Mold can potentially be thriving in any home without homeowners even being aware. Where many families discover mold, usually after it is late in the game, the questions are frequently asked. Today, we at Nadia’s House Cleaning would like to answer some of those most commonly asked questions concerning mold.
Q: What does mold need to grow?
A: Mold needs certain elements to grow. These include the following:
1) Moisture: Mold requires humidity levels of 50% or higher to grow well. Leaking or dripping pipes or faucets, or a water intrusion caused by flooding are more than enough to get mold growing.
2) Food: Mold, like most organisms, needs substance. Mold will feed on paper, leather, dirt, dust, and wood. Drywall is a perfect source with the paper coating it offers the mold spores and if the other conditions are favorable, sheets of drywall can be consumed quickly.
3) Temperature: Temperatures ranging from 70 degrees to 90 degrees Fahrenheit are preferable to mold, but can still flourish in temperatures just above freezing and as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
4) Time: Mold doesn’t need a lot of time to take root and develop. Depending the conditions, mold can grow rapidly in as less as 24 hours to 10 days.
5) Stagnant Air: Insufficient air circulation and ventilation can increase moisture buildup, giving mold more opportunity to gain strength.
Q: How does mold get in my house?
A: Mold is naturally found outdoors, but with varying circumstances it can grow inside. There are actually a number of ways mold gets into buildings, a few examples are:
– Severe storms or overflowing surface waters, like rivers, causing flooding that spills inside your home or business. The water supplies the moisture and current can bring in the spores.
– Damaged roof components; shingles, ice dams, or even blocked gutters causing roof leaks.
– Rain waters gaining entry through windows or doors.
– Sewer backups, leaking pipes, or malfunctioning appliances.
– Basements or crawl spaces continually dampened due to a high water volume or poorly managed rainwater drainage.
– Condensation
Q: Are there ways I can prevent mold from growing?
A: You can definitely minimize the risk by controlling the excessive moisture or condensation buildup. Keeping every nook and cranny of your home or business clean and dry can prevent mold from taking root, even if a mold spore is brought in. Ensuring you have proper ventilation and humidity control can help your efforts.
Q: Is mold exposure harmful to my health?
A: Mold has many species, and some can be hazardous. Mold spores produce metabolites or mycotoxins and in built in environments it is capable of tripling the helical glucan. Usually after prolonged exposure, mold has been linked to some ill effects, but studies and tests are still underway to determine more facts concerning the extent of harm it can or cannot do.
Q: What are the health risks of mold in my house?
A: Small quantities, like the mildew in the shower that can be easily treated with household cleaners are not a major concern. Just make sure you treat these small offenses quickly before it gets out of hand. If you should discover major outbreaks, however, it can be a health risk, and getting professional medical care and mold removing experts should be top priority.
Q: What are the effects of mold exposure?
A: There are quite a few people that have common allergies to mold, producing the typical allergy symptoms is normal. Flu-like symptoms and rashes may also occur, as well as induce asthma attacks for those who have a history of asthma.
Q: Is everyone impacted by mold exposure?
A: Everyone can be influenced by mold exposure, but infants, children, elderly, pregnant women, people who suffer from allergies, asthma, or respiratory problems, and those with weak immune systems have a tendency to experience the most challenging effects.
 

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