In January 2008, when Bill Tyrrell was a manager at Fedex, people in his office began complaining about irritations and other health problems. Tyrrell called in a mold specialist and sure enough, mold was within the walls of the office. After speaking with the specialist, Tyrrell became interested in mold removal, and set out to open his own business, Master Mold Removal. Over time, he has been trained in and practices methamphetamine laboratory and trauma scene cleanup as well. In this article, Bill outlines a few of the basics in dealing with a mold problem in your home.
It’s true: Molds are everywhere. As a member of the same family as mushrooms and yeasts, molds have been citizens of our world for literally thousands of years. They are well equipped to reproduce and do so everywhere. All mold needs to grow is moisture and food. Molds are highly beneficial to humans. Penicillin is made from mold and was a breakthrough drug when discovered. And while mold can certainly be great, it can also be horrific, especially when it’s in your house.
Many of my clients have called me in a panic saying they smell the stale musty odor of mold in their homes. So in an attempt to help my clients avoid a mold problem that’s gotten out of hand, I’m outlining a few tips for detecting mold early and some methods for dealing with it.
- Smells and Odors – Oftentimes you can’t see mold, but you know it’s there. Mold has an earthy musty smell (kind of like dirt). If you detect the smell of mold, start looking around for visual indicators as well.
- Discoloration – It’s a lot easier to combat something you can see. Fortunately, in areas seriously afflicted by mold discoloration, it is quite common. Mold often appears as a dark stain or smear on clothing and walls. It comes in an assortment of colors — red, orange, yellow, blue, violet or black. However, what sometimes appears to be mold can be merely stains caused by other contaminants or pollution. To test, drop a bit of water mixed with bleach on the stained areas. If it disappears instantly or loses its color, you’re probably dealing with mold. If the stains remain, it’s most likely something else.Now we’ve discussed the basic ways to detect mold, but what’s the next step if you’ve already found mold in your home? You’ve got to get rid of it, of course. Here’s how:
- Getting Rid of a Small Contamination – Small mold contaminations are the most manageable and often easy to get rid of. That doesn’t mean you should procrastinate: A small patch of mold can quickly become a larger one. Always take proper safety precautions when cleaning up moldy areas, regardless of how small. All molds release spores, some of which are harmful when inhaled, so wearing a dust mask is a good idea. Wear safety goggles and gloves as well to minimize contact. People with health and respiratory problems should never clean mold, and small children and pets should be kept away from a contaminated area. Once you’ve taken the proper safety precautions, you can get cleaning. For washable surfaces, use unscented detergent, then wipe with a moist, clean sponge and dry quickly. Remember, molds love moisture, so fast drying is imperative. If cleaning a drywall surface with mold, use a bit of baking soda instead of detergent. Don’t get the drywall too wet, or you’ll make the problem worse. You should also vacuum the areas and rooms adjacent to contaminated areas. Mold spores are everywhere and a vacuum cleaner outfitted with the right filter will pick up a lot of them. You should buy and use a High Efficiency Particulate Filter in your vacuum. Keep the whole area as dry as possible. A dehumidifier installed nearby a contaminated area helps tremendously.
- Cleaning Moderately Moldy Surfaces – Cleaning moderately moldy areas is more or less the same as smaller ones. However, you should also isolate the contaminated area from the remainder of your home. Use some plastic sheeting to divide moldy areas from the rest of the house. You should also consider installing an exhaust fan in the windows of affected rooms to ventilate air and prevent its spread. If you’ve cleaned moldy areas and taken preventative measures, but the mold has returned, contact a professional mold remediation company.
- Extensive Mold – Finding extensive mold in your home usually means that the time for a home cleanup has passed. I wouldn’t recommend tackling mold contamination of this level without the help of a professional remediating company. Once you’ve called them, mold professionals can conduct the proper testing in your home and implement a successful remediation solution. Turn it over to the professionals soon and you’ll be glad you did.
