Before you hire a professional for Los Angeles mold remediation, there are a few things that you should know. Having knowledge of these ‘basics’ would help you make a better decision.
Mold is primarily caused if there is an accumulation of moisture in any specific area of your home. For example, if there is a leaking pipe or a damaged roof, water can accumulate and that might lead to mold. This is the reason why mold is a common consequence of water damage. Mold can also be found in areas that are cold, damp, and dark.
This doesn’t mean that only these areas will be affected by mold. In almost any area that is damp and moist, you can see mold infestation. This is the reason why you should always get in touch with our team and assess your entire home if you suspect any possible.
Mold spores can cause various health problems in people of all ages, especially among kids and seniors. Here are some of the possible health effects of mold growth.
Here are some common mold types and the way they impact you and your loved ones:
Type of Mold | Common Locations | Potential Health Impact |
Stachybotrys chartarum | Damp areas, such as basements and bathrooms | Respiratory issues, allergies, skin irritation, and in rare cases, severe health effects such as bleeding in the lungs |
Aspergillus | Damp or water-damaged areas, such as carpets, walls, and air conditioning systems | Respiratory issues, allergies, and lung infections in individuals with weakened immune systems |
Penicillium | Damp areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens, and on food items | Respiratory issues, and allergies, has the potential for mycotoxin production in food |
Cladosporium | Damp areas, such as basements, bathrooms, and kitchens | Respiratory issues, allergies |
Alternaria | Damp areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens, and on food items | Respiratory issues, allergies, the potential for mycotoxin production in food |
Chaetomium | Water-damaged areas, such as basements, attics, and walls | Respiratory issues, allergies, skin irritation |
Fusarium | Water-damaged areas, such as basements and bathrooms | Respiratory issues, allergies, eye and skin irritation |
Trichoderma | Damp areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and air conditioning systems | Respiratory issues, allergies, eye and skin irritation |
Mold presence on your property can cause more problems than a health scare. It can damage your property considerably and these are the problems, you will have to face.
Structural damage |
Mold spores after decomposing can cause structural damage to the property. It can damage floorboards and cause dry wood to rot. |
Damage to your personal property |
Systemic mold growth can damage your personal property such as furniture and clothes. |
Damage your HVAC systems |
Mold can cause intense damage to your HVAC systems |
So, what are the things that you need to deal with mold infestation? As a homeowner, you should know what should you do to test for mold infestation and the immediate steps that you need to take to start with Los Angeles mold remediation.
If you get a musty, damp smell in your home, then you might to check your home for signs of mold. Here are the steps that you need to follow to check for any signs of mold growth. Here are the steps that you need to follow –
If you are not sure whether the stuff on the wall is mold or dirt, here’s a basic test that you should perform. Mix 1 part of bleach with 16 parts of water and then dip a swab into it. Run the swab against the affected area and if the spots keep back, then you that is mold.
If there are any leakages in the pipes, then that would easily lead to mold growth in those areas. So, check in your kitchen and bath. Take a light and examine the areas near the pipes and joints, if you find any black or blueish-green spots then that might be a mold growth
The ducts are often dark and moist and hence the perfect place for mold. A faulty ductwork will also cause leaks and the water could also seep into the drywall and will cause mold growth.
Done Right Restoration helps you to detect mold growth even in hard-to-reach places like crawl spaces and ducts so that we can detect the areas that is suffering from mold growth and develop the right solution for it.
The Key to Mold Remediation is to address the problem early on. This is the reason why we recommend that you give us a call as soon as you detect any mold growth. Here are some of the things that you should do as a part of your initial response to Los Angeles mold remediation.
If you are not sure about whether to clean a particular surface or item, get in touch with us and we would help you clean them in the right way.
Success in mold remediation depends on the process. We follow a process that is quick, effective, and delivers the quality that you seek.
Things start just after we are contacted by you. Our team will respond to your issues and arrive at your home to take an initial look at the property. We would also have a detailed discussion with you to understand the problem.
At the next stage of the process, we would proceed to a detailed mold assessment. Once our team correctly determines the extent of the damage, a proper plan will be prepared on how to get rid of the mold. We would decide on the following things –
Apart from cleaning the mold, it is important to make sure that the spores do not spread to other areas of the home. All necessary steps are taken to save you and the uninfected areas of your residence from contamination. Mold spreads quickly in moist conditions, so the infected patch needs to be isolated.
It is easy for the spores to spread through the air. Therefore, the air must also be kept clean to remove any possible spores. This makes air filtration an important part of the remedial process.
In some cases, it is important to remove or demolish mold-infested structures. From drywall to carpeting and even furniture, everything can be affected by mold. After the assessment, the call on demolition would be taken.
Using the right chemicals, all mold spores and patches are removed. Any area showing signs of mold is thoroughly cleaned with detergent.
Sometimes mechanical scrubbing is necessary to make sure that all remaining spores are eliminated in the infected patch. The affected area is completely allowed to dry after it is completely clean.
During the drying process, the remaining moisture is allowed to dissipate. After completing the task, a team of cleaners disinfects the entire area.
If the furniture is removed, they are put back in its space after completing the steps. Our experts then finally remove covers and materials from the location.
No, painting over the affected area would not solve your problem. If you don’t fix the source of the mold, painting and casual cleaning won’t stop mold from growing back. The mold can grow again on the painted surface. In fact, the mold spores will be invisible to the naked eye over the coat of fresh paint, but they will still pose the threat.
A DIY kit that is used for testing mold is typically a dish that is used to capture spores. It is not efficient as it hardly gives you any information that you can use. It doesn’t tell you about the nature of the mold or the extent of the spread. That is why we use advanced techniques like hygrometers and digital imaging techniques to properly assess the nature and extent of the mold damage.
Certain types of mold can produce a toxic substance called mycotoxin. But they are rare. Most household molds are not toxic. However, this doesn’t mean that they are safe. They can still cause a lot of health issues.