the moldy facts
Mold is microscopic fungi that resemble plants and grow in multi-cellular tubes or filaments called hyphae. The over 100,000 known species of mold all of which secrete digestive enzymes that dissolve food materials and absorb the soluble products from digestion.
Different types of mold including black mold, toxic mold, and allergenic mold are present everywhere in the air we breathe. These molds need a nutrient source and moisture source to grow and reproduce. Indoors, the nutrient sources may include wood, paper, drywall, carpet, fabrics, or food, and the moisture source could come from a plumbing or roof leak, condensation, or even high humidity. Without a moisture, source mold can remain alive in a dormant state for extended periods of time. Certain mold species are very tolerant to temperature, humidity, and pressure extremes, able to survive in harsh conditions like refrigeration, highly acidic solvents, petroleum products like jet fuel, and even the massive UV and cosmic radiation of outer space, proven lethal to other microorganisms. Mold spores exist in a dormant state, like plant seeds, until a source of moisture presents itself and growth and reproduction begin.
Mold spores are virtually naked to the human eye and this makes it difficult to recognize any activity at the start of any mold formation. However, there are certain places that you can look for mold. Some of these mold hot spots are easily visible while others require slightly more effort to discover. Fortunately, knowing the places where mold activity may occur provides enough time to have a mold professional safely remove any activity that is noticed before it can become hazardous to your health.
Before searching for mold, there are a few warning signs that should prompt you to immediately seek a professional mold removal service. Those red flags are the following:
You are suffering allergic symptoms
Musty and damp odor
Prior water problem, for example: flooding, leaking pipes, leaking roof…
Even if none of these red flags are present, you must not fall prey to a sense of false security. You should still be proactive by performing visual inspections for potential mold activity as even a small buildup of mold is a sign that your house harbors ideal conditions. Therefore, any mold activity found should be taken seriously.
Common Places to Find Mold
When searching for mold, you must check every room in your household, especially the attic, the bathroom, and the basement. Pay special attention to areas near water sources such as sinks, pipes, showers, and bathtubs. While searching, if you find any water leaks, note it and resolve immediately as water intrusion is a main factor that promotes mold growth. Some other common places for the growth of mold include drywall, carpets, insulation, as well as ventilation ducts. Objects like these are usually made up of cellulose materials which can retain moisture. After you inspect your home, be sure to hire a mold inspector if you find even the smallest hint of mold activity. Getting ahead of the problem is key to maintaining a safe and healthy home that is free of abnormal levels of mold.
Hidden Mold
Mold often tend to hide in plain sight. It is often within an arm’s reach of where you are passing by, but you may not be aware it is presence. Places like above ceilings tiles, under wooden floors, or in air conditioning ducts are also locations that hidden mold may exist. If you find small spots of mold on a surface, it could mean there is a much larger mold colony growing on the hidden side. In such an instance, hire a professional to inspect the location. MR1 Source Professionals possess the proper safety equipment and experience to advise of protocols that should be taken to remove. These qualities ensure that the appropriate measures needed during a mold inspection and/or mold removal process will be executed. Precaution is key in the search and removal of mold. MR 1 Source will ensure that during the removal process mold spores will not spread to other surfaces.
Whether in plain sight or in the dark shadows mold is not a fungus that one should take lightly and it is also important to be aware that it may cause “a risk of respiratory or other infections in individuals with compromised immune systems, damaged lungs or an allergy to mold.” Knowing which places to examine and what to look for will help you keep your house—and by extension, yourself— healthy. Therefore, check often and early (especially after heavy rain) when you notice damp spots and/or smell a musty odor. If you notice any signs that promote mold activity feel free to contact us and one of our dedicated mold professionals will determine if our services are right for you.
Mold's Affects on Property Value
Mold and How It Affects Property Value
MR 1 Source is aware mold affects the property value of a home. We are also aware that your property is special and you have worked to make it valuable by improving it, making upgrades, and maintaining its overall aesthetic and functional value. Like most investments, you envision that it will continue to increase in value, which is why you do everything you can to ensure that it is in the best shape possible. However, there is one lurking danger that may bring the property value of your home or business down: MOLD.
Undetected mold can become a hazard to your health and damage your property’s structure. From exasperating asthma problems to deteriorating the structure of your home, mold can cause your house to become a money pit for anyone interested in your property. According to The Nest, “Property valuation experts Marion R. Johnson, Paul A. Welcome and Darla Frank found that a severely infested luxury home in Kansas lost 53 percent of its value because of an active mold infestation.” Jack C. Schoppa, a financial adviser, writing in ‘Realty Times,’ summarizes other case studies to find an average devaluation of 17 to 23 percent because of the presence of mold.”
Undetected or known cases of mold can cause your property to lose value. It is important to seek the services of a certified mold remediation company to help eradicate the problem, one that will competently remove the mold, and inform of suggestions to prevent the abnormal regrowth of mold. Ultimately this will get your property value back to or above par.
Our mold remediation specialists will evaluate your property to find the root cause of the problem. We are aware that mold can hide in plain sight, and what may seem like a minor issue could be a much larger one. Once the source and depth of the mold issue is identified, our mold removal team will use certified equipment and EPA safety precautions to remove the mold and any damaged material.
Once our mold removal team has removed the items affected by mold we will make suggestions to prevent the return of abnormal mold activity (this may include better windows or dehumidifiers to keep moisture in check). Since mold grows in moisture rich environments once it’s removed applying these suggestions will help prevent its return and therefore you can rest assured that your short-term investment will result in a better return on the value of your overall property and assist in maintaining the value of your prized investment.
Dangers of Mold in Your Home
You may be interested to know that during any home inspection or business health inspection, mold is one of the main concerns and any good home inspector will check for signs of activity. While we often think of mold as something that we might find on old food in our fridge there are certain types of mold that can be much more harmful especially when it comes to household molds. Our service provides home remediation and business remediation of harmful mold. It’s our duty to tell you about the dangers of mold in your home or working environment so that if you happen to notice the signs or suffer from symptoms you can contact our mold removal experts for an inspection and/or testing to confirm. Below are some of the top dangers that you can experience from mold in your home or working environment:
1. Irritation of allergies: people that already suffer from asthma, allergies, or have compromised immune systems due to a medical condition can experience an increased risk of health issues as a result of mold in the home. Having mold in your home with one of these conditions can sometimes produce severe reactions, respiratory infections, asthma attacks and more.
2. Toxic effects: some types of molds can actually produce mycotoxins meaning that even if you don’t have any type of allergies or pre-existing condition, mold can cause serious health risk to you or animals living in your home/business. While not all molds produce these toxins high levels of exposure in your environment can lead to severe neurological conditions and can sometimes even have fatal repercussions.
3. Ongoing chronic symptoms: living in an environment with mold can regularly cause throat irritation, increased sneezing, respiratory issues, eye irritation, nasal conditions, congestion and additional symptoms.
These are just a few of the biggest issues that you can experience with house mold or mold in your business. MR 1 Source is a professional Florida mold removal company that assists in identifying the types of mold in your environment. We provide the protocols to successfully remove household mold without damaging your health. Our professional Florida mold removal services will ensure a greater success at preventing the mold from returning to the same environment. Contact our mold experts today for a home inspection and to reduce your risk for negative health effects from mold.