Frequently Asked Questions About Mold
The spread of mold across damp areas in your walls and floors can be extremely problematic. When mold grows indoors, it can result in damage to your home, the spread of allergens or irritants, and sometimes even toxic substances. If you are curious about the water stains on your walls, it’s best to get to the bottom of things and implement the right remedial measures.
However, when it comes to indoor mold, there are a ton of questions clients have but often find answers challenging to come by. Advanced Remediation Solutions, wants to arm you with the most accurate information available to help you avoid assumptions and ineffective measures. To do this, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about mold and other hazardous material removals.
1. Do I have black mold?
The reference to black mold in the media and general understanding connects it to Stachybotrys which was involved in many court cases. The color of the mold is more dependent on the food source than the type of mold species/genus. Testing will be required to determine if you do actually have the much-maligned Stachybotrys in your home.
2. Can I clean the mold up with bleach?
Due to its ionic structure, bleach cannot soak into substances which are porous. So the chlorine stays above the surface, while the water is absorbed. It means that bleach will only kill the mold on the surface of porous materials like wood and drywall. Besides this, bleach happens to be toxic. Chlorine bleach produces fumes that pollute the air and can become harmful to both humans and pets. Chlorine bleach also generates a by-product called dioxin, which is linked to cancer.
3. Is there something I can use to get rid of the mold?
There is a rumor online that vinegar and baking soda, or borax, or hydrogen peroxide, or tea tree oil can get rid of mold. These mixtures do not even match all the supposed mold cleaners found at the local hardware stores. We have not discovered any proof to support the effectiveness of any of these products. We find the best solution is to remove the mold-contaminated materials.
4. Can I remove the mold myself?
If it's a small area and hopefully on a non-porous surface then yes. However, that little bit of mold you can see on the baseboard may not be the whole problem. Behind the baseboard and on the backside of the drywall it may be fuzzy and black for many square feet. It's best to have a professional with the right equipment and training come in a do an assessment.
5. Do I need to have mold testing done?
If you can see mold, then you know you have it, why then pay to test for something that is obvious. However, reasons to check for mold may resonate with the following -
- You notice continuous health issues among people in the building.
- It is part of the investigation to determine the location of the mold if it's not visible
- Post-testing to verify the effectiveness of the remediation.
6. How do I know that the mold is gone?
This is where testing comes in, a pre-test to determine the areas and levels or types of mold and a post-remediation test to verify that the contaminated areas are cleared, and the spore counts are acceptable.
7. Will the mold come back?
Mold spores are out there in the world, and there’s no way to stop that. However, mold needs specific things to grow, like moisture, a food source, and the right temperature. Keep things dry, immediately deal with any type of water issue, if possible use mold resistant building materials, and ventilate areas that remain damp like bathrooms and kitchens.
If you have any more questions about mold and its removal, get in touch with the experts at Advanced Remediation Solutions. As the best asbestos and mold removal company in Edmonton, AB, we provide specific solutions that make sense for your particular site and situation. We help you locate the cause and origin of your mold problem then we take the best possible approach to eliminate your troubles. To learn more about how we can help you, please click here or contact us by clicking here.
