Mold is a common problem in homes and businesses that can have serious consequences for your health if left unchecked. Mold takes root in moist environments, where it quickly spreads, resulting in a musty odor that can trigger allergies and respiratory issues.
It’s important to know the signs of mold so you can identify the issue before it becomes too serious, and hiring a professional mold remediation service on Long Island, NY, like Magic Home Restoration, is the best way to ensure your property is safe and healthy.
At Magic Home Restoration, we understand how critical it is for homeowners or business owners to have their properties restored quickly and safely. We prioritize safety above everything else, ensuring that no potential risks are left unattended while removing molds from the premises, including restoring faulty ventilation systems or identifying water sources causing issues with humidity control indoors.
Mold is an all-too-common problem in homes and businesses that can have serious consequences for your health if left unchecked. Mold takes root in moist environments, where it quickly spreads, resulting in a musty odor that can trigger allergies and respiratory issues. It’s important to know the signs of mold, so you can identify the issue before it becomes too serious, and hiring a professional mold remediation service like Magic Home Restoration is the best way to ensure that your property is safe and healthy.
Mold can be classified into one of three categories: allergenic, pathogenic, and toxigenic.
Allergenic mold is one of the most common types of mold and one that is found the most often in households. This type of mold will likely cause mild allergic reactions such as sneezing, congestion, coughing, watery eyes, etc.
Pathogenic mold can cause more severe reactions and can be incredibly dangerous for those with autoimmune disorders. Depending on the amount of mold and strain, this type can be anywhere from moderately to severely dangerous. Luckily, it’s not very common indoors.
The last type is, as it sounds, the most dangerous. Toxigenic mold is incredibly harmful to humans and animals alike and definitely requires a professional team, such as Magic Home Restoration, to remove it. To those that may have weaker immune systems or allergies, it can even cause respiratory failure if exposed too long. Molds within this category are incredibly harmful and become this way due to being left to grow out of control.
The CDC has publicized that there are three main types of mold that are common indoors (these molds fall under the previously mentioned categories); these include Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus.
Cladosporium is classified under the allergenic level and will cause smaller allergic reactions like sneezing and watery eyes. It presents as brown, green, or black. When checking for this mold, it can most often be found on building materials such as acrylic-painted walls, wood, wallpaper, and insulation.
Depending on the strain, Penicillium can be allergenic or pathogenic but presents as bluish-green spots that appear fluffy in texture. You’ll find these on rotting or expired foods. The allergenic strain is not too harmful, but the pathogenic strains can lead to serious health issues if ingested.
Aspergillus also has several types of strains with varying degrees of potential risks. It can be either pathogenic or toxigenic. It’s located most commonly on damp areas of building materials or building sites where mold has been ignored for a long period of time, allowing it to progress into more toxic amounts. It can cause serious harm to the heart, bloodstream, and respiratory regions, among other problems.
Mold can be brought up in a variety of different environments, but one factor remains the same, the presence of moisture, dampness, or humidity. This is why it is important to ensure that if there is a leak, high humidity in your home, or a hole in your roof, it is taken care of as soon as possible. If left to sit, it will develop into mold very quickly. Mold can form from any of the following:
It’s important to act quickly if you’re experiencing any of these issues. If there is a lot of moisture in the air, for instance, a dehumidifier can help keep things nice and dry and unfit for mold growth. Or if you have a leak or issues in your crawl space, after completing repairs, be sure to care for the dampness that may have resulted from those issues.
Use a wet/dry vacuum to collect large amounts of water and place down towels to try to absorb any residual moisture. Follow this up with a dehumidifier to try to absorb the moisture from the room and help the area dry quicker.
Should mold begin to form, contact Magic Home Restoration as soon as possible. Allowing mold to sit can lead to further damage to your home and health risks. Not to mention, it does not stop developing; mold left untouched can develop into more harmful strains, making a home or business unusable.
Of course, the easiest way to determine if you have mold will be by spotting it. It will likely appear black, brown, or even bluish-green in color and appear as large disfigured blobs that, upon closer inspection, seem to be made up of dots.
However, sometimes mold does not appear so clearly as it can be hiding away in a basement, attic, or hidden corner. Looking for the signs can help determine if you have mold and also ensure it’s dealt with before it worsens.
One of the first indications that your home or business may have mold will be a musty smell. If you notice a room smells stale or dirty, then there’s likely mold located nearby.
You may also notice that a wall appears warped or shows signs of water damage. The warping is likely caused by the water, and where there’s water damage, mold is usually followed close behind. Contact our team to inspect the area. It may require pulling back a layer or two to see the mold hiding underneath.
As we mentioned, mold can cause allergy-like symptoms, so if you cannot see mold but you or several people who have visited are noticing that they are experiencing watery eyes, sneezing, or coughing when visiting your home or business, it’s worth having a look around for signs of mold.
Oddly enough, if there is furniture in your home or business, it may be susceptible to mold as well. Upholstered furniture is susceptible to mold growth due to the porous material. Be sure to check and see if your favorite couch or chair has any odd discoloration.
One of the more discreet ways mold can grow is in areas where condensation is common. This could be on a windowsill that tends to get fogged up or frosty in the early mornings, near an air conditioning vent, or in water heater closets. Be sure to check these smaller areas for mold and try to keep them dry.
Side effects of having mold in the home can include the following:
This is why it’s important to hire a reputable mold remediation service like Magic Home Restoration in order to assess the extent of damage and provide effective solutions tailored according to any particular situation. Our team of experienced professionals specializes in quick yet comprehensive services that cover all aspects of mold removal – from wall reconstruction and carpet cleaning to dehumidifying the entire space.
Mold comes in all shapes and sizes, ranging from fuzzy spots to slimy patches of black or green discoloration on walls, floors, or other surfaces around your home or business.
Regularly inspecting these areas is key to detecting any growths early on before they become a large problem. In addition to their unsightly appearance, mold spores can also result in poor air quality due to their ability to release allergens into the atmosphere.
When it comes to repairing drywall or implementing other moisture control measures that may be required after an infestation of this kind, our reliable technicians always aim for simple yet clear communication to help customers make educated decisions moving forward with their restorations.
So don’t wait any longer; contact us today at Magic Home Restoration, located on Long Island, NY, if you ever find yourself facing a housing issue due to mold inside either your home or commercial premise.
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