Handling mold issues in your home and air ducts
Outdoors, mold is relatively harmless. Indoors, mold growth should be discouraged and contained. Since mold reproduces by spores, it can create health problems in people who live in an environment where mold is allowed to grow. Spores easily become airborne, and can enter a human’s respiratory system during normal breathing. This is why many people experience seasonal allergies during high mold growth periods.
Mold in the bathroom
Mold thrives in dark, moist environments such as the bathroom shower. You may notice that the grout between the tiles gets dark when the shower isn’t cleaned often. This is actually mold growing on the grout itself.
Clean bathroom grout with a stiff brush and a strong detergent. A specially formulated mold killing detergent that contains a biocide should be used to eradicate the mold. After the grout is completely dry, consider filling in the tile with new grout. To prevent mold growth in the bathroom in the future, open windows after showering to allow fresh air to circulate, or install a fan over the shower stall.
Mold in the HVAC System
Another ideal location for mold growth is inside air ducts in your home. If you have central air conditioning, condensation can occur in the dark air ducts, creating the dark, moist environment mold can thrive on.
You should have your air ducts cleaned and get mold removal by an Atlanta mold remediation professional at least once a year, especially if you live in a climate where the central air conditioning is running most of the year. The HVAC technician will be able to access all the ducts, including areas that he can only get to with special tools. If you notice that the ducts need to be cleaned more than once annually, there may be too much condensation in the ducts. If so, you may need to consider a dehumidifier, which will take moisture out of the air, thereby creating a hostile environment for mold.
Mold behind the walls
Occasionally, a plumbing or roof leak may allow water to get behind the wallboard in your home. Since it’s behind the walls, you may not be aware of the leak until mold has had a chance to take hold. If you do any kind of construction inside the home and discover black mold growth behind the walls, don’t try to clean it yourself. Black mold, a specific species, is very dangerous to humans, and necessitates professional clean up services. Contact a certified professional to identify and take care of black mold mitigation inside your home.
The growth of mold in your home doesn’t mean you’re a poor housekeeper. Mold can grow anyplace where the conditions are right and the key is to take care of it as soon as possible.We can help with removing mold from your air ducts and HVAC system. Our company is NADCA and IICRC certified.
Contact us at Atlanta Air Experts today for more information.
