Prevent and remove it for a healthier home!
Mold is everywhere around us, inside and outside. Mold isn’t all bad, but a few types can grow inside a home and have a negative impact on your health. These microscopic colonies and their spores may lead to allergic reactions, eczema, respiratory symptoms and infections, worsening asthma and an immune system disorder called hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The positive news is that most symptoms will improve when people are away from the mold, or the mold is removed.
How can you prevent mold in your house, know how to spot it and get rid of it? Michael Aughney is a microbiologist and general manager of Pure Maintenance of Georgia in Sandy Springs, a mold remediation company servicing Fulton County, and he provides the following insights.
Preventative Measures
When you think of mold forming in a building, you may think of water damage. Moisture is definitely one way it can spread, so make sure to quickly fix leaks and clogs, whether from the roof, plumbing or ventilation, to avoid a bigger issue.
Another good prevention method is to keep a relative humidity level (the maximum amount of water vapor air can hold at a given temperature) in the home as close to 45% as possible, which can be done by your HVAC unit if it has humidity control. If it doesn’t have a controller, Aughney suggests purchasing dehumidifiers (in the ballpark of $300) to maintain a drier environment.
Surprisingly, mold can also grow on dust, which contains dead skin cells and is a food source for the organism. Aughney recommends keeping surfaces well dusted, changing air filters consistently, getting regular ductwork cleanings and having your HVAC system serviced.
Sneaky Spores
Sometimes, the naked eye can see mold creeping across walls, old floorboards or elsewhere. But “hidden” mold behind walls and under floors can be harder to notice. A lot of times, people are excellent detectors because they’ve developed a new or have nagging health issues. “Some call it ‘sick home syndrome,’” Aughney says.
If you suspect there is mold, Aughney says “the cheap and dirty” way to check is a petri dish test that can be found on Amazon or at The Home Depot. “Put them around the house, and they will show if you have something growing,” he says. Otherwise, call in a mold remediation company to get your air tested by a lab. This will produce a more detailed report on the types and concentrations of molds you may be dealing with.
Also, take a look at natural products in the home such as leather shoes or wool items. “If you see tiny gray spots, you have a mold issue,” Aughney says.
Remediation Remedies
To eliminate mold, Pure Maintenance of Georgia offers a two-step, dry fog process. First, a sterilant and then an antimicrobial fog fills every nook and cranny in your home and even penetrates walls to get rid of mold, fungus, bacteria and viruses. This procedure requires you to leave the premises for six to eight hours. More traditional methods used by other mold-removal companies include demolition, HEPA filtration and/or small-particle microfiber wipe down and cleaning.
To keep a healthy home and mold at bay, Aughney recommends adding an air-quality check to your annual maintenance checklist.
PURE MAINTENANCE OF GEORGIA
678.679.9720
moldremovalfultoncounty.com
@puremaintenanceofgeorgia
