Mold can be a real pain to deal with. It discolors drywall, leaves dark patches on paneling, and rots wood all over the house. It also gives off a foul odor. If left unchecked, exposure to mold can be hazardous to your health, causing severe upper respiratory problems. Because of this, it’s essential to act quickly. If you’re having a mold problem in your home, keep reading! Here is what causes mold and what you can do about it.
What Causes Mold Growth in Homes?
In order for mold to grow it needs moisture. Even though Salt Lake City is known for being dry, there are still common circumstances that allow mold to thrive even in the desert climate of Utah. Here are a few of the most common circumstances:
Leaking Roof
It’s difficult to detect a leaky roof before it causes damage. This means that mold will have ample time to thrive before you even consider calling a roofer. While repairing the roof leak can prevent further damage, you’ll still have to hire a professional mold removal expert to eliminate the mold spores.
Bathrooms With Poor Ventilation
Humidity is produced by almost all human activities. Moisture from your breath is carried into the air. Turning the faucet on raises the room’s humidity. Showering can quickly steam up small areas. All this moisture creates an ideal condition for mold to flourish on nearly every surface.
Too Much Insulation
There is such a thing as having excessive insulation in your house. If this is the case, moisture cannot leave through the walls, and air cannot flow outside. Worse, the insulation retains heat together with humidity, providing the ideal environment for mold to develop.
Flood and Other Natural Disasters
Excess dampness and stagnant water lead to mold development in homes after extreme weather events, like hurricanes and floods. Many of your home’s building materials may remain wet long enough for mold to develop unless you take prompt and extensive actions to clean and dry your home.
Leaky Pipes
Leaky pipes can occur anywhere in your home, and the damage might be difficult to pinpoint when it is minimal. You may not notice a leak until it’s already caused significant damage. When there’s a pipe leak, it’s common for mold to form within the walls. Once the mold has begun to grow, it has the potential to spread into the drywall and wood beams. Ice makers and water dispensers on your fridge are common sources of water leaks that can go unseen and unnoticed until mold becomes a serious problem.
Excessive Condensation
When heated air hits a cool surface, condensation happens. It can happen in any space in the house, such as in refrigerators with ice makers or water dispensers. Condensation can cause puddles of water to seep into materials, resulting in long-term damp patches. These areas are a breeding ground for mold. Condensation should be kept under control wherever possible. Crack windows open to let moisture out, use fans to circulate the air within your home, and invest in weather stripping to keep chilly drafts at bay.
Hidden Mold
Mold can grow in spots where you can’t see it, such as vents and crawl spaces or under tiles, wallpaper, or paneling. To avoid severe damage, you need to remove it as soon as possible. You could have an emerging mold problem if you’ve observed warped walls, cracking plaster or peeling paint, new breaks in your tile that grow deeper, or fissures in the grout. In contrast, a lingering musty smell in a well-kept home is the clearest indicator of hidden mold growth and should never be ignored. Keep in mind that early detection will save you from a world of grief and a bite out of your wallet.
Why Should You Be Aware of Mold?
Mold is potentially damaging to your property and your health. Here are some of the reasons you should be concerned about mold.
Mold Can Quickly Cause Serious Damage to Your Home
Mold tends to spread far too swiftly. Mold will proliferate unless the cause of humidity is removed immediately and will wreak havoc on your home. Its microscopic airborne spores are blown by the wind and can harm building materials and your belongings. Your living space will be contaminated before you know it, and the devastation will worsen with each passing day. As a result, mold removal will be a time-consuming and challenging task, as well as an expensive one, because significant and costly restorations will be needed to fix all damaged items and return your property to its original condition.
Mold Causes Health Risks
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), humid and moldy surroundings can have a range of health consequences. Mold sensitivity affects some people. For them, mold exposure can lead to symptoms such as a blocked nose, sneezing, and red or irritated eyes or skin. Mold allergy sufferers and asthmatics may have more severe reactions. This has been backed by a 2014 study conducted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The study found that indoor mold exposure was linked to upper respiratory problems, coughing, and wheezing in otherwise healthy adults.
Professional Mold Removal in Salt Lake City, Utah
Mold tends to spread far too swiftly. Its microscopic airborne spores are blown by the wind and can harm building materials and your belongings. Unless the cause of humidity is removed immediately mold will proliferate and wreak havoc on your home. Your living space will be contaminated before you know it, and the devastation will worsen with each passing day. As a result, mold removal will be a time-consuming and challenging task, as well as an expensive one, because significant and costly restorations will be needed to fix all damaged items and return your property to its original condition.
Contact us at Complete Restoration today to learn more about mold removal in Salt Lake City, Utah.
