Ut Oh! We Have Mold! What Do We Do Now???

Jan. 12, 2010 - PRLog -- San Diego, CA
When mold is allowed to grow in wet or damp environments, there’s a chance that it can develop into enough volume to cause health issues. It’s hard to say how much mold needs to be present before it can affect health… that’s like asking how much sun it takes to cause sunburn.  It varies from person to person.  By the time your house smells musty though, it’s likely that you have already inhaled millions of tiny mold spores.  Can that be harmful to your health?  Yes!

Allergy is the most common symptom associated with indoor molds.  Mold allergy symptoms include:

•   Sneezing
•   Watery eyes
•   Runny nose
•   Itching
•   Coughing
•   Headaches
•   Fatigue
•   Wheezing
•   Scratchy throat
•   Red or itchy skin

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mold can also be responsible for more serious illnesses. Mold can cause infection, cysts, and potentially fatal systemic diseases such as histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, and coccidiomycosis.  If mold is dealt with in a timely manner, the severity of mold allergies or illness can be greatly diminished or even prevented.  But how do you prevent mold growth?

Mold cannot grow unless there is moisture present.  Whether the moisture is caused by a flood, a broken pipe, a roof leak, or a leaking dishwasher, removing moisture requires quick action.  The longer you wait to remove the moisture, the greater chance you’ll have of causing damage to your home.  San Diego based SERVPRO of Point Loma, a professional cleanup and restoration company, knows just what to do to remove moisture and prevent potential mold problems.

“Moisture and mold are tricky to deal with,” says Mike Sprague, a SERVPRO  professional specializing in mold and water damage cleanup and restoration.  “Your natural response is to grab a mop, a bucket, and a box fan to try to dry out the moisture yourself.  But water has a tendency to migrate very quickly to hard to reach spaces.  You might not notice that the floor below your carpet is wet… and it won’t be long before mold begins to grow!”

Once moisture is present in a structure, mold growth can begin in as little as 4 hours.  All mold needs is moisture and a suitable food source.  “A food source is always available in an indoor environment” says Mike Sprague.  “Your home is like a grocery store for mold.  It will feed on drywall, paint, some carpets, adhesives, wood, fabrics, paper products, and even the starch in wallpaper paste.  If you don’t catch mold early on, it can be very overwhelming and costly to deal with… and that mold will likely make you sick!”

If you have concerns about mold or would like advice on how to handle the mold removal process, SERVPRO® of Point Loma can help.  They provide free mold inspections 7 days a week, even on major holidays.  “We know that time is a critical factor when dealing with moisture and mold concerns.  If our San Diego County customers need us today, we’ll be there!  Their health is our number one concern.”

Visit http://servproofpointloma.blogspot.com for helpful tips and more information on dealing with mold.  Or call 619-275-2802 to speak with a mold specialist.

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SERVPRO® of Point Loma offers a full line of cleanup and restoration services to residential and commercial properties. Those services include water removal, water damage repair, fire and smoke cleanup, emergency services, mold remediation, and crime scene cleanup.