Got Mold? Tips for a Quicker Recovery | SERVPRO of West Seattle and Burien

9/22/2024 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO of West Seattle and Burien tackle your mold issues with expertise. Reach out to us today for professional help.

The sheer thought of having mold lurking somewhere in your home can keep you up at night. No one wants to think about a smelly or potentially dangerous mold infestation growing silently behind walls or under floors. 

Unfortunately, mold is really good at growing in homes, especially if your home is struggling with moisture issues or humidity problems. Knowing what to do if you discover a mold infestation can help protect your home from structural damage and you can protect the health and safety of your family. 

The 411 on Mold 

Before you learn about how to clean up mold, you have to learn about its particular characteristics! Mold spores are everywhere, both inside and outside your home. 

They are microscopic and float through the air, getting into your home via open windows and doors or through your vent system. While it is normal to have these spores in your home, you don’t want them to take hold and start growing. Mold loves moisture, so any spaces in your home that are continually damp or humid can become perfect breeding grounds for a new mold colony.

Mold can also be any color of the rainbow and many different textures. It can be green and slimy or white and chalky, which is why it can be tricky to identify on its own. One helpful identifying factor, however, is the smell. Most mold shares the same earthy or musty odor, so if you smell something like damp earth in your home, it’s time to do some investigating. 

Keeping Mold Out

Like we stated above, mold and moisture go hand in hand, so the key to keeping mold infestations out of your home is to focus on controlling your humidity. 

Your bathrooms and kitchen are often the most humid spaces in your home, so try to let them dry out at least once every day by running fans or opening windows. A 30 to 50% level of humidity is recommended for most homes, so try to aim in between that number for optimal comfort. 

Another necessary task to help reduce mold growth is to address water leaks or water spots right away. While a single drip from your dishwasher may not seem like an emergency, this dripping can quickly get under your floors and lead to a colony in just a matter of days. Addressing water leaks quickly can stop this from occurring while also ensuring you don’t suffer water damage in the process. 

Taking Care of the Mold 

Even if you do everything right, mold can still find a way to grow. If you discover a mold infestation anywhere in your home, don’t touch it and back away from the area. Disturbing certain mold colonies can be hazardous to your health, and you shouldn’t be breathing in the spores, so step back and call us instead. 

We have the training to identify the type of mold and the safety gear to stay safe while doing so. We also have the proper training on how to handle the situation thoroughly. 

Our mold mitigation team will secure the area, filter the area and get to work cleaning and sanitizing the entire space. Our team can even make sure that musty odor is removed from the air. Give us a call day or night if you discover mold so we can take care of you. 

Let SERVPRO of West Seattle and Burien handle your mold problem. Call us today.