Mold exists everywhere, inside and outside your home. In small amounts, mold spores pose no threat to indoor or outdoor air quality. But in a home where stagnant moisture collects, mold can thrive, growing large colonies in hard-to-see places like cracks around windows or the insulation in your walls.
Mold growths can be difficult, if not impossible, to detect before they cause staining on your home’s interior surfaces and present a serious threat to your home’s indoor air quality. When these growths develop, you will likely need to hire professional mold contractors who can properly remove mold and restore damaged surfaces.
Worried you have a mold problem in your home? Here’s how to identify a mold issue and a breakdown of the typical mold remediation process.
When Should You Call a Mold Specialist?
If you notice visible mold growth in your home, including staining on or behind walls, this is often a strong indication of the presence of mold. The most noticeable sign of a mold problem will be a powerful, musty odor that the mold spores emit. If you notice a new, musty smell in part of your home, it may signal the presence of mold that has not yet caused visible damage. You might also experience breathing problems caused by mold spores in the air, including sneezing, coughing, wheezing, headaches, a runny nose or eye irritation.
While a strong odor may be concerning, it also gives you the opportunity to call in a mold specialist to address the problem before more damage can occur. Keep in mind that mold thrives in humidity, so high indoor humidity or water leaks are almost always present wherever mold is found. If your home regularly has high levels of humidity, be extra alert for signs of mold.
Home Mold Removal: A Five-Step Process
When you contact a Charlotte mold removal service, the company will likely approach your home’s mold problem through the following five-step process:
- Assess for mold damage in your home. This includes a survey of the home for any visible signs of mold. Mold specialists can also use in-home technologies to identify mold that may be hidden from view, such as behind your walls. This technology can also identify hidden sources of water that may be entering your home and fostering an environment where mold is able to thrive.
- Containment of the mold colony. The longer mold grows unabated, the harder it becomes to fully remove. Larger growths lead to more damage, faster. Specialists can administer containment procedures, which may include physical barriers and/or negative air pressure, to contain mold spores and isolate the problem. Once contained, remediation steps can be undertaken with less risk of mold spreading to other parts of your home.
- Mold removal. In this step, mold and materials contaminated with the mold, are carefully removed from your home. This may include the removal of interior surfaces like drywall, paneling, laminate, and carpet. Removal is often required because the mold spores cannot be reliably cleaned from these surfaces—or the materials may be too damaged to repair.
- Mold cleaning. Once the mold colony is removed, remaining surfaces are cleaned to eliminate any remnants, including mold spores, that could cause a new mold outbreak in the future. Surfaces in your home such as baseboard trim, windows, drapes, furniture, and decor may all be cleaned to eliminate any mold spores that may be present. Air filtration may also be used to pull mold spores out of the indoor air.
- Repair and restoration. Once mold abatement is complete, any water leaks in your home will be fixed, and finishing surfaces and other materials will be replaced to make your home look as good as new.
How Do I Find Mold Removal Services Near Me?
If you’re looking for services that offer mold removal in Charlotte, NC, you can start by asking friends, family, and neighbors if they have a service provider they recommend. You can also do an online search and read reviews of local service providers to find the best mold repair and restoration service for your home.
Mold removal services are common in climates that experience high humidity at least seasonally. Mold remediation in Charlotte, NC is a common service to address mold growths that develop during peak periods of humidity. Keep in mind that mold growths can develop at any time of the year.
When left unaddressed, mold growths can be a threat to the materials used to build your home and a potential health risk for anyone inhaling mold spores over a prolonged period. If you suspect mold in your home, don’t delay an assessment. If mold really has developed, a fast response will benefit your home and your health.