Mold

What is Mold?

Mold is a fungus that grows on organic matter, such as wood and paper. You can find mold nearly anywhere. The spores themselves are microscopic, but they can be seen when they grow into colonies of mold on your walls or floors. It’s easy to spot mold when you see its signature green or black coloration, but if you’re not sure what you’re looking at or where it came from, call CIS Restoration right away so we can help identify it and do a complete mold removal before it spreads any further.

Why is Mold a problem?

Protocols for mold removal have been around as early as the bible. That’s how long mold has been known to be an issue. But what exactly makes mold a problem?

It may not present a major problem at first, but when left untreated, mold can begin to spread, eating away at materials and cause serious damage to your property. Even worse, it could be dangerous to your health! Mold is a living thing and its only two skills are to eat and procreate. This means that it will naturally continue to spread if left to its own devices. That’s why it’s important to catch the problem early before it gets out of control.

Health Risks of Mold Exposure

Mold can cause health problems to anyone, but most common ones are allergies, eye infections, and respiratory issues. Some medical conditions may be worsened due to exposure to mold; especially people with asthma or allergies. Mold itself produces allergens, irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). This can cause responses including hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis).

Proper mold removal is necessary to keep you and your loved ones safe from its affects.

How to prevent Mold

Mold needs two things to grow, moisture and organic material to eat. While you cant do much about the organic material, moisture can be controlled. Some events that may cause mold to rapidly grow are floods and leaks. The sudden increase in moisture creates a breeding ground for mold. Substances that are carried in by the water itself can bring organic material to feed mold. This is especially true of sewage leaks.

Another scenario is that of a fire. When the fire department comes to extinguish a fire, the water that they use to fight the fire can cause just as much damage as the fire itself. The fire fighters quench all materials exposed to the fire to insure that no flames are left or can reignite.

What can you do?

The CDC recommends action be taken within 24-48 hours of water damage taking place. This means that any time that you have a leak a flood, or a fire, you should have the area dried out immediately. While towels and cleaning supplies may seem like a good enough solution, often times the water has seeped into the walls and the floors. This moisture can settle and be left undisturbed with no real means of escape. CIS Restoration has the equipment and skills to dry out your home or business efficiently, no matter where the water is. The quicker the moisture is removed, the less likely mold will have a chance to grow in the areas, seen and unseen.

Here are a few ways you can prevent mold

• Keep humidity levels in your home as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low.
• Be sure the air in your home flows freely. Use exhaust fans that vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.
• Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
• Clean bathrooms with mold-killing products.

You can find other recommendations from the CDC regarding mold here

Mold Remediation

The good news is that, even if you have mold, it can be removed. The CDC advises that “Mold can be removed from hard surfaces with household products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water.” While small areas can be “cleaned up” it may be indicative of a much bigger problem. A colony of mold may have already spread much further into hard to spot places. This includes the walls or underneath built-in furniture like cabinetry.

You should call a professional if you suspect that this may be the case. A pro will have the tools and knowledge to be able to remove the mold safely. Be sure that you hire someone who is certified. They will have a much deeper knowledge of how to remove the mold safely. In the case that substantial damage was done, it would be better for them to be a licensed contractor. That way, they can apply for the required permits to do the rebuild work. This insures that your home or commercial building is put back to how it was.

Do you think you have mold?

At CIS Restoration, we understand how to best take care of mold. We also recognize that mold can be a serious problem for your health, home, and even your wallet. That’s why we offer the best mold remediation services in the Tampa bay and St Pete areas. We work together with industrial hygienists to form the best plan of attack to complete the mold removal.

During the process, CIS Restoration creates a barrier to isolate the affected area and uses specialized machines to scrub the air as the mold is removed. This suctions and strips the air of any spores released in the process, preventing them from spreading onto other surfaces. Afterwards, our partners test to establish your homes clean bill of health. Don’t delay in calling us now. The sooner we can handle the mold removal the faster we can get your home safe or your business back up and running.

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