How Do Homeowners Know if Mold is Growing in Their House?

9/14/2020 (Permalink)

What's underneath your carpet? Mold? SERVPRO is trained to look for signs of mold damage.

The Most Common Reason to Enlist a Professional Mold Inspection is Musty Odors or Visible Mold on Surfaces. SERVPRO Helps Northhampton Residents to Discover and Remediate Mold.

Why is mold growing in my property?

The growth of mold can occur for a variety of reasons. If you notice unpleasant odors in some parts of the home, it is enough to justify a Northampton-based restoration firm's professional inspection. The causes of mold can be tough to pinpoint without mold remediation technicians entering the property. Sometimes, visible mold growth on walls can be an outward sign of infestation within wall spaces, attics, crawlspaces, or flooring. Microbes, like mold, grow in the presence of moisture. That means a mold issue is likely to result from insufficient insulation, the lack of an adequate vapor barrier, or a slow leak in your home's plumbing. SERVPRO has a roster of expert technicians ready to investigate a potential mold infestation.

Is it essential to act quickly after discovering mold?

You should consider a professional mold inspection of your Northampton home at the first signs of growth. Like most infestations, microbial organisms can spread relatively quickly. A mold colony starts life as a spore. These spores can contain many seeds which, in the right conditions, attach to surfaces through hyphae. Hyphae can be restricted to the surface level or penetrate porous materials. In the right conditions, molds can grow through materials, continuing to produce spores for further colony growth. We recommend that you contact a qualified restoration service who can assess the extent of damage by inspecting floorboards, baseboards, or ceiling cavities. SERVPRO technicians hold qualifications from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certifications (IICRC), which allows us to operate on properties with microbial growth infestations.

How do I discover mold in my home?

• Musty odors are familiar with most types of mold and could indicate an infestation
• Grey, green, or black mold colonies on walls, ceilings, or behind furniture and fittings
• A recent water damage issue could contribute to mold, so homeowners should be extra-vigilant in these situations
• Dampness should be investigated thoroughly for potential microbial activity 

Is it necessary to demo building materials with mold?

The prospect of removing building materials through demolition can be a worrying one for homeowners. We understand that there is much potential inconvenience associated with the noise and space usage of demolition. However, exposing hidden areas of a mold infestation in Northampton may only be possible with the controlled demolition of infested materials. Without inspecting the full extent of damage and the source of the issue, the chance of mold returning is relatively high. As a general rule, materials that are porous or semi-porous suffer adversely from microbial infestation. These materials may include drywall, insulation, sheetrock, or floorboards. In severe cases, the subfloor or building frame- which is usually made from wood- can require replacement. SERVPRO promises to act quickly on any necessary demolition of materials when working in your home.

How do molds spread?

• Airborne spores
• Through porous and semi-porous materials
• By traveling on footwear or clothing

Does demolition of moldy building materials increase the chances of spreading?

Mold spores can be as miniscule as 1 micron in size. The potential for spreading on clothing or becoming airborne is high, given that most remediation techniques involve agitative cleaning or demolition. SERVPRO technicians can set up a containment zone in your Northampton property to control the spread of molds. Usually, these containment areas use air-scrubbers, vacuums, negative air pressure, and impermeable sheeting to prevent potential spreading. Most vacuum remediation equipment uses high-efficiency particulate air-filters (HEPA) to capture airborne spores. Our technicians can set up decontamination rooms to wash clothing and other personal protective equipment to control the spreading further.

What materials are salvageable from mold?

• Certain fabrics can be machine washed using Esporta washing machines
• Non-porous or dense materials which only show surface-level infestation
• Mortar, tiles, or synthetic materials in the home generally respond well to restoration

Are the demolition and replacement of moldy materials expensive?

It is understandable for homeowners to think of mold remediation in terms of cost-efficiency. Our technicians operate on a restore rather than replace the basis. Before removing any materials, we factor in the expense and time associated with replacement. Many household building materials are inexpensive to replace. These materials include drywall or insulation. The best option for expensive materials like hardwood flooring is to clean and restore. We can use sand, pressure washing, or soda-blasting on the surface of the wood. Following that, our team can refinish and re-polish hardwoods to return them to a preloss condition following microbial growth. You can talk with a crew chief throughout restoration to get a full picture of the cost and time frame of remediation in your Northampton home.

Taking a pro-active approach to microbial infestation can help to recover and restore expensive material in the home. Contact SERVPRO of Hampshire County at (413) 324-1300 today.