Did you know there’s a good chance you have mold growing somewhere in your home?
Research by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that 88% of homes had mold in a number of common sites. The most predominant locations? Windowsills, refrigerator seals, kitchen sinks and air vents. The study tested homes in seven different states, so this is a common problem, regardless of geography. However, the heat and humidity we experience here in Southwest Florida does mean that mold issues are even more common here than most other states. Mold growth is not only unsanitary, but it’s a hazard to your health. Mold can aggravate allergies and create breathing issues, especially for people with respiratory problems like asthma.
No one wants to find mold in their home, but everyone who does has the same reaction: how do I get rid of mold? Spectrum Cleaning & Restoration of Fort Myers, FL, your professional mold remediation specialists of Southwest Florida, have the answers.
Understanding Mold
The first step to winning any battle is understanding your enemy. In this case, you need to know some of the basics about mold. Here are some facts you need to know:
- Mold growth starts less than 48 hours after water leaks into your home.
- Mold occurs both indoors and outdoors.
- Mold spores are microscopic and float through the air. You can breath in the spores without ever realizing it. This is why it’s dangerous to simply start scrubbing at a mold spot you find on a wall. Scrubbing it can let those spores loose to become airborne, land somewhere else and start a whole new growth in another part of the house.
- Mold can enter your home through windows, doors and air vents, on clothes, pet hair and even on pests like insects and rodents.
- Mold can survive and thrive in any warm, moist environment. That’s why it is so important to dry out any area of your home that gets wet, as soon as you possibly can.
- Mold colonies can be hazardous to the health of anyone exposed to them, but are particularly dangerous for people with respiratory issues.
- Mold spores and colonies can aggravate the respiratory system, lower the immune system and irritate allergies.
- Mold can’t be treated until the water that caused it is completely removed and the area dried up.
- Mold has a strong odor that is often described as musty. Sometimes you can smell the musty smell and not see any mold, but if you do smell it, you should definitely have our technicians come in and find out where the smell is coming from. We can do that with our special moisture detecting devices that pick up what areas of wall, floor or ceiling are damp.
- Mold can’t just be wiped away with bleach. It will come back. We have special equipment and cleaning solutions that can eliminate mold altogether and keep it from coming back.
- Mold will reoccur if any moisture remains or if water damage reoccurs.
