What Is Mold?
If you’re looking for mold removal companies in Port Saint Lucie, it’s likely that you have many questions about the dangers of wood rot, mildew, and black mold. Unfortunately, mold poses a threat to nearly every household in Jensen Beach, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Lakewood Park, Jupiter, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, and the rest of Florida’s Treasure Coast. Storms, heavy rains, flooding, and high humidity all create unique risks for mold development here in sunny Florida. Even homes that are never touched by storms can still experience mold issues. The Florida Department of Health cites the following risk factors for mole:
- Flooding from the outside.
- Flooding from the indoors caused by overflow from sinks, tubs, toilets, air-conditioner drain pans, or sewerage systems.
- Condensation caused by indoor humidity.
- Water leaks from outside the building.
- Indoor plumbing leaks/broken water pipes.
- Outdoor sprinkler spray hitting walls.
- Indoor fire sprinklers.
- Poor venting of kitchen and bathroom moisture.
- Humidifier use.
- Drying wet clothes indoors.
- Not venting clothes dryers outdoors.
- House plants.
- Warm, moist air from outdoors.
- Liquid spills.
How dangerous is mold at your home in Florida? Take a look at what every homeowner needs to know about mold. Don’t forget that JASD offers trusted mold removal services throughout all Treasure Coast communities.
What Are the Health Effects of Mold?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, respiratory symptoms, allergic reactions, and asthma may occur due to mold in the home. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found sufficient evidence linking indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, and wheezing in otherwise healthy people. Heightened risks exist for people with asthma and compromised immune systems. It’s also known that mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat. Finally, people with suppressed immune systems, underlying lung disease, and other risk factors may be more susceptible to fungal infections when living in mold-infested conditions. While all types of mold can have devastating long-term and short-term consequences for the health of your household, toxic black mold can create severe medical consequences. Exposure to black mold spores often causes:
- Chronic coughing.
- Chronic sneezing.
- Irritated, red eyes.
- Runny nose.
- Sore throat.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Persistent headaches.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Bleeding in the lungs and nose.
Mold poisoning should be taken seriously. There’s simply no way to safely remove black mold from your home on your own. If you suspect that your home is exposing you to mold poisoning, it’s essential that you contact mold experts in Jensen Beach immediately for an assessment.
How Do You Know If You Have a Mold Problem?
Many people don’t realize that they are living with a mold problem until their health takes a sharp decline. However, mold creates telltale signs that are easy for trained eyes to spot. Here are the big mold clues:
- Odors: While not all mold types produce smells, most forms of mold can be detected by the nose. Any persistent musty odor in any area of your home is a sign of mold. Don’t assume that a musty smell is simply a “normal” basement smell.
- Visible Mold Growth: Have you noticed white, thread-like substances in your home? This is a common form of mold. You may also notice mold clusters formed by black, gray-brown, or gray-green spots. One thing that surprises many homeowners is that mold can come in nearly any color of the rainbow. Mold that forms behind wallpaper and vinyl coverings can be pink, purple, or orange.
- Pooling Water: If your home routinely gets pooling water, it’s important to know that any form of long-term moisture is going to lead to mold. Water stains, bubbling/peeling pain, discolored walls, discolored floors, and stained ceilings are all clues that mold is lurking in your home.
- Leaks: If leaks are occurring behind walls in your home, there’s a good chance that mold is also growing. Areas with condensation can also be mold feeding grounds. Assume that mold may be lurking if you routinely find condensation near windows, doors, and metal pipes.
- Flooding: Did your home experience significant flooding due to rains, storms, or a broken pipe? It’s highly likely that the flooding event left mold behind. It’s essential to have mold remediation service performed whenever flooding occurs in a home.
JASD is here if you suspect mold! We can provide a detailed report of signs of mold in your home. Contact us today!
The Mold Removal Process
Mold remediation is never a DIY process. It’s important to have trained, licensed mold experts with the proper mold removal products and tools come in to assess the situations. Mold removal can be hazardous if it’s not done properly. When you call JASD for mold removal at your home in Port Saint Lucie, Jensen Beach, Vero Beach, Lakewood Park, Jupiter, Hobe Sound, or Port Salerno, we’ll take the proper steps to safely handle mold removal to get you back in your home as quickly as possible. Take a look at what you can expect.
Identifying the Source of the Mold
Our trained team can easily identify all of the common hiding spots for mold. We’ll conduct mold testing to confirm the presence of mold. In addition to conducting air and surface tests, our team will visually inspect your home for telltale signs of mold to ensure that no mold is left behind. Once our inspection is done, we’ll provide you with a detailed report of our findings to help you make a decision about how to move forward. We can also provide documentation for insurance purposes.
Isolating the Mold
Our mold remediation experts will then work to contain mold. We’ll do everything possible to prevent mold spores from spreading throughout your home. Our team has what it takes to block off infected areas using plastic sheeting, create proper ventilation, and get to work on getting mold out of your home.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
Using state-of-the-art tools, our team can clean and disinfect all areas that have been impacted by mold. If pooling water is still a problem at your home, we’ll use our industrial vacuuming technology to get rid of sitting water that could be teeming with mold and bacteria. We’ll also address any moisture that could be trapped in your carpeting. All items that can be removed from the home will be disposed of properly. Porous furniture, carpeting, and clothing may need to be removed from the home at this time.
Removing the Mold
Once we have a clean, dry area to work with, we’ll use scrubbing techniques to remove mold from your home. Typically, this includes spraying the mold area with an EPA-approved biocide capable of killing mold. In addition, a special whitewash solution that encapsulates any remaining mold spores after the area has been fully dried may be used.
Preventing Future Mold Problems
Following remediation, it’s important to begin the process of preventing future outbreaks. The same conditions that led to your current mold situation can easily cause mold to form again in the future. Here’s a rundown of the steps to take to make sure mold stays gone after mold removal services.
Inspect Your Home for Leaks and Moisture
A homeowner is their own best defense against mold! Make a habit of inspecting your home regularly for leaks, wetness, pooling water, or excess moisture. Have a checklist to use after storms to ensure that you’re not allowing water damage to fester.
Fix Any Leaks and Moisture Problems Immediately
Leaks and moisture issues should be addressed as soon as they are detected. The truth is that a moisture issue isn’t new simply because it has just become noticeable. Water has probably been building up for a while before becoming noticeable on the surface. That means that a problem is already severe by the time it becomes visible.
Keep Your Home Clean and Dry
Homeowners need to become obsessed with keeping their homes dry. First, address any leaking pipes and condensation issues that are present in the home. You should also be vigilant about keeping bathroom floors dry. Consider using a moisture meter that allows you to quickly detect moisture levels around your home.
Use an Air Conditioner or Dehumidifier
Have you ever checked the humidity levels in your home? Most people have no idea just how humid their homes are getting. Safe humidity levels in a home should fall between 30% and 50% humidity. Homes with levels that exceed this window are at risk for mold, wood rot, and poor indoor health quality. Dehumidifiers can cut through humidity. Adding air conditioning to more areas of your home can also help to regulate humidity levels.
FAQs
Do you think most homes in Florida have a mold issue?
Yes, homes in Florida are at higher risk for mold issues due to the heavy storm season experienced in the state. Every major storm and flooding event can leave a home vulnerable to mold if water is able to penetrate the home. In addition, the high humidity levels in Florida create ideal conditions for mold growth.
Get Your Mold Problem in Port Saint Lucie Fixed
Every moment that passes without treating mold puts your health in jeopardy. An unchecked mold problem puts your entire household at risk for illness. Lingering mold can also damage structural wood throughout your home. JASD has trained experts standing by to treat the problem. We even offer 24/7 service. Contact us today for mold remediation service in Port Saint Lucie.
