Expert Mold Inspections & Remediation Services in Lorain, OH
Lorain may seem to be a fairly dry area, but many homes are still affected by mold growth. How can this be, if mold typically found in moist, humid areas? Well, it may have to deal with the way your Lorain home is constructed.
While we now enjoy having air-tight homes that improve energy efficiency, this type of home construction has reduced drafts and makes it so that homes don’t dry out as quickly as they might have in the past. This, coupled with a lack of good ventilation – while it saves on energy costs – makes homes more susceptible to mold problems.
Why Be Concerned with Mold in Your Lorain Home
Mold can cause a variety of health problems including typical allergy-like symptoms, infections, asthma, skin irritations, and chronic respiratory illnesses. You should be concerned with mold growth and hire a professional Lorain mold inspection company such as M.A.D. Cleaning LLC to do testing in your home if your property has recently encountered:
- Flooding
- Plumbing Problems (e.g. leaky faucets, burst water pipes)
- Roof Leaks
- Damp Basements
- Damp Crawl Spaces
- Overflow from sinks, bathtubs, and/or toilets
- Sewage Back-up
- High Humidity (such as from summer weather, leaving a window open during the rain, steam from showers and cooking)
These are some prime causes of mold growth in Lorain homes. If any of these issues apply to your home, you and your family may be at risk. Be safe, and schedule a mold assessment from a certified Lorain mold inspection company such as M.A.D. Cleaning LLC.
Mold is likely to be found in any place that is relatively moist or humid. It is important to understand, however, that excess moisture in a Lorain home can come from more than just the obvious issues listed previously. For example, slab leaks in the foundation, water seepage caused by an irregular slope or bad grading around the property, or simply building on a damp concrete foundation can all cause mold problems in a Lorain home.
So while you should be aware that normal everyday activities such as bathing without proper ventilation can cause mold growth if left unchecked, there are contributors that are outside of your control or awareness that may be producing a lot of moisture in or around your home. The only way to be certain is to hire a professional Lorain mold inspection contractor for a thorough analysis of your property.
Reducing Moisture Indoors
To reduce indoor humidity, consider purchasing a dehumidifier for areas such as poorly ventilated bathrooms and basements. Regularly vent bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas of your Lorain home that are prone to producing excess moisture by opening windows and letting in fresh air. Properly working heating and air conditioning systems may also contribute to better indoor humidity levels, though you don’t want to let your relative humidity levels drop too low – this can cause a slew of other health problems, the least of which is dry, itchy skin. You want to remove excess moisture – not all the moisture – from your Lorain home.
It is also important to correct plumbing problems and roof leaks immediately, as mold can start to grow within 48 hours. Also be sure to check to see that rain water is properly draining away from your Lorain home’s foundation at all times of the year. If you find issues with any of these areas of your home, be sure to contact an appropriately licensed Lorain contractor to provide you with solutions.
Cleaning House & Hiring Mold Remediation Experts
If you find mold growing in your home, the affected areas should be treated to remove mold spores as soon as possible. This entails more than just a solution of bleach and typical household cleaner. You should contact a professional Lorain mold remediation contractor for thorough cleaning and mold removal services.
Experienced Lorain mold remediation specialists clean, disinfect and sanitize areas affected by mold to the highest standard using professional strength equipment and solutions that TREAT the area. This is the key. You want to do more than clean it – you want to treat the area so that future mold growth is prevented as well as to ensure the mold spores have been properly removed.
Spores from mold and mildew can be dangerous to your health. This is why professional Lorain mold inspection and remediation specialists wear respirators and protective gear when treating a property. You should never attempt to clean severe mold problems by yourself, especially without protective gear. Leave it to a professional Lorain mold remediation company, and protect your health.
Some things you can do to aid in the mold remediation process are to wash or get rid of items that have been the victim of mold growth, such as linens, curtains, clothes, paperwork, etc. Use bleach to wash clothes when the fabric allows. Wash thoroughly, and ensure all mold stains are removed before drying. Some items may need to be taken to a dry cleaner. If so, be sure to tell the attendant that there is mold. This will ensure their safety as well as the proper treatment for your items.
Some items may not be salvageable. Be sure to get rid of these belongings to ensure mold does not reenter your Lorain home.
