Black Mold Removal

Proper black mold removal would prevent the thousands of people who suffer from black mold poisoning from experiencing symptoms. Many people call the fungus substance mildew or simply mold. It appears as a powdery substance on furniture, walls, ceilings, clothing, heating and air systems and floors and spreads on surfaces that are moist or humid. A sure sign there is mold growing in your home is a yellowish, brownish or greenish stain on walls and other surfaces.  You might also detect a musky odor where mold is present.

Sometimes, black mold removal becomes necessary because people living in its presence begin to develop certain respiratory symptoms. They may have trouble breathing or experience other allergic reactions in response to the mold. Asthmatics are especially susceptible, since their breathing mechanism is already compromised. Black mold also creates a danger for the nervous system.

It is not the mold itself that is so poisonous. The Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that mold develops over time are what make the presence of mold a danger to humans and pets. Mold grows by “feeding” on whatever surface it attaches to. It degrades the surface of furniture, walls and other “feeding” areas and then VOCs form. The VOCs are emitted as gases and completely destroy indoor air quality. VOCs also trigger what is known as sick building syndrome (SBS), which describes situations when people in the same building begin to have acute health issues that can be linked to the amount of time they all spend in that same building.

In addition to the symptoms already mentioned, black mold poisoning may be happening when you experience these signs: coughs, headaches, red eyes, memory loss and a lack of concentration, rashes or hives on the skin, nausea, irregular blood pressures, strange reactions of internal organs, urinary tract infections and, in some extreme cases where exposure has happened for a long period of time, infertility. Black mold removal is necessary in order the stop the symptoms and allow the occupants of a home or office to live or work there safely, but first they must understand how to kill black mold.

The simple way to control mold in your home or office and avoid black mold removal is to control moisture. Dehumidifiers have been effective in both monitoring and controlling moisture inside of a house. The dehumidifier measures the pH levels in the house – a feat that your air conditioner cannot perform. The air conditioner unit only stops generating heat or cool air when it reaches a programmed level of heat. This has nothing to do with moisture.

You should also try to control leaks in the roof, broken plumbing, busted pipes, or any other kind of house leaks before you try to get rid of black mold. Otherwise, your efforts will be in vain. Fixing the source of the problem first prevents a recurrence of mold somewhere in the future. Air ducts in the house that are connected to heating and air conditioning systems also pose a threat. Often, when doing an inspection of your home, you tend to skip this part of the house. Even home owners who remember to check ventilation ducts cannot always detect a problem. It is important to hire a professional to minimize the damage to your house and your family.

Tiles and shower curtains also host black mold. Regular cleaning and removing items like curtains that have already shown signs of contamination helps eliminate the need for a full blown mold remediation project and keeps your black mold removal cost down. The market has become quite a bit more savvy about products that prevent mold, and now sells many things like anti-mold paints and cleaners to assist you in keeping mold at bay in addition to the many black mold removal products offered..

When you have determined that it will be necessary to do black mold remediation in your home (and you have resolved any moisture problems), it will be important to seal off the affected area so that mold spores do not spread. You should contain and clean one room at a time. Once mold spores become airborne, they can spread and grow in other areas of your house. Use plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal doors, vents and other openings that could help the mold spores travel. Dust levels should also be minimal to stop the spread of mold. An air purifier works well for this purpose.

Once you have secured the area and taken all precautions to contain the mold, it is time to start the process of black mold removal. If the affected mold area is dry, it will be important to add moisture in order to start cleaning. This stops the mold from becoming airborne and being inhaled.

Soap and other mold disinfectants should be used to kill the mold during removal. Alcohols, phenolics and quarternary ammonium compounds are popular choices. Non-porous materials like plastic, glass and metal can usually be cleaned safely and used. Some semi-porous materials can be cleaned and used as well. Porous material may cause a danger, depending on the amount of damage. If the mold has infested the material too much, it will be important to get rid of the material and replace it. The last thing you want is to spend all of the time and effort on a black mold removal project only to have it come back because you didn’t get the job done completely the first time.