Growth.

4/20/2022 (Permalink)

Spring is here. Rain and moisture are plentiful, and the colors are coming back to the earth. New growth is upon us. Sounds wonderful, right? Growth is a beautiful thing unless it is mold and in your home. Now, molds are naturally occurring fungal growth that occurs on wet materials. Mold plays an important role in the ecosystem by breaking down dead organic matter in nature. Mold growth requires moisture, food/nutrients, and time. Common construction and building materials are able to easily sustain mold growth in improper conditions. Mold growth indoors is typically caused by water or moisture exposure or inadequate drying of affected materials. Anywhere moisture is present, mold can thrive, making leaky roofs, plumbing problems, and flooding some of the leading causes of excess moisture indoors. How can you tell if your home has a mold issue? Start by following your nose. One of the most noticeable effects of mold can be the smell of mildew. It is not that simple, however. There are many different kinds of molds. Molds come in all shapes sizes colors and varieties. Mold is not always easily detectible, though. It can hide behind wallpaper or paneling, inside drop ceilings, behind walls, in ductwork, and under carpet padding. SERVPRO of Austin and Albert Lea offer mold inspections as well as air sample testing to check for the presence of unwanted mold growth in homes or businesses. If unwanted mold is detected indoors, remediation becomes necessary to correct the problem. Calling SERVPRO to help you identify the presence of mold in your home is the first step. We will take it from there, completing the cleaning and removal of contaminated areas. We are properly armed with the equipment, methodology, and training using guidelines extracted from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the EPA, and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). When left unhandled, mold can become dangerous in many ways. Mold can spread rapidly throughout a property causing damage to its structure, its contents, and its inhabitants. Growth is a beautiful thing this time of year, as long as it stays where it belongs and out of our bathrooms, attics, and crawl spaces!