How did I get mold in my house and how can I get rid of it?

2/6/2014 (Permalink)

Mold commonly grows in places you can't see.

Have you ever heard that silly phrase, "There's a fungus among us?"  Well, when it's actually true it's really not silly.  Most of us don't realize it but mold is around us all of the time.  It's common and travels easily so it really isn't possible to completely eliminate it from our environment.   There are many different varieties of mold and typically it isn't harmful to your health.  However, sometimes it DOES become a problem and something needs to be done about it.  Most health issues occur when there are high concentrations of mold in the house.  Unfortunately mold spores are invisible and can be transported in various ways:  through heating and air ducts, open doors and windows, on pets and even on our shoes. 

·         Where does mold lurk? 

 Mold thrives in warm, damp, humid places like bathrooms, basements, roofs, pipes, windows and anywhere flooding has occurred.  And those potted plants?  Yup, they add oxygen to our air but also, you guessed it, mold.  The "yuck factor" is  mold can grow in all kinds of environments:  wood, wood products, paper, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, drywall, cardboard, carpets, upholstery, paint, insulation and even dust!  Yeah, pretty much everything in your home! 

·         How do you find it?   Usually mold can be found by either smelling its musty odor or finding spots of any color.  We've even seen mushrooms growing on drywall!  Once mold can be identified by sight or smell, its concentration may be high enough to present a health hazard.  That's when something needs to be done.  It's called mold remediation and it's something SERVPRO of Lee's Summit and SERVPRO of Raytown/East Kansas City specializes in. 

To prevent mold from showing up uninvited to your house, make sure you properly ventilate those warm, damp, and humid environments.