Can Mold be Completely Removed From a House?
Everything about mold, from its smell to how it looks when it takes over a part of your home, can disgust anyone. Just thinking about the word probably brings up some not-so-fond memories of pulling an item from the back of the refrigerator or out of the produce bowl only to find it covered in this fungus.
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Household mold is unfortunately very common, and when left unchecked, it can lead to serious health concerns such as respiratory issues and migraines. Additionally, infestations can cause serious and often irreversible damage to property and structures.
If you have the presence of mold in your house, you might be wondering if you’ll ever be able to altogether remove it from your property. With so many horror stories about mold returning after treatment, it’s easy to understand why.
This article will explore the types of mold and what makes them grow back even after treatment. Then, we’ll share with you some tips to prevent it from coming back so you can live in peace.
Types of Mold
A mold of any kind is a fungus that expels microscopic spores, spreading them throughout the nearby environment and leading to rapid growth. Most of the time, people will identify this fungus by seeing it, but when the infestation is strong enough, you may be able to identify it by a strong, musty smell.
All molds thrive in the dark, damp environments with food sources such as drywall, ceiling tiles, carpet, fabric, or paint.
Familiarize yourself with the five types of mold you’re most likely to encounter in your home:
- Alternia – causes asthma symptoms and is often found in showers and tubs or near the water damage
- Aureobasidium – causes eye, nail, and skin infections and is often found behind wallpaper or behind wooden surfaces
- Black Mold – toxic mold- produces mycotoxins that can lead to sinusitis, headache, fatigue, burning respiratory sensation, cough, nosebleeds, and more. Black mold is commonly found in hay, wood, or cardboard.
- Ulocladium – causes hay fever, trouble breathing, and skin infections and is found near kitchens, basements, and bathrooms.
- Pink Mold – a type of bacteria found on shower tiles that feed on soap residue that can cause infections in an open wound or eye
Read more: Can you sell a house with black mold?
Why Does Mold Come Back?
If you’re wondering, “Is it possible for mold to come back even after remediation?” the short answer is yes. That’s typical because there’s an underlying issue with moisture that has yet to be resolved.
Let’s dive deeper into that.
Mold is a fungus, and like most fungi, its purpose is to break down rotting, moist organic matter to create energy and reproduce. In nature, this is fine. In fact, it plays a critical ecological role in decomposing things like dead leaves and detritus.
In the woods, mold is excellent. In the home, not so much.
Mold continues to survive and reproduce by expelling tiny spores that are present in the air at nearly all times. Even with excellent indoor air quality, you’re likely to still find a trace of fungus spores.
When these spores stay at trace levels, there’s really no harm or risk of health impacts. But when they become highly concentrated, that’s when you can quickly have an out-of-control infestation.
Suppose you have high levels of moisture in your home. In that case, especially if you have a significant presence of damp materials like drywall, carpeting, or wood, you could create the perfect environment for mold reproduction by accident.
Even if the apparent issue is resolved, this underlying high moisture level will help to incubate spores and create more, leaving you back where you started. Until you find the source of this excess moisture and stop it there, you’ll likely continue to run into mold problems.
If you’ve worked with mold removal companies and are still struggling with returning mold, this could be a sign that their remediation efforts aren’t as thorough as they could be. Mediocre mold removal services will solve the apparent problem, while truly great companies will not only solve the obvious problem but will also search until they find the root cause.
How to Prevent Mold From Coming Back
Luckily, there are some best practices that have proven to prevent mold from making its way back into your home:
- Identify all areas of moisture. Correct them. – Check-in areas like basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and attics. Is there a leak? What’s the issue? Solve it.
- Completely dry out any wet materials. – Whether wet clothes, floorboards, carpets, or furniture – remove any wet materials from the home until they’re fully dry.
- Use proper ventilation to keep moisture out. – Check that your AC unit is working well and not collecting moisture. The better ventilation you have, the less chance there is of returning mold.
- Use strong building materials that are resistant to mold. – When possible, avoid papered materials like drywall and sheetrock.
- Maintain indoor humidity of 30-60 percent. – A dehumidifier can help here.
Conclusion
If you have a mold problem in your home — especially if this is a recurring problem that the other guys haven’t been able to solve for you once and for all — you need help from the best at All Dry USA. Our mold remediation experts understand that no mold infestation is ever truly fixed without solving the root of the issue.
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With Ben’s knowledge, and visionary leadership, All Dry USA has expanded into a national, full-service property damage restoration company with multiple locations across the United States. Ben holds numerous specialty licenses and certifications in restoration and construction.
