Identifying White Mold
If you have the slightest suspicion that you have white mold, you should definitely take steps to confirm that you have mold and have it dealt with quickly. If you do not take care of it, it can affect your living area and your health.
It is best to consult with several professionals when you are dealing with white mold so as not to attract harm to you or others within your specific area.
Recall that professionals at places like Mold Removal-Indianapolis are standing by to help you eradicate your white mold problem with ease. These professionals have the knowledge, expertise, and broad experience to ensure that white mold within your vicinity is a thing of the past.
Indeed, white mold awareness through mold inspection, and eventual white mold remediation is essential for commercial and residential properties.
Learn more about white mold inspection and how to get rid of it in this brief guide.
The Nuances of White Mold
There are many types of species of mold.
Some of the more common ones to be found in homes are aspergillus, cladosporium, and penicillium. These molds can appear as white, gray, green, black as well as other colors.
What are the essentials for mold to survive and perpetuate?
Wood and a moist area are necessary for mold to thrive.
Knowing the type of mold does not necessarily help you since, regardless of the species, mold being present in general is bad news. However, you might be able to tell what stage of development the mold is in by the color.
The color white typically means that the mold is in the early stages of development. Once spores are a part of the process, the color tends to change. Some molds can remain white, and age doesn’t really matter due to the fact that their spores do not have pigment.
The material type that the mold is growing on is what affects spore pigmentation. It can be easy to confuse white mold for powder due to its appearance and its ability to blend into the material that it is growing on.
How To Tell If You Have White Mold
If you think you have white mold and covers a large area, it might be a good idea to call in a white mold remediation specialist since mistaking white mold for mildew is a common mistake individuals make.
Mildew tends to appear as white as well, but mildew generally grows on plants and does not decimate whatever material it is growing on.
Mold is most certainly going to go deep into the material it grows on and ruin it. A reason mold does this is because it typically grows on porous materials such as wood or drywall, so it is not as challenging to grow deep.
Yet, another substance that individuals might confuse for white mold is efflorescence.
This white crystalline substance occurs when salty water evaporates and leaves behind a deposit.
If an individual does have efflorescence in their house, it is not something that poses a health risk, so it is not necessary to worry. Indeed, one can not say the same thing about white mold. It is essential to know that efflorescence does not grow and spread, so this is another way to differentiate between efflorescence and mold.
You can also look at the type of material that the white substance is growing on. If the material is a concrete, brick, stone, or masonry type, then it is efflorescence.
You can also try taking a sample of the substance and putting it in water. If it dissolves, then it is not mold. Remember to try squeezing the substance in your hand, and if it becomes a powder, you have further confirmation that it is efflorescence.
The white mold removal experts will recommend doing so with gloves on and the right garments if you seek to interact with mold.
Health Issues Due to White Mold
If there is white mold in your house, you might know because you may experience some symptoms such as depression, headaches, nausea, dizziness, eye irritations, respiratory infections, and allergic reactions.
It is essential to reach out to professionals and conduct mold inspection and white mold removal as quickly as possible to minimize further harm and danger to yourself and others around you.
White Mold Remediation and Removal
What will white mold remediation experts do when it comes to residential mold removal?
To deal with the mold, the first thing professionals will do is find the source. After the professionals repair the source, they will see if the material is salvageable.
Remember that extensive mold inspection is necessary as you could potentially have mold in your insulation and on the other side of the drywall.
Most mold cases require the material to be discarded and have new mildew and mold resistant material put in. This might not be cheap to do, but it is worthwhile to avoid issues in the future and protect yourself better should there be another leak in the future.
If professionals notice that you are dealing with something such as drywall issues, professionals will want to cut out the mold-infested area.
Remember that professionals could spray the area with bleach and then seal it with an oil or shellac based primer, but if you already have individuals that have a history of allergy issues or asthma, the safest thing to do might be just to cut out the area and start afresh.
If it is not an option to start afresh, then professionals will try using a mold killing primer, and if the mold reappears shortly after, professionals can use concrobium or a mold fogger for the room.
If residential mold removal experts from places like Mold Removal-Indianapolis use a mold primer, they would have to apply it right on the mold, so it is crucial to have enough protection such as goggles, gloves, and a mask.
You will notice that people from commercial mold remediation companies will wear something disposable or something that you do not mind having bleached, to prevent bringing mold spores to other areas of your house or residence.
If applied correctly, the mold primer should do the job since its function is to suffocate mold, kill it, and prevent new mold from forming. When you purchase paint, you can also look for a mold killing additive to ensure more protection.
Immediate White Mold Solutions Before Calling Professionals
If you need something to deal with the white mold issue temporarily, you can fill a spray bottle with two-thirds of water and one-third of bleach.
Spray this on the affected areas until they are damp, let it dry and then re-spray the area. This should help the issues on the area disappear, but you still want to give the area a thorough mold inspection to confirm that the mold has not spread deep into the material.
You could also try a fungicide to help kill the mold. Another thing to try is vinegar. Once again, these are temporary solutions.
As a homeowner or commercial property owner, you want to make sure you do not give any mold that is deep in the material to fester since it will take any chance to spread.
While reaching out to white mold remediation professionals will come with costs, it is a route that might be the best, especially since your health and the health of anyone else that lives on the property are at stake.
Of course, while you can go to a local home center and talk to someone who has experience dealing with mold and purchase something like a moldicide, remember that it is best to try the suggestions mentioned above to deal with the white mold.
A white mold removal specialist would know exactly what to do and can give you tips on what to do in the future to either prevent the mold from growing and spreading.
Further, they can provide more insight on what to do to find the source that is adding moisture and, in turn, help you minimize a host of potential problems.