Mold is a common problem in homes, especially older ones; mold may begin growing in homes for many reasons and there is no way to eliminate the risk entirely – mold is all around us.
Mold is not a problem until mold spores find a dark, damp area – the ideal conditions for mold to thrive. If you find mold in your home, how do you go about getting rid of it?
The first step is to locate where the mold is growing. You should then have the area tested to determine whether the mold is only a surface growth (which can be taken care of easily) or is a more serious growth that penetrates into the walls.
Mold can grow underneath floors and inside of your walls (in fact, it prefers these dark locations). If you find mold in your house, you need to completely eliminate it or it will just grow back again.
If you have a well established mold growth in your home which has penetrated past the surface, then you’ll need to hire a professional and perhaps a contractor as well to resolve the problem. The same things which lead to the growth of mold can also cause structural damage, so in order to get rid of mold in your home, it might be necessary to hire a contractor to remove and replace walls. Before closing up any area where there has been mold growth, it’s important to ensure that it is dry and will stay dry even after being closed up.
Quite often the moisture which the mold needs to grow is coming from another part of your home. You will need to repair any leaks which are causing moisture to accumulate to ensure that the mold does not return.
If you have just a surface growth of mold, then it is usually easy to remove yourself. Vinegar or bleach can kill the mold, as can many mold removal products which are widely available. Any wood in your home which has been home to mold needs to be dried and treated or if the damage is serious, replaced (make sure to dispose of this wood away from your home to keep from spreading the spores).
The best way to get rid of mold in your home is to keep it from growing there in the first place. Repair leaks as soon as you find them – and keep an eye out for the conditions in which mold can grow. By using preventative measures, you can save yourself a fortune in repairs later.
