It’s hot, humid, rainy... and the perfect breeding conditions for the age-old household enemy—mold! Many home owners start to see this ring true as the hot summer months roll around.
“Mold is not picky – it only needs moisture and a food source, such as wood, ceiling tiles, carpet, or sheet rock, to begin growing. The house next door may be fine, and yours may be a serious health hazard.”
How can I prevent the mold from growing?
It all starts with moisture control—and that can sound impossible with Oklahoma’s humidity! This may look like wiping down surfaces where you see moisture, opening vents to promote air circulation, or investing in a dehumidifier. Other helpful steps to prevent that pesky mold include adding a specialized sheet of polyethylene to stop water from seeping through crawl spaces or checking your pipes for leaks.
Unfortunately, it’s the everyday activities that promote mold growth. For example, “cooking, showering, running the dishwasher and outside air entering the home all help mold grow” (The Gazette). So even with all the preventative measures in place, buildup is sometimes just inevitable.
So you’ve found mold in your home… Now what?!
Well, you call Sooner Cleaning + Restoration of course! Okay.. not exactly.. but there are definitely some steps that would include our services. For starters, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that if there is more than 10 square feet of mold (or this is a job you just don’t want to tackle yourself), then it is time to call the professionals— a.k.a the SC + R team.
The steps taken in a mold removal service should begin with a mold inspection. Here is where the source of the mold will be found and the inspectors will determine if the mold is toxic or not. Remember, not all mold is harmful, but until it is assessed by an industrial hygienist, it is impossible to know the type and amount of mold present. Only then can a removal plan be put into place.
We hate to break it to you, but those DIY methods just don’t cut it...
Trust us, we understand wanting to save a little money or the feeling of accomplishment after finishing a DIY project at home, but just in case you’re thinking you can handle the mold on your own, we wanted to give you a list of the methods that just don’t work! These include:
Breaking out the bleach. This only bleaches the color out of mold spores, instead of actually killing it.
Covering up the problem. Painting over mold (even with mold-resistant paint) allows it to continue to grow underneath.
Using the eyeball test. Most mold grows in places you can’t see.
So if you think you’ve got a mold problem beginning in your home or business, we’d love to get rid of it for you the right way! Call us at 405.329.8999, but until then, keep an eye on the moisture levels in your home and good luck staying dry in this Oklahoma heat!
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Sources: The Gazette & RTK Environmental Group