5 Facts about mold

Mold is everywhere around us, and we may even see it daily. No matter if we are talking about the spores that appear in the woods, and we can easily notice them during our hike, the spores that grow on bread, or those that will appear in our food if we forget about it in the fridge, chances are, you’ve seen a lot of different types of spores in your life.

One of the worst types of spores that can appear in your home is the mold that grows after a flood, or when your water pipe bursts. In this article, we are going to give you more information about the spores, and we will give you some facts that you probably didn’t know before. Continue reading if you want to learn more about it and if you want to find out how you can protect yourself and everyone you live with.

1. There are a lot of different types

The first thing you need to know about mold is that there are more than 100 thousand different types of it. So, the one you may see in your basement is not going to be the same one that you can see on the ceiling, or in your fridge if you’ve forgotten about some food.

On the same note, your body won’t react in the same way to all the different types of spores, and dozens of thousands of these different types will not harm you in any way. Nevertheless, there are a lot of different spores that will harm you and that may seriously affect your health. Because of this, if you notice any spores in your house, you first need to find out what you are dealing with, and with that, take the necessary precaution so you and your family will stay protected.

2. It needs time to start growing

You’ve probably noticed that when a moist spot appears in your home, you cannot notice any spores at first. The same goes for when you leave something in the fridge that can condense, or that is left in the fridge wet.

Experts suggest that the first spores will appear in a day or two, which means that they need time to start growing. The spores need good conditions to grow as well, so they usually grow on an organic surface, including food and wood, and they need water to start multiplying. They usually grow in places where the temperature varies between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. Note that they can also appear in places where it is colder or a bit hotter.

The great thing about this information is that in case your home floods, the gutters get damaged, or if a pipe bursts, you have time to react. The mold won’t appear right away, so you can replace things, get them fixed, and do the necessary maintenance and cleaning before your health is put at risk.

3. You may not be able to notice it

When we think about the spores, the first thing that usually comes to our mind is that dark green color, along with white circles or lines around the green parts. As we mentioned before, there are hundreds of thousands of different types, and not all are the same.

It is said that there are some types that may not be visible at all, and when they are all in the first stage of growth, you may not see them as well. Experts suggest that you may notice small hairlike growth that is transparent in color or pale, and that can be the first somewhat visible sign that something is going to get moldy.

4. It will impact your health

One of the biggest reasons why people are so afraid of spores is that they will not only damage the property and harm the organic materials anywhere in your house, but it will also harm your health. As we mentioned, there are some types that are not dangerous for you, but the most common types found in peoples’ homes are harmful and you should do everything you can to protect yourself from them. The good news is that the death rate connected to mold is extremely low, so chances are, it will not cause too serious damage. On the same note, the statistics have shown that one in four people will get diagnosed with asthma because they were exposed to spores, and it can cause other breathing difficulties, and it can lead to other serious conditions.

There are studies that have shown that one of the biggest causes for Multiple Sclerosis are spores and that exposure to its components can lead to serious infections, and nerve damage.

5. You cannot just paint over it to remove it

Now let’s talk about a common misconception that a lot of homeowners believe in. We know how often spores can appear in our homes, and that we are never fully protected from them. Even if there is just condensation on your windows, or there is just one small moist spot on your walls, if you don’t take the right steps, spores can appear. Since we can never be fully protected from it, we need to know what we need to do to get rid of it. Many people believe that a layer of paint will do the job, so when they notice their ceiling or basement being moldy, they just take the paint and try to remove the spores just by painting over them. In reality, this will not help at all. You may just trap the moisture even more, and the spores will continue growing. The worst-case scenario is that you won’t be able to notice wet spots until it is too late, and the mold will continue growing even under the paint.

To make sure you and your family are safe, you need to find the cause of the issue, for example, a damaged or leaking pipe, get that fixed, clean the spores properly, and then put paint over it. These steps may seem like too many things to do, but at least you will know that you’ve solved the root of the problem, and you made sure that the mold is fully removed.

In case you notice the spores in your home, you should contact mold removal experts with Elite Moisture Solutions right away, and act as soon as possible. The longer you ignore this problem, the more damage it is going to cause, and it may seriously affect your health.