What Is Mold? How Can It Spoil Your Normal Life?

By Author: Bounded Waterproofing
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Mold is a type of fungus (fungi) that grows naturally in the environment. Molds can be found on plants and fibers and is most often associated with damp, musty locations such as bathrooms, basements and attics. Outdoors, molds play a key role in the breakdown of leaves, wood and other plant debris. Molds come in a variety of colors including green, brown, black, white and orange. Molds can appear fuzzy or in slimy streaks and often accompanied by a musty or earthy odor.

Mold travels through the air as tiny spores, which like to make their home in wet areas, where they will breed. If mold is spotted, it's best to nip it in the bud immediately lest it spread to other areas. It's also a good indication of a moisture problem, which should be dealt with as soon as possible.

In addition to its unsightly appearance, mold can present a hazard to one's health. It's an allergen and an irritant. Someone who suffers from household allergies or asthma will no doubt have trouble breathing in homes with mold infestations. Eyes, ears, noses and throats can become irritated as well.

To eliminate mold, you'll first ...
... need to eliminate the source. Find out how and where moisture is seeping into your home and deal with it accordingly. If the area where mold is found isn't too large, homeowners can often tackle the moisture problem their own. A small area (less than 3 feet by 3 feet) of surface mold growing on places such as hard plastic, tile, wood and some drywall, can usually be cleaned by the homeowner by taking the following steps:

First, fix any obvious water leaks or sources of moisture.
Wipe or scrub thoroughly all contaminated surfaces with warm water and a non-ammonia soap/detergent.
Rinse and thoroughly dry the cleaned surface of water and moisture.

If you'd like, you can use a bleach solution to disinfect the area after cleaning. This step DOES NOT prevent mold growth from reoccurring and precautionary steps must be taken.

Do not mix bleach with ammonia products. A toxic gas will form.
Wear gloves and a facemask.
Ventilate the area.
Mix one-half cup of beach per gallon of water and apply to surface.
A spray bottle, mop or sponge can be used.
Remove excess bleach solution and then allow surface to dry thoroughly.

If mold growth covers a large area (ten square feet or more), the homeowner is well advised to contact his local environmental protection group for a recommendation. A local NJ mold removal specialist who deals with mold removal on a regular basis will be able to remove it permanently, without presenting health risks to you and your family in the process.

As long as the moisture problem has been eliminated, mold shouldn't be an issue anymore. If, after all of that work, the mold comes back, it's time to call in a licensed NJ basement waterproofing company. Not only will they remove all the mold, they'll eliminate the source. After all, if the moisture isn't completely removed from the home, it's just an invitation for the mold to come back.