Identifying Indoor Mold Problems

In Low Country, Mold grows best when it is left unattended.

Mold and mold spores are able to grow quickly in a home or office environment. Often mold starts to grow in areas that are difficult to get to, such as behind furniture, under a carpet, a wall in a corner of a basement or behind an appliance in hard to reach areas. In as little as 48 hours, mold can grow unattended in areas you can’t even see or have easy access to stop it from starting.

Molds are tiny microscopic organisms that can only grow indoors if four conditions are present. Namely, mold needs: moisture, nutrient resources, temperatures that support mold growth and darkness. If there is no water source, mold is unable to grow. This is the reason that once a water source has been removed, mold will not be able to continue to grow in an indoor area of a home or building. It is important to receive mold remediation quickly after a water damage or flood damage loss. And it is equally important to get the source of a leak repaired as soon as possible. Even if there is no standing or dripping water in a home, if there is a level of humidity that exceeds 50%, mold will maintain enough water from this resource and be able to grow in the home this way.
The nutrient is what mold needs to eat, and it can be any type of organic food matter, such as: drywall, wallpaper, tiles from a ceiling, wall plaster, insulation, wood or even carpeting fibers. The temperature that best sustains the growth of mold is anywhere between 40°F and 100°F, where it grows the fastest between 68°F and 86°F in dark conditions.

Although mold can be a major issue for a homeowner, the real problem is that there is an unidentified water leak in most cases, which needs to be addressed. On its own, mold does less damage than a leak of water to the walls, ceiling or flow areas of a home structure. Oftentimes, books, paper, newspaper, upholstery, and bedding can also be damaged by mold that is allowed to continue to grow in a home.

When throwing away items that have been damaged by mold spores, it is advisable to take care not to directly touch the mold, and to wear gloves or even a mask to prevent breathing in the mold spores during the cleaning out phase of removing moldy items from a home.
When you have experienced a flood loss, water damage or seepage of sewage at your residential or commercial property, just give us a call. We have the equipment to come over right away and remediate the issues for you without delay. We can offer you peace of mind, and get you back up and running again to normal schedules fast. Call today, we have technicians in your area and are ready to help you in your time of need.