How Mold Grows – A Brief Guide
Experiencing a mold infestation in your home can be one of the most annoying things to deal with. Quick action needs to be taken to stop the mold from growing and spreading further. Understanding mold and how mold grows in your home is important if you want to prevent it from growing.
If you already have a mold problem – you should act quickly as it damages what it grows on. The longer it grows, the more harmful it can beIn this article, we will guide and provide you with information about how mold grows and how can you stop it.
What is mold?
Mold is a general name given to a kind of fungus that can live and grow anywhere there is moisture or humidity, oxygen, and some organic matter to feed on. They can grow on food, plants, dead and fallen trees and leaves, and almost all other organic material.
Molds are needed in nature to break down all dead organic material. They help decompose plant debris like wood and leaves. Mold becomes an issue when it starts growing and spreading indoors. Mold can spread onto materials inside your home and can cause severe damage if left uncontrolled.
How does mold grow and spread?
Molds spread and reproduce by producing small, tiny spores. These spores are almost invisible to the naked eye and are in the air around us at all times. When these spores land on wet or moist areas, they grow into mold. There are so many different species of mold, but almost all of them require water to grow.
In homes, leakages, high humidity, and other water damage present mold the perfect places to thrive in. Molds love high humid, damp and dark environments, and homes, especially basements and attics, provide these ideal places to molds.
What does mold need to grow?
Molds don’t require a lot to form and grow. Moisture, a nutrient source, and some time and place are all they need to thrive, which is why mold is a common problem in most homes.
Where does mold grow in homes?
Mold can be found growing on any organic material. In homes, the most common places to see mold growth are the basement or the bathroom, places that are most prone to moisture. They can grow on different surfaces and materials in your homes like wooden surfaces, carpets, wallpapers, insulations, and paint.
Roofing material, furniture, clothes, inside or in between walls, under carpets, and the flooring are some places where mold growth is found commonly. Mold can’t digest inorganic material like glass, metal, or cement but can be found growing on the dust, dirt, or other organic material that might have accumulated on them.
Is mold harmful to your health?
The mold spores that travel through the air searching for new organic material to feed on can cause various adverse health effects in humans, or they may have no effect at all! Some people are more sensitive towards mold than others.
Some molds produce allergens, which are substances that can cause allergic reactions. Some molds produce irritants. And some molds can produce very harmful substances called mycotoxins. All these can cause reactions like coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, eye and skin irritations, and much more. People who are more sensitive towards mold could experience severe reactions like asthma attacks and fevers. Toxic molds that produce mycotoxins are especially dangerous as they can cause acute poisoning or other long-term effects like cancer or immune deficiency.
All these health issues caused by mold are why it is very important to take proper precautions and wear protection when working with or being around mold. Safety glasses, protective gloves, and breathing masks are vital to keeping you safe from the adverse effects of mold.
How can you tell if you have mold in your house?
The first sign of mold in homes is usually a musty or earthy odor. People who are sensitive towards mold or have allergies can also start experiencing symptoms before seeing any other signs of mold. You can detect visible mold growth by looking in usually damp or moist areas of the home or a place where you might have previously experienced some kind of water damage. Look out for discolored materials or surfaces in your home. Peeling paint can also be a sign of mold.
Should you clean up mold yourself?
You can clean and remove small mold infestations easily yourself. When you don’t know what type of mold it is and if it is harmful or not. Or, when the mold has spread over a large area, you need to hire professional mold remediation services like ours at 911 Restoration of Nashville.
To clean mold yourself, you need to make sure you are wearing proper protective clothing. Then you need to stop the mold from spreading further into other areas of the home. After you have found the source of moisture in the particular area and fixed it, you need to dry the affected area. Finally, to clean up the mold, you just need to scrub a mixture of different detergents people usually have in homes to remove the mold.
911 Restoration of Nashville
If your home has a mold infestation, don’t wait and call 911 Restoration of Nashville now at (931) 223-1575! Our team of IICRC certified, and professionally trained experts will be at your doorstep in just 45 minutes of your call. Our team works closely with each customer to ensure their residential or commercial property is fully restored and prevent potential future problems.
