Molds can generally be defined in two types to the laymen, black mold and green mold.
Which is the more dangerous? Well, that’s like answering the question which is the most dangerous to your child, playing with a bag of shattered glass or playing with a razor blade.
Both can affect you severely. There are a few types of black mold such as Nigrospora which are not toxic, but generally, of the two types, black mold is the most toxic. Know more about why it is bad to have Black Mold.
However, even green mold can have severe allergic effects on people and possibly lead to pneumonia.
How do you prevent mold?
There are molds everywhere in the air, but in order to develop, mold needs water. Small leaks in plumbing and poor ventilation in shower areas, attics, and basements allow mold to flourish.
So at the first sit of mold, take care of it.
To prevent mold, keep things dry, keep the humidity level of your home low, dry up water carefully, make sure to apply new sealant around leaks, and even consider using a dehumidifier. Click here for 9 Tips to prevent Mold Problems.
The more airflow you get and the dryer your home is, the less likely you are to experience mold in the first place.
However, if preventative measures do not work, take action.
Be sure not only to not only fix leaks and apply new caulking but as a homeowner, you need to scrub like hell to remove all traces of mold.
Since mold spores can spread with scrubbing, make sure you wear a mask, and possibly a jumpsuit when cleaning.
As spores can live quite some time, when you are finished scrubbing, you need to throw away your mask and old sponges and be sure if you keep the jumpsuit that you immediately wash it in hot water.
To clean use either vinegar, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide
Most people use baking soda and water in a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and water in a spray bottle, or alternatively, create a 50/50 of vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
If you have mold on the drywall of your home, be sure and treat this area very thoroughly as drywall is very effective in sucking up mold spores.
You may need a bacterial agent, not just baking soda or vinegar to be sure that section of the wall is treated carefully. And if you are doing it yourself with a bacterial agent, be sure and wear rubber gloves as well.
Once the area is fully treated, be sure and make sure the wall is dried. If the area is small, you can use a hairdryer to be sure all moisture is gone. If the area is more extensive, then be sure and use a large fan to blow air at the wall.
When to call in a professional
Although vigilant homeowners can prevent mold from growing and treat small areas of mold by themselves, then the mold spreads to a couple of meters or so, then it’s time to bring in the pros. Learn more about 9 Tips to prevent Mold Problems.
Professionals can ascertain where the mold is growing, determine what type of mold it is, resolve moisture problems, and use professional remediation techniques to remove the mold.
One reason to hire a professional is their thoroughness. For example, many do it yourself homeowners will forget to touch the HVAC system, and if mold spores get into your HVAC equipment it can spread all through the house.
Amateurs forget this step, pros do not.
In addition, pros use state of the art equipment to thoroughly kill the source of mold in your home so it will not come back and spread again.
Keep everyone healthy and consider hiring a pro.