5 Easy Steps To Follow When You Encounter Mold In Your Home

Discovering mold in a home can lead to serious health issues. Mold is a form of fungus that can grow anywhere, both indoors and outdoors. Mold can grow fast and can spread quickly within 1-2 days.

 Typically, mold can develop in a wet moist environment underneath floors and behind walls. Some types of mold can cause various health problems such as chronic fatigue, eye irritation, persistent coughing and sneezing, rashes, and recurring headaches, to name a few. Luckily, thanks to mold removal waco services, if anyone detects mold, there are easy steps to follow

Step #1

First and foremost, when an individual encounters mold, it is essential to address the issue as soon as possible by discovering where the moist area is. Mold can grow behind, on the corner of and almost anywhere on walls. The main reason how and why mold usually develops is because of moisture. Understanding the location of the moisture and the possibilities of how the mold enters a home are vital.

Step #2

Before reaching out to mold removal waco services, be sure to gather documentation by taking photos, recording videos, and even taking notes in writing of the location. Mold removal and inspection services will rely heavily on gathering documentation, which will help with creating a mold remediation protocol plan.

The remediation protocol plan is used to determine when to start the mold removal process, how long the process should take, who will work on the task, and possible testing, among others. Depending on the severity of how much mold is in the home, homeowners may have to relocate.

Step #3

There are various types of indoor mold, such as Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Penicillium. Different mold will occur in different areas. For example, Alternaria may occur underneath leaky sinks or in the shower, while Cladosporium occurs in either warm and cold regions. It is essential to know what type of mold is in a home and how much.

 Knowing which type of mold and how much will help with how mold removal and inspection services approach the problem. Each state and city has requirements and guidelines on how to approach a mold problem. The main objective when it comes to removing mold is to get rid of it quickly before it spreads.

Step #4

The fourth step is remediation, which consists of cleaning and removing found mold and stopping potential mold growth. Knowing which mold type and the amount will determine whether a homeowner should follow remediation levels 1 or 2 guidelines. Level 1 remediation is commonly used for smaller areas, while level 2 is more for larger spaces. The removal and cleaning process is the same for both levels. Below are the following steps during the removal process:

1 – Detect the moisture source and fix the water problem.

2 – Once the contaminated area is detected, be sure to close all windows and doors around the area.

3 – Use dust suppression methods in the infected area.

4 – Get rid of any materials affected by mold.

5 – Be sure to place each wet material in a plastic bag.

6 – Clean the affected area.

7 – Perform visibility testing.

8 – Dry the area and replace the materials.

Step #5

The final step is to make sure that the mold was successfully removed. Observing the area that was contaminated and checking for any spots of mold should help. Also, homeowners should check for any possible odor as well.