Mold Plays Big Role in Home Water Restoration

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

There is one character that is in the news nearly every single day— and it’s not who you might think. It’s Mr. Mold. He may have been in hiding for much of the past 100 years, but suddenly, he is a celebrity. He’s the reason the school was condemned. He’s the reason your neighbor couldn’t sell his home. He’s the Sneaky Pete who is making your nephew sick.

There are several fundamental reasons why mold awareness has skyrocketed, including mold-related ailments and contemporary home design and construction.

 Why has Mr. Mold gotten so popular? At SERVPRO of McAllen, we deal with mold issues every day. We’ve seen the field develop, and awareness increase over the past 15-20 years. There are basically three reasons why mold has become a public health issue:

Contemporary houses are built to conserve energy, so less fresh air is allowed to circulate inside the home.

Illnesses such as asthma and allergies have risen sharply, and some of these are caused or worsened by mold.

Housing construction now uses organic materials such as plywood and laminates instead of tile, stone or concrete. Any organic material can harbor mold, which feeds on it.

As the EPA points out, mold can grow in drywall, ceiling tiles, ductwork, roofing, paneling, wallpaper, inside a wall, carpets, under sinks . . . . Any space that has gotten wet is a prime breeding ground for mold.

Our clients’ first clue that they have mold may be a home inspection, or when someone in the home develops a chronic cough or infection. Or a visitor may comment on the ‘musty’ odor. This stealthy invasion by Sneaky Pete is especially likely if the homeowner has experienced a flood or has had a leaking pipe that wasn’t fixed promptly.

Mold is invasive. It is persistent and tough. Its presence increases the longer it is left untreated. We have seen basement walls that looked as though someone had painted a floral motif over the entire surface. It was alive with colorful and bizarre ‘flowers’ that were in reality, mold.

Before you ever get to this point, call the experts. Don’t waste your time with home remedies. They often don’t work, and then the problem worsens

At SERVPRO , we are mold specialists. If you have mold in your home, the EPA strongly suggests you hire a professional contractor. Without remediation, mold spores can go dormant until the next wave of moisture revives them. The old wives’ remedy of pouring chlorine bleach on mold turns out not to be effective in the long run. Especially for mold that is growing on carpets or other multi-dimensional surfaces, this type of treatment does not address the problem in its entirety.

If you have a mold problem or if you’ve had water damage and you believe Sneaky Pete might be lodging in your home, Call SERVPRO of McAllen at 956-631-0348.