It is not aesthetically pleasing, smells bad and if you don’t take care of him quickly he’ll take over the whole house. We examined how to detect mold and treat it so that it does not return.
To date, science has identified about 100 thousand different types of mold. Many of them are in the service of people – to fertilizing, industry, and, of course, Medicine (indoor of the antibiotic in the mold, for example). Nevertheless, mold inside the house is in a bad row: it does not look good and smells bad, can damage the integrity of the structure, and significantly lower its value. Even worse, in some cases, mold is harmful to health and may even lead to death.
“A number of reasons can cause mold formation,” says Mathew Dean, a mold treatment specialist. “For example, poor ventilation of the structure or room, too small a window in the bath, poor insulation of the walls, and accumulation of liquid in enclosed spaces that do not allow them to evaporate.”
Tenants say that they encountered cases when mold was formed as a result of the previous work of a professional in the apartment. For example, Vera, a resident of Poxipsi, NY, says that after a leak in one of the pipes in the house, a plumber was ordered. “The problem for which we called it was corrected. It is a pity that we were not aware that after the treatment, a small hole was made in one of the other pipes. We noticed this only when the fungus has already spread inside the kitchen cabinets. At first, I tried to master the matter with bleach, but it did not stop. The smell was terrible and terrible – but what really scared me is the impact on children’s health.
In the end, the plumber took responsibility and carried away the costs of treatment. “My conclusion from this story is that it is important to invite a professional from a company that can be trusted and that one should not neglect something that looks toddler and easy to care for like mold,” adds Vera.
Mold, mold on the wall
According to Matthew, ” we are in early autumn-which is the beginning of the mold season. In many homes, the insulation is not optimal, which causes in the rainy seasons the formation of’ cold bridges ‘ on the walls and windows – in areas where heat and cold meet, moisture condenses and mold concentrations are formed on them.”
He further says that ” this is a serious problem in homes with poor insulation, and there are quite a few of them in the country. To reduce the risk of mold formation on the walls in the coming months, coloring with a special anti-mold material is recommended. It can be found in hardware stores and painted alone. Nevertheless, there is nothing like the work of a professional who specializes in treating mold: he will do professional work, help with problematic walls that mold returns to, and of course will also give responsibility for the work.
Be that as it may, the treatment of a visible concentration of mold is relatively simple. Mathew recommends scrubbing with water with a little bleach or another detergent. But what to do if the mold stains simply appear out of thin air on the upholstery, shoes, and clothes, and repeat the day after you have removed them? “In most cases, the repeated appearance of mold stains indicates a greater concentration, the location of which in the house is still hidden from your eyes,” explains Matityahu.
According to him, “the concentration propagates spores through insects, animals or even through the air, and those settle on surfaces that provide them with the necessary conditions for existence such as upholstery, fabrics, furniture, etc.”. To solve the problem, it is necessary to find the concentration of mold from which the spores come out and remove it. According to Matityahu, the concentration is likely to be hidden in one or more of the following places:
Bathroom: mainly in the shower or shower area, the ceiling above them, or in the folds of the curtain.
Sinks and drain openings: mold can develop in dirty sinks where food remains, in the drain openings, or under the sink.
Food: look for old food items, inside or outside the refrigerator, and throw them into the trash.
Cabinets and furniture: inside them, behind or under them-especially if they are old and made of wood.
Curtains, Kerim and upholstery: look in the folds, under or inside the fabrics, and also at points not exposed to sunlight.
Mattresses: if you have not made the mattress or ventilated it lately, you may be expecting a not so pleasant surprise.
Air conditioner: mold can develop inside the air conditioner, in the outer unit as the inner. Many times turning on an air conditioner with mold spreads the spores around the House.
Roof or attic: poor waterproofing may cause mold formation on the roof, inside the attic or even inside the walls.
Near the house: on the windowsill, on the tree near the entrance and especially near the accumulations of standing water (puddles, under a leaky pipe, etc.).
Books, CDs and other items: between or inside items you have not moved for a long time, especially if they are in dark and damp areas in the House.
Walls: often mold will have a white color, so it is recommended to examine the walls thoroughly. Also, sometimes the mold will grow under the paint layer (this case can be identified by color peelings).
Get rid of the mold for good
It is very important to find all the concentrations of mold in the house, otherwise, you will not get rid of the problem. Have you checked thoroughly and the mold came back? In such a case there is no escape and it is worth renting the services of a specialist. Having found the concentration of mold, you can thoroughly treat the problem, depending on the location of the concentrate, and the factor that led to its formation.
If the mold is located in a relatively accessible place (wall, piece of furniture, etc.), it can be easily removed using detergents or special materials for removing mold. It is recommended to clean a few centimeters beyond the boundaries of the mold stain, and even lightly sand the surface with sandpaper. Remember to use gloves and be careful of the contact of detergents with the skin.
You can also use the services of a cleaning company or mold removal specialists, who will save you time and conduct a particularly thorough cleaning. You will be surprised to hear, but the cost of renting a cleaning company will not be much higher than that of an assistant. However, it is likely that work performed by more than one person with the help of advanced equipment and equipment will be elementary and faster.
If the concentrate is found on curtains, fabrics, textiles, pillows, or mattresses – remove the mold with detergents, wash the items if possible and take them out to the sun for a while. By the way, if the mold stain is too difficult to clean, it’s time to get rid of old objects.
If you have found mold in the drain or pipeline, inside the air conditioner, or due to poor sealing, this is a more complex problem and you will probably need the help of a professional. The plumber will help you to remove mold from areas related to the pipeline, and also will prevent their return by correcting the problem that caused its formation (clogging opening, liquid fixing, etc.). Call an air conditioner technician to reach and remove mold formed inside the air conditioner, and to a roof, sealant specialist to treat the mold formed due to poor sealing.
And most importantly? To prevent the mold from forming, it is important to ventilate the house and let sunlight get inside.