Preventing & Eliminating Mold
Preventing
The Center for Disease Control lists the following steps for preventing mold:
· Keep humidity levels as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
· Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months.
· Be sure the home has adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans.
· Add mold inhibitors to paints before application.
· Clean bathrooms with mold killing products.
· Do not carpet bathrooms and basements.
· Remove or replace previously soaked carpets and upholstery.
Eliminating
If you know where the mold source is and it is a manageable size, you can try eliminating it yourself. WebMD strongly advises that you wear and goggles while cleaning, never touching mold with your bare skin. Use soap and warm water. Some experts suggest using a bleach solution of 1 cup of bleach in one gallon of water. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area if you do use bleach and never mix it with any other chemicals.
If you don’t see the mold, or if the area is too large to handle the cleanup yourself or if you have strong allergic reactions to the mold, consult an expert. Remember, you don’t need to know what kind of mold it is in order to eliminate it. In fact, the CDC states that “since the susceptibility of individuals can vary greatly either because of the amount or type of mold, sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining your health risk. If you are susceptible to mold and mold is seen or smelled, there is a potential health risk; therefore, no matter what type of mold is present, you should arrange for its removal.”
Leaky pipes and poor ventilation cause mold. Fires inadvertantely cause mold also. The water from the hoses to put out the fire often gets trapped for extended periods of time, causing mold spores to form. Floods and water from hurricane and tornadoes can also lead to mold. If you have mold in your home or office, call RestoreCore today to learn more about our stringent mold removal and restoration process. We will start with identifying the scope of the removal and not stop till our clearance testing proves the space safe again!
