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7 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BLACK MOLD REMOVAL

By July 22, 2019August 7th, 2023No Comments

The term ‘black mold’ is something of a misnomer and misleading. Many people assume that mold has to be colored black to cause health problems. Nothing could be further from the truth! Come read and learn more about black mold, what it is, what it isn’t, and what to do about it.


DISCLAIMERS:

Blog information is NOT intended to provide or replace medical advice. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.

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Suggestions for products to use are just that, suggestions. You know yourself and your home best. Please do your own research on any product you use in your home or on your skin, and learn all the facts for yourself. Thank you.


BLACK MOLD – SOMETHING OF A MISNOMER

While all molds have the potential to cause irritation and allergy symptoms, some molds can also cause much more dangerous health problems. Some molds, but not all molds, produce toxins. Toxic molds can cause health problems ranging from poisoning to cancer. Not all molds are toxic, but many are. The thing is… dangerous and toxic mold is not just black, it can be many different colors. Toxic molds can appear to be green, yellow, brown, or black. So, where is the line between an allergic mold and a toxic mold? That line is defined by something called a mycotoxin, and is NOT defined by color.

Mycotoxins, literally ‘fungus poison’ in Latin, are chemical substances produced by molds that can cause many health problems ranging from mild to severe.2,8 Molds that produce mycotoxins are the ones that could be categorized as toxic or poisonous.2,8 Even if you are not allergic to mold, you can be affected by mycotoxins.8

To learn even more about the health effects of mold check out our posts: Mold and Mycotoxins: Effects on the Brain and Nervous System in Adults, Effects of Mold on Children’s Health and Mold Exposure Symptoms.

HOW DID I GET BLACK MOLD?

Most likely, mold is growing in your home because there is too much moisture in an area. Any part of your home where running water or moisture is present has the potential for mold to grow. Periodic maintenance checks on all water sources, roofs, and crawl spaces in your home can prevent mold from growing by stopping leaks before they become a big problem. Check out our posts: Top 6 Types of Water Damage and How to Avoid Them and Top 10 Ways to Prevent Water Damage to learn more.

MOLD IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH

Mold is an insidious, invisible predator in your home. It hides in places no one ever thinks to look like under cabinets, in crawl spaces, and behind furniture. People may spend weeks, months, and even years fighting illness, and never know what they are really fighting…mold. Many of our customers find us after a recommendation from their doctor, indicating that they may in fact have a mold problem, and not just an illness.

Mold is most often associated with allergies, but mold is much more menacing than people know. While all molds have the potential to cause irritation and allergy symptoms, molds can also cause much more dangerous health problems including: fungal poisoning from mycotoxins and mental health issues. Check out our post Mold Exposure Symptoms to learn more about what medical symptoms are associated with mold exposure.

REMOVING BLACK MOLD IMPROVES YOUR HOME’S VALUE

Nobody wants to buy or live in a home with mold! Whether you are selling your home or plan to live there many years, mold removal is always the right choice. Mold is a dealbreaker for most homebuyers. Having found and fixed the problem before they purchase will give homebuyers much more confidence going into the sale.

On the flip side, wise homebuyers can choose to have the home of their choice inspected to be sure it is a wise investment, and a safe place to live. To learn more about mold inspections when purchasing or selling a home check out our post Should I Get a Mold Inspection When Buying a Home?

INSPECTIONS FOR BLACK MOLD HELP FIND AND FIX WATER LEAKS

The main sources for mold growth in homes are water leaks from faucets, roofs, hot water heaters, ground water damage and even sewer backup. Find the water leaks and find the source of the problem.

Some of our competitors offer “free” mold inspections, which basically means that the inspector shows up and hands over a price to fix a symptom, without truly knowing the nature of the problem. The primary reason that we charge for our mold inspections is the time and resources that go into each one.

In addition to the questions we ask over the phone, once we arrive we ask many more. If you think you might have a mold problem, you’re far better off with a thorough inspection like ours. We analyze the symptoms to determine the root cause of your problem.

Branch Environmental offers much more than a typical mold inspection. It’s a true mold investigation! Our inspectors go above and beyond to determine all the sources of mold in a home. The inspection process we follow checks your home from top to bottom, and will find any and all possible mold sources. We take our work seriously, and search until we find what’s really going on. We only recommend solutions that will solve the actual problem. You can trust your home to us.

Check out our post: Beyond Mold Inspections, Branch Delivers Mold Investigations to learn about how we determined the true sources of a mold problem for a homeowner.

CAN I REMOVE THE BLACK MOLD MYSELF?

Removing mold can be a DIY project, but it’s a good idea to know when to call the pros. Our tips for mold removal help you know what to use, and what not to use. We can help you remove the mold safely, whether you choose to DIY or have us help you. We want to help you get back to living your best life!

What should I use to remove mold?

There are 4 simple ingredients you can safely use to clean away mold in your home: white vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide.

What about all of the mold cleaners that are being marketed? What about the claims that a certain product kills mold, removes mold, removes stains, disinfects surfaces and prevents mold from ever returning? If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. 

To learn more about the products you use to clean your home, and how they are NOT regulated by the federal government check out our article: Cleaning Products – Homemade vs. Store Bought.

KNOW WHEN TO CLEAN AND WHEN TO CALL

It’s easy to take care of mold as a homeowner, but it’s also a good idea to know when to call in the pros. Mold is great at hiding in hard to detect locations such as in drywall, under sinks, and in carpet. If the area of mold covers more than about 10 square feet, there is a good chance the mold problem is more than an isolated issue. If you smell a musty odor in your home or have health problems associated with mold, it’s time to call in the professionals.

To learn more about what mold removal really looks like check out our post: Home Mold Remediation.

WE’RE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US

Call Branch Environmental. We’re experts not only at mold removal, but at determining and remediating the underlying causes. From hidden mold sources to major contaminants, we can identify exactly what is going on in your home and rid it of environmental toxins, often for good.


Branch Environmental – Because nobody should live or work in a building that makes them sick.

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