Mold is everywhere; mold removal is important, even if seems it is for the most part harmless. Walking through the park or into an office building exposes a healthy person to this organism. Most of these spores do nothing and a few specially grown strains such as penicillin can actually be helpful. However, there are some strains that are not harmless and can cause sensitive individuals to become ill, and when this is an issue, mold remediation services can be very helpful.
An overgrowth of normal fungi may cause cosmetic damage to homes and furnishings and produce an undesirable smell. However, there are strains of this organism, which do far more than cosmetic injury to a building, and these strains are of an environmental concern. The bad strains of mold are either toxic or allergenic and these should be removed immediately.
Before deciding if mold removal professionals are necessary, there are some simple checks you can do. If there is obvious growth or smells, high humidity, or past flooding there may be reason for concern.
One of the issues that causes these fungi to be problematic is that almost any organic material can be a food source. These fungi break down the organic material on which they grow. Painting over untreated fungal growth might not even work because some fungi can use paint as a food source.
There is also the problem of hidden humidity. There are conditions, which may cause these tiny spores to be able to grow in the lumber or framing of a building. There are specialized testing kits to determine if growth conditions are optimal for fungus in the framing or between the walls of a building. Cleanup of a building that has widespread allergenic or mycotoxin mold is usually not a do-it-yourself task.
Areas that have humid conditions or have been flooded are ripe for mold growth and require immediate drying. Poor ventilation can lead to growth of both harmless and toxic fungi. Any home that has suffered water damage should be dried as soon as possible to prevent an over-growth of mold and possible structural damage.
A small area where fungus growth is obvious might be cleaned easily cleaned without containment precautions by simply replacing the materials and removing the growth. A larger area of fungal growth in a home or structure may require special procedures to avoid spreading the contaminants throughout the home or building. Home testing for spore levels is possible but usually unable to determine whether the spores are toxic or common and generally harmless.
When fungus is an issue beyond the normal and the occupant is not sure how to clean it then professional mold remediation can be appropriate and even necessary. Normally fungi play a beneficial part in nature but when it occurs in our homes it can be unhealthy.