May
20114:01 am
6 Useful Tips For Mold Detection In Your Home
As you are possibly aware mold is a incredibly small living organism. You have most likely come across it on some forgotten bread or something lurking at the back of the refrigerator! However, this member of the fungi family will not just grow on rotten food. It produces spores which become air borne and will quite happily settle and germinate on a lot of different surfaces particularly if they are made of cellulose so, every day materials like timber, natural fabrics like cotton, wool, leather, paper and cardboard.
The biggest cause of mold growth in properties is increased levels of moisture caused by leaking water which has gone un-noticed or elevated humidity due to lack of ventilation. The obvious places for mold to appear are the areas of the property which are most likely to be damp, for example the kitchen and bathroom, basements and crawl space/attic are also common areas associated with mold issues (mold will grow in glass fibre insulation.)
In many instances mold growing in your property is pretty harmless, whilst it may cause some irritation for example itchy eyes and is most certainly not ideal for those already suffering from respiratory related illness for example asthma, it will do no real harm. However, there are other types of mold which are extremely toxic and damaging to human health. For this reason, early mold detection and eradication in your home is vital.
MOLD DETECTION - it sounds very complicated and expensive! The truth is that it does not need to be. You may engage a mold inspector and in certain scenarios this may be the only option, and this will cost you some hard earned cash but, it is possible to do it yourself. How? Purely by staying vigilant!
1. Looking For Mold:-
Mold will bloom in a number of different colors, such as black, green, grey or white. Mold is often described as having a “furry” appearance and will frequently show up in patches for example on external walls, or in the grouting of tiles, on clothing or in closets – i.e. areas which are or have been damp/wet. Regular mold detection inspections can in many cases uncover any problem before it becomes a major issue.
2. Thorough Basement/Attic Inspection:-
These are places we infrequently enter – usually only to put items we no longer want. Making them an ideal growing spot for mold because of leaks or seepage of water which has gone undetected. Therefore, these areas must be checked regularly as part of your mold detection regime. Checking for leaks/damp areas as well as established areas of mold should be a priority especially before the onset of winter.
3. Unpleasant Odour:-
Mold gives off a distinct “musty” odour as it eats into the surface on which it is growing. So, whilst mold may not be visible, if, a room or area of your home smalls musty or earthy and generally unpleasant it is undoubtedly time to undertake some serious mold detection work. Check out, under carpets, behind pictures on walls, behind furniture, behind wallpaper (which if damp will probably be peeling at the edges anyway) behind baseboards etc. All of these areas can have hidden possibly toxic mold growing.
4. Hidden Mold:-
Regardless whether you carry out extensive mold detection searches it is possible that there may be unseen microscopic mold in your dwelling. Tell tale signs indicating that this may be the case might include frequent problems with a blocked nose and irritation in the throat and the eyes. This kind of mold is often labelled as the most toxic. Particularly, as the only clues to its presence are frequently the physical symptoms it causes and the “musty” odour it gives off. In such an instance it really is a job for professionals.
5. Mold Detection Kits:-
These kits are available in a number of forms and for varied purposes. You can buy kits which merely detect the presence of mold, alternatively others will allow you determine the strain of mold, whilst there are others which allow you to check the air quality within your dwelling. In some of cases you can obtain results from these mold detection kits within days or perhaps hours. For others however, you will have to package them up and post them off to a laboratory for analysis – probably at additional cost.
6. Mold Detection By Hiring A Mold Inspector:-
As I mentioned before in some instances there is no option other than to leave mold detection to the professionals, especially where you have not been able to detect mold growth in your own search. A mold inspector should have the knowledge to uncover hidden mold and will have the necessary kit to carry out the testing as needed.
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