Mold is a fungal growth that develops on wet materials. Almost every home is subject to mold and a major infestation can affect your health. Mold releases microscopic spores that can cause problems for allergy sufferers or those with weakened immune systems.
The best way to deal with mold is to prevent dampness. The worst mold occurs in damp spaces, especially where water has leaked in from the outside.
How to identify mold
Mold can grow in all the damp places in your home. The spores flourish when there’s moisture and the temperature is right. The most visible type of mold is mildew which starts off as tiny black spots but usually grows into large colonies. Mildew is a surface type of mold that won’t cause structural damage to your home.
Other types of mold can cause rot, taking hold on wood, for instance, and causing it to get soft or crumble. A high concentration of mold usually causes a musty smell. Check for it in damp areas of your home, like damp walls, wet wood under floors, wet roof sheathing and damp carpets. Infestations must be cleaned up or they get worse.
Mold caused by a leaky roof
When a roof is leaking, it is important to deal immediately with a leak or mold can spread throughout the structure of the home and to the rest of the house through vents.
It can grow on wood frames, furniture, ceiling types, and floor coverings where it can be difficult to remove. If you‘re looking for roofing contractors, Austin has experienced professionals who will promptly deal with any leaks and prevent mold from forming.
A roof leak can cause the growth of two types of mold growth. Systemic growth is when a roof leak causes moisture to build up in the attic. The dampness in the air causes condensation throughout the area.
Limited mold growth happens when an attic is properly ventilated to deal with moisture. In this case, mold remediation can focus on the area directly surrounding a leak.
Mold remediation
Moisture damage and mold infestations go hand in hand. Scrubbing away surface mold common to bathrooms is easy but mold often grows and spreads to less obvious places that you don’t notice until you detect a musty smell.
Mold remediation depends on the amount of mold and the surfaces where it appears. If you have to remove black mold covering an extensive area, where a musty odor is particularly strong, or where there is lots of water damage, it’s best to take special precautions. You don’t want to breathe in high concentrations of spores.
It’s best to call in specialists who use antimicrobial and antifungal treatments to deal with mold colonies and to help prevent new ones from forming. Such companies use the correct equipment and containment methods to detect mold, remove it and prevent it from spreading.
Addressing attic mold problems due to roof leaks
First, the roof leak itself must be repaired and roofing contractors need to do this as mold professionals aren’t licensed to perform roof repairs. After this, the current mold growth needs to be killed with a fungicide and the attic must be dried out. Then any residual mold staining must be treated.
The best defense against mold
After you have had mold removed, your best defense to prevent a problem in the future is to deal with leaks promptly, keep crawlspaces dry, ensure good ventilation in your attic, and keep water away from your foundations.