Mold can be a silent intruder in many homes, especially in the humid conditions of Palm Springs, CA. A flash flood, a leaky pipe, or a backed-up fixture can allow moisture to seep into your home’s walls, carpeting, or subfloors, creating an ideal environment for mold to grow.
But mold growth is not always a result of water damage and can often go unnoticed for long periods of time. Recognizing when mold becomes a problem is crucial to maintaining a healthy living environment for you and your family.
What is Mold?
Every mold problem starts with water and oxygen , meaning mold can be found almost anywhere, like soil, plants, and any decaying matter. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (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 mold, they all require moisture to grow. Excessive moisture in structures can cause mold growth, especially on materials like wood, paper, carpet, foods, and insulation.
Within just a day or two, mold can start growing on a damp surface. However, if allowed to continue growing, the spores themselves may not be visible for another three weeks . 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.
When Does Mold Become a Problem?
Mold is a problem almost immediately, and if left unaddressed it will continue to grow and wreak havoc. Not only can this mold continue to damage structural materials over time, but it can make your home’s air quality dangerous.
Homes, commercial buildings, and offices can develop mold through long-term moisture buildup from poor ventilation and small leaks. It can also grow in any damp areas like bathrooms, basements, and even HVAC systems. Regularly inspecting these potentially risky areas for signs of mold growth goes a long way in preventing long term issues.
Mold can grow undetected for weeks, months, or even years. As soon as the mold is detected, it’s important to address both the mold and the cause of the mold, without putting yourself or your family at risk.
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 immunocompromised 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.
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 can conduct an air quality and mold detection test, identify the origin point of mold, and begin the remediation process.
Mold needs to be removed in a particular way, with specialized equipment, to ensure occupant safety and prevent 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:
- Containing the affected areas to prevent further mold spread.
- Safely removing mold from all affected surfaces, without contaminating air quality or contaminating other areas of the structure.
- Identifying and addressing any root causes of mold growth.
- 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 When Disaster Strikes
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
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