Mold

We’ve all heard about how terrible mold is to our health. And yet, so many of us ignore any signs of mold we see until it gets out of hand and causes an even bigger problem. If you see any signs of mold in your home, make sure to call a professional right away to determine whether it is harmless kind or toxic. 

Here are some of the signs that there is mold in your home:

• There’s a strange smell coming from your vents 
• Peeling or bubbling wallpaper
• There’s a musty odor that won’t go away
• You previously had a flooded sink, toilet, bathtub
• You previously had some pipes burst 
• You have a constant cold
• You always feel tired 
• You have a headache that won’t go away
• You have a cough that won’t go away
• Red or itchy eyes
• Skin rashes and irritations 

If any of these are true, you should have your home inspected to see if mold is the culprit. If you don’t pay attention to the signs or act when you do notice something, the mold will continue to grow and just get worse, which will then lead to worse health problems and more damage. 

If you’ve noticed some of these signs but can’t find any mold yourself, call a professional mold removal company. Mold often hides behind walls or up in attics or other hard-to-reach places and can be difficult to find without the expertise of a mold removal contractor. Once the mold has been identified, you can have it removed and get your home back to normal. 

Mold should almost always be removed by a professional because mold is toxic and should never be handled or dealt with by someone who is unprepared. As a homeowner without lots of mold experience, you probably don’t know how to properly deal with any mold growing in your home or the safety measures that need to be taken. Professionals know exactly how best to remove mold from your home and how to make your home safe again.

When mold starts to grow in your home, it needs to be removed. Hiring a professional mold removal company is usually the best bet when it comes to effectively and completely eradicating mold in your home, but there are times when you can remove the mold yourself. 

If the mold is caught early and is small and harmless, you can probably remove it yourself. If you are dealing with black mold or other types of toxic, harmful mold, you should leave the removal to the professionals. However, many types of mold are harmless. If you do decide to remove this mold yourself, follow these safety guidelines:

1. Wear old clothes and shoes that can be washed or thrown away after the mold is removed
2. Wear a face mask with a respirator, goggles, and gloves
3. Use a mold removal spray or a homemade concoction of effective mold killers like hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, or baking soda

If the mold in your home is toxic or takes up a large area, you should definitely leave the mold removal to the professionals. If you aren’t quite sure whether or not your home does have a mold problem because you don’t know how to find it or it’s in a hard-to-reach place, call a professional mold removal company and they can inspect your home for mold.   

Southern Restoration & Construction is a highly qualified mold removal company that serves the areas surrounding Charlotte, North Carolina. If you live in this area and need mold inspected or removed from your home, give Southern Restoration & Construction a call.

Not only does mold need to be removed, but the source of the mold and whatever is causing it to form needs to be addressed. If your home recently flooded or had a pipe burst, then the source of the mold will be easy to find and address. You’ll just need to have your home dried and any contaminated materials removed and replaced. If the mold is being caused by a more subtle problem, finding the root of it may be a bit more difficult. 

Here are some of the common reasons you may have mold in your home:

• High humidity levels
• Leaking or burst pipes
• Leaking roof
• Flooding 
• Leaking or overflowed sink, bathtub, toilet, or other appliance
• Condensation buildup
• Poor home ventilation 
• Damp foundation or basement
• Leaking air conditioner

Basically, anytime moisture is introduced to your home or allowed to build up, mold has a chance to form. Mold can form in as little as 24 hours, so staying on top of any moisture problems and cleaning up any flooding or leaking appliances is important. 

Once the mold is removed, the source of the mold needs to be addressed and fixed. This may involve tearing out walls or affected carpet, or taking the time to fix all leaky pipes and appliances. It’s important that mold remediation is completed effectively and all potential sources of mold are extinguished. If mold is removed but the source of that mold is not addressed and the problem fixed, then the mold will simply grow back. This can create a vicious cycle of hazardous material in your home being removed and allowed to grow back. When mold is removed and the problem is addressed and removed as well, mold will have a much harder time growing back because a new source of moisture will have to be found before mold can form. 

By preventing mold in the first place, you can avoid all the problems and health issues that come with mold in your home. Here are some ways you can prevent mold from forming in your home:

• Fix leaks as soon as they appear
• If a sink, toilet, or bathtub overflows, clean up the water quickly and make sure all materials are allowed to fully dry. Remove and replace materials that were damaged or are extremely wet
• Fix leaking roofs
• Protect crawlspaces and attics from moisture by installing a moisture barrier
• Wash  towels and other wet materials often
• Keep humidity level in-home at normal levels 
• When the weather allows, open windows throughout your home to keep the air fresh and to create natural ventilation

By following these guidelines, not letting moisture into your home, and dealing with any moisture that does get in quickly, you can greatly decrease the chances of mold growing on your property. Of course, you can never one hundred percent prevent mold from growing, but by being vigilant now and taking precautions, you can avoid major mold problems in the future.

Every homeowner wants to know that their home is in good hands. Mold is dangerous and needs to be removed as soon as possible, but some homeowners have trouble choosing a mold removal company to help them. If you aren’t sure who to trust with your home’s mold removal and remediation, here are some tips for choosing a mold contractor.

Specialty 

Is mold one of the company’s specific specialties? If it’s not, then the company may not have all the tools and knowledge needed to successfully eradicate the mold in your home. If the company specializes in mold removal, then chances are that they have all the tools and knowledge needed to do so. 

Licenses and permits

Does the company have all the required licenses and permits for removing mold according to the city code and local laws? Because mold is toxic, it needs to be treated in a specific way and it needs to be disposed of properly. The company you are researching should have all required permits and licenses for professional mold removal.

Cost of mold removal

How does the company’s cost compare to other mold removal companies? Mold removal is a complicated, delicate process with potential health risks to the employees, so you probably won’t find a mold removal company that is super cheap and still provides quality service. You need to find a balance between cost and quality. The less you pay for mold removal, the lower quality of work you will receive. Make sure you aren’t sacrificing quality for cost, but also don’t spend a ton of money on the job. 

Other services

What other services does the company offer? Can they help you with other problems your home may be facing in the future? A lot of homeowners like to find a company that specializes in a few areas so they can call them with other problems in the future rather than researching and choosing a new company for every problem.

Southern Restoration & Construction is a fully licensed, highly qualified mold removal company that specializes in mold removal, water damage cleanup and restoration, fire cleanup, and storm cleanup. If there is mold in your home, Southern Restoration & Construction can help. Whether you know you have a mold problem or just suspect there may be an issue, Southern Restoration & Construction can come to your home and give you professional advice and great service. We care about you and your home and want to be there for you whenever you have a mold crisis.