The Best Way to Fight Mold is Prevention

9/18/2021 (Permalink)

No one likes to see mold in their home or business. It’s unattractive and can cause a musty smell. The intrusion of water into your home or building can result in mold growth. Water seepage can occur due to storm damage, plumbing or equipment failures, long-standing leaks, or poor humidity control. When water issues aren’t addressed right away, the resulting damage can result in mold growth. That’s why the best way to fight mold is prevention. Here’s what you need to know about preventing mold in your home or business.

How does mold grow?

If the humidity and moisture levels in a water-damaged environment are not quickly returned to normal, mold spores may grow and multiply. Why? Because microscopic mold spores exist naturally almost everywhere, indoors, and outdoors, so removing all mold from a home or business is impossible, but you can control growth. Organic materials found inside a building, such as wood, paper, drywall, and insulation, provide food sources for mold to flourish in the right, moist circumstances. Excessive mold growth can lead to unpleasant conditions that need to be addressed.

Mold growth isn’t always obvious

Some people are surprised when mold appears “out of nowhere” but chances are there are signs that were simply overlooked such as:

• The presence of visible mold in corners or cracks.
• Musty odors may indicate the presence of mold.
• Any evidence of past moisture problems that might have caused undetected mold growth.
• Excessive humidity.

To keep mold from growing in your home or business, repair any leaking pipes or faucets, keep ventilation drip pans clean and dry, keep indoor humidity below 50%, and regularly check the plumbing, roof gutters, and other water sources to ensure there are no leaks that can lead to mold growth.

What to do if you experience mold in your home or business

Despite diligent prevention efforts, sometimes mold growth happens. If you are sure or suspect that there is mold in your home or building, call SERVPRO as quickly as possible to prevent the mold growth from continued spread, resulting in a greater chance of unrecoverable property. SERVPRO professionals have the expertise to prevent or mitigate the devastating effects of mold damage. Contact us 24/7 and our trained professionals will come out and help you with mold remediation.