Mold Removal: How to Prevent the Problem

The four-letter word that most homeowners dread to hear is—mold. Removal is necessary to ensure it doesn’t spread and cause further damage to your home or to your family. But what exactly is so terrible about a little bit of the green stuff? After all, we eat moldy cheese, moldy bread or fruit may look and smell off but touching it won’t hurt us, so why does mold in the house cause so much anguish? There are many reasons that mold removal is vital to protect both your family and your possessions.

Health
Although you may not notice now, a growing mold problem can eventually cause you or your family physical problems. The most commonly reported health-related problems include allergies with symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, stuffy nose, and sore throat. Some people may develop respiratory problems or feel headaches as well. If you or someone in your family seems to be suffering from these signs regularly for no other discernible reason, you may want to have a mold removal specialist visit your home.

Damage
Have you ever seen what mold can do to a piece of bread? Within days, a slice will turn from bright white to spotted, crumbling, and moist. Mildew and excess moisture can eat away at your home in the same way and can occur in multiple areas including tiles, wood, floors, ceilings—just about anywhere. Mold removal is necessary to prevent your home from the serious damage that can occur. Wooden beams can bow and crack, walls can rot through, and untreatable stains can bleed into carpeting and furniture. Much of this damage is irreversible once it reaches a certain level, so consider hiring a professional mold removal company before the situation gets out of hand.

Value
A home filled with mold is not exactly a great selling point. Most real estate agents won’t even consider marketing your property until you’ve handled the mold removal. People don’t want damaged goods and you can lose thousands and thousands of dollars by waiting to have the problem addressed. It is worth the money to hire a professional mold removal agency and have your home checked if you suspect a problem in order to maintain the value of your home investment.

So how do you prevent this terrible fate? To help you avoid costly removal, check your house for areas of excess moisture and try to address the problem. Faulty plumbing, such as leaky faucets or overflowing toilets can often be a big catalyst for the creation of mold. Check that your windows and doors are properly sealed so water can’t creep in. Humidity creates an ideal environment for mold as well, so ensure you have plenty of fans, dryers, and ventilation to keep the area circulating and the pull the heat out of warmer areas of your home. Keep your furniture, floors, and other areas of the home as dry as possible, attending to leaks or spills quickly to stop them from growing mold.