Mold likes to grow in moist, dark areas and you don’t have to see signs of mold to have it in your home. However, often the first indicator of a mold problem for many people is visual as they may see small amounts of mold coming through the walls. Another good indicator that there may be mold in your home is mold smells. If you are in a crawl space or an attic and it smells musty, that is an indication you have mold growing some place in that area.
Visible Mold Growth
If you do see mold in your home, even just a small amount, it could indicate a much larger problem. Mold that is growing between walls often goes undetected until mold damages the drywall by growing through it and becomes visible on the other side.
Usually, mold growth that is between the walls of your home indicates a leaky roof or a leaking pipe within the walls. Most often, the mold you see on the wall will be near a bathroom, the kitchen area or near the washer and dryer where there are water pipes. If you do see mold, you need to call for a mold removal service in Oakland to visit your home and test it.
Testing for Mold
Although there are ways you can test for mold yourself, it is better to let an experienced, certified technician do the job instead. They have the equipment that can quickly test and diagnose the type of mold that you have in your home. In addition, when they test mold, they use precautions to protect themselves and to keep mold spores from spreading to other areas of your house.
When they test for mold, the technicians will test the air quality, which allows them to find mold that isn’t visible. They will also take swabs of the areas where there is mold. When the lab report comes in, you will receive a copy of it and they will discuss their mold removal service to you.
Removing Mold from the Home
When you contact a mold removal service, they will take steps to carefully remove mold from your home so it is no longer a problem for you. Mold shouldn’t be left unchecked because it can make people very sick. It can cause respiratory problems, people who are allergic to mold can have severe reactions to it and some molds can affect your brain, making it difficult to think clearly.
Painting over mold or trying to clean it with bleach or other household products will not remove mold and it can make matters worse. When you spot mold, call a professional service to remove it so it doesn’t grow back.