Safety Factors In DIY Black Mold Removal
Black mold is naturally something we want to steer clear from, and with good reason. Black mold is toxic and a lot of care is needed while handling to prevent further spreading the infestation. Unfortunately, the crawl space of our homes are very susceptible to moisture intrusion (unless they have been encapsulated!). This moisture intrusion is what gives way to rapid mold growth. The following tips will shed some light on how to properly get rid of black mold, however, the most safe and reliable way is to entrust the job to professionals that can remedy the situation completely and with the proper equipment.
First off, you will want to make sure that your body is completely covered during black mold removal. You will want to either wear a suit made from a material that is easily washable or regular clothing that will be disposed of once the job is complete. You need to cover all of the features of your face by wearing goggles and a respirator mask, as well as wear gloves. Another preparation you must make is to seal off adjacent rooms with plastic sheeting as to avoid spore contamination.
Once the spores have been removed from the wall or other food course they are feeding on, they need to be transferred to plastic bags and sealed completely shut. After carefully isolating the black mold spores to the bags, it is important to call your local professional to know where it is best to dispose of them. Another important variable to call a professional about is to determine whether or not the mold you are about to remove has reached so far into the surface of its current spot that the whole board or wall panel should be replaced!
A key to preventing black mold growth from recurring is to locate the source of moisture that was causing the infestation in the first place. The mold will be back and with the same tenacity as before if the source of moisture, whether it be a leak or simply high humidity, is not corrected.
If any step of the black mold removal process is taken too lightly or is compromised, your family could be put at risk for obtaining the health issues that come from breathing in the spores. Some signs of black mold affecting your family could present themselves in symptoms similar to those of the common cold and the flu virus; cough, runny nose, wheezing, itchy/runny eyes, sneezing, and sore throat. These symptoms could manifest into worse conditions and prove troublesome for the health of your family.
Your local crawl space encapsulation and repair professionals here at Barrier Waterproofing advise you to only approach a black mold removal project if you have the experience and proper equipment to do so. Otherwise, give us a call at (615) 257-1060 for a FREE evaluation of your mold growth problems and to identify how we can help.
