that structure to weaken.  And the worst part is that by the time you see it growing it is a much more serious issues that attempting to clean it up yourself won't handle. If left uncontrolled for a long time, it will eventually rot the structure causing permanent and expensive destruction. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE FROM MOLD If you want to learn how mold causes structural damage to your home, then you are reading the right article. We have many years of on site experience helping homeowners with this issue in their homes. Our job is to continue to educate homeowners to help them avoid pitfalls by not dealing with these kinds of issues in their homes. Where does mold most frequently develop? Mold develops quick quickly on many building materials, especially during the construction phase, because there is so much uncontrolled moisture that can dampen the materials causing condensation, high humidity, and liquid flow. Here are some materials where mold easily grows:

• Wood
• Concrete
• Drywall
• Paper

What areas of my house are most susceptible to mold? Quite honestly, mold can grow almost anywhere on anything not treated or cleaned regularly. It is often found where there is a nearby source of moisture that feeds its growth. These are places like your bathroom, kitchen, and ceiling, in the case of any roof leaks. In your bathroom, mold grow on the ceiling, floors, walls, and even your toilet and bathtub. The reason is there is a high presence of heat and moisture in these rooms, which creates a high humidity level that is a perfect for breeding mold spores. Kitchens with poor plumbing, or poor insulation, and insufficient waterproofing or ventilation are also susceptible to mold growth due to moisture and humidity. Two common things we deal with all the time in Florida. Even newly built kitchens are prone to mold growth when the right conditions are in place. And like your bathroom and kitchen, your ceiling is also a common place where mold can grow, especially here in Florida during our rainy season. If your roof is damaged or has a leak, the moisture can seep into the structure from above and cause mold growth in your attic space as well. How serious mold damage, really? Mold can cause both serious damage to your home and to your health. Breathing in mold spores can cause a host of health issues. And mold looks disgusting, so it damages the aesthetic of your home, as well as causing your space to look untidy and unkept. And as it grows on walls, ceilings, concrete, and foundations, it will slowly destroy the materials until the material decays and causes huge expenses to repair. If you suspect mold don't hesitate, contact Spectrum Cleaning & Restoration. Can mold destroy my home? Simple answer is YES! Mold can eventually destroy a house and crumble it to pieces when it grows on the home's integral structural materials. It eats away the things such as insulation, carpeting, and paper backing dry wall and breaks it down into organic matter. However, responding quickly to a mold issue when you notice it growing can prevent serious damage and expense.