Understanding the Differences Between Mold and Mildew: Why Professional Mold Remediation Should be Your First Step

The humid weather conditions of areas like Palm Springs, CA can create prime environments for mold and mildew issues. When moisture gets into the walls of your home – whether from a storm, sewage back-up, or an appliance that’s caused flooding – it creates an opportunity for mold and mildew growth to occur.

Once discovered, mold needs to be removed from your home as quickly as possible to avoid further spread, damage, and potential health consequences. While it might be tempting to try to handle mold remediation on your own, you should always seek professional help to safely and properly remove mold from your home and avoid future problems.

What is Mildew?

Often the phrases mold and mildew are used interchangeably, but there is a key difference. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mildew refers to certain types of mold or fungus. Or even just the early stages of mold growth. It is often used as a generic term to refer to mold that grows flatly, whereas other mold expands outwards.

Mildew often grows on living plants or other organic matter like wood, paper, or leather. It especially thrives in high moisture conditions, like a shower wall or windowsill, and appears white.

Since mildew is mold, it’s important to understand exactly what mold is, how it affects your home and health, and when to seek professional mold remediation.

What is Mold?

Every mold problem starts with water and oxygen, meaning mold can be found almost anywhere, especially in your home. According to the EPA, Molds are Fungi that play an important role in nature, breaking down dead organic matter like fallen leaves, dead trees and other debris.

While there are many types of molds (like mildew!), they all require moisture to grow. Or in the case of your home, anywhere moisture gets trapped like wood, drywall, or tiling.

Mold starts growing on damp surfaces within just 24-48 hours, even if the spores themselves may not be visible for weeks after. When visible, mold appears as slightly fuzzy, discolored, or slimy patches that will continue to spread and increase in size, accompanied by a musty odor that causes respiratory symptoms.

What is the Difference Between Mold and Mildew?

Since mildew is a type of mold, there really isn’t a difference in terms of understanding that they’re both fungi. And in either case, you should seek professional mold remediation to ensure the problem doesn’t spread farther in your home.

However there are a few key differences in distinguishing between mildew and other types of molds:

• Mildew appears as a white, almost powdery substance while other molds appear in shades of black, blue, red, and green.
• Mildew grows on surfaces that are visible, while mold can develop anywhere (behind walls, under carpeting and flooring, etc.).
• Both give off a similarly musty odor.
• Since mildew is an early stage of mold, it doesn’t pose the same health risks, but prolonged exposure can cause allergic reactions and respiratory issues.

Mold Health Risks

Mold can aggravate existing respiratory conditions and health problems while causing adverse health effects even with short periods of exposure. Certain segments of the population, such as children, the elderly, and immuno-compromised individuals, are particularly at risk of developing serious health issues, including:

• Sneezing, runny nose, congestion, and/or sinus inflammation
• Coughing and sore throat
• Aggravation of asthma and respiratory conditions

If you, your family, or occupants in the building are suffering from these conditions, toxigenic mold may be the culprit. In any case, professional mold remediation is the only way to reduce your risk of further exposure and the likelihood of continued mold growth.

The Importance of Professional Mold Remediation

While you may be tempted to try to handle a mold problem on your own, the EPA suggests anything larger than 3 feet by 3 feet patches should be left to professionals. And while DIY methods can provide temporary relief, they often fail to address the root cause of mold growth.

At Flood Response, our IICRC-trained and certified technicians identify the origin point of mold, and begin the remediation process.

Mold needs to be removed in a particular way. Specialized equipment ensures occupant safety and prevents further spread throughout the contaminated area. Additionally, larger outbreaks are often indicative of more serious water damage issues in your home that need to be addressed.

The Flood Response Mold Remediation Process

Our process for mold removal starts with a thorough visual inspection. Once we have located the mold, we can immediately begin using industry-standard treatments to target both the mold growing on your home’s surfaces and any spores released into the air:

1. Containing the affected areas to prevent further mold spread.
2. Safely removing mold from all affected surfaces, without contaminating air quality or contaminating other areas of the structure.
3. Identifying and addressing any root causes of mold growth.
4. Preventing future mold growth through moisture control measures and repairing any damaged areas (roof leaks, flood risk areas, etc.).

Flood Response mold remediation services also include odor treatments, replacing affected carpets, foam, or sub-flooring, cleaning your air ducts to help remove spores, and cleaning and sealing any tiles.

How to Prevent Mold Growth

Sometimes disaster strikes, and severe water damage from a flash flood or appliance leak can eventually lead to a mold outbreak. But there are smaller steps you can take in your home to ensure your risk for mold stays low, including:

• Keeping your home dry in general; don’t allow water build up anywhere, including shower walls or wet clothes in the washing machine.
• Use mold-killing cleaning products on shower curtains and bathroom tiles regularly.
• Be mindful of indoor plants and the mold that can grow in soil.
• Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom to limit moisture in the air.
• Act quickly and fix any leaks when you notice them.
• Keep basements and garage areas well-ventilated and consider utilizing dehumidifiers in hot or humid seasons.

Make Your First Response, Flood Response Whenever Disaster Strikes.

Mold and mildew growth are fairly common issues that any homeowner may face. The real issues happen when mold grows and spreads uninterrupted, which poses serious structural damage and substantial health risks with long-term exposure.

Make sure a small mold occurrence doesn’t become a full-blown outbreak with long reaching consequences. Always call a professional for mold remediation services. We not only safely remove the mold, but address the root cause of the problem and prevent more issues down the road.

Home disasters can be scary and overwhelming, but you don’t need to face the unknown alone. At Flood Response Restoration Services, our IICRC-trained and certified technicians, experienced licensed general contractors, and property restoration experts will arrive quickly to begin emergency water extraction, mold removal, or fire restoration services.

For over 20 years, we’ve helped families and business owners in the Coachella Valley area take the right steps to restore their properties and rebuild their lives in the face of disaster. Are you looking for a reliable, full-service disaster recovery service in the Coachella Valley or the surrounding area? Contact Flood Response today!