What Is Mold?
Mold is a generic name for over 200,000 different kinds of fungus. Molds exhibit hundreds of different colors and textures. Molds reproduce by releasing spores, regenerative cells surrounded by a very tough coating that can survive most detergents, chemicals, and extreme temperatures.
How does mold get inside of buildings?
Mold is ubiquitous, meaning it is found practically everywhere. We pretty much let new mold spores into our homes every time we open a door or window and it grows when there are moisture problems resulting in building materials being constantly dampened by water. All it takes is relative humidity levels as low as 60% for lots of mold growth.
Poor air circulation or inadequate ventilation can also contribute to excess moisture buildup in isolated areas, then capillary action and equilibrium can move the moisture and the mold spreads with it. One of the best sources of food for mold is cellulose, which is the primary constituent of wood and paper products. Modern building materials such as gypsum wallboard, acoustic ceiling tiles, wallpaper, plywood, fiberboard, and particleboard. All are likely to encourage mold growth if they become exposed to the right conditions of high humidity levels, condensation, or water intrusions.
Can I paint over mold?
NO, you shouldn't. You want to remove the mold and the conditions that caused it in the first place, not hide it. Without having it properly cleaned up and taken care of first, people often try to paint over mold with products like Kilz, which does not kill mold, nor does it make any such claim. Kilz "kills" stains. Infact, painting over mold usually just makes your problem worse. The paint may act as a food substance for the existing mold and along with high moisture levels you'll find the mold growing on, through and behind the paint. There are some surfaces that are prone to moisture that usually should never be painted at all, such as attic sheathing and exterior basement walls. These areas are first condensing surfaces; where two different temperatures tend to meet, causing moisture in the air to condense. Painting these areas can often amplify a problem.
What health effects are usually associated with mold?
These mold health symptoms can vary depending on the individual. Studies have found that different people have different reactions to mold. Mold health symptoms should be known, but also should be understood that there are very different levels of exposure.
If you think you have allergies from an indoor mold problem but aren't sure, try going outside and getting some fresh air. If you notice your allergy symptoms lessen in 15 to 30 minutes, it could be your home making you sick. It's time to get the mold problem cleaned up immediately. If you're unsure what is causing these symptoms, or where the mold is coming from, you can call a trained mold inspector who can assist you at locating it, usually in an attic, basement, crawlspace or near a leaky pipe.
Do I Have To Tear Off My Roof?
In most cases the answer is no. Unless mold, rot or water damage has eaten its way through so much of the wood that it's no longer structurally sound. If your shingles have outlived their lifespan, we highly recommend replacing them as soon as possible.
Can I Use Bleach To Treat My Attic Mold?
You should not use bleach alone to "treat" the mold. Many products on the market, such as Clorox BleachTM RMRTM or MMRTM, used by other companies to remove stains contain the same active ingredients as "bleach", ("sodium hypochlorite") and while they may have different surfactants or ingredients added to reduce corrosion, they are water based and when the chlorine escapes the water, your treatment may only clean the surface of the material you and cleaning and the water that is left behind may feed the roots on porous materials. Without the use of the proper containments, equipment, personal protection, and knowledge, you may make your problem worse. We use germicidal bleach and scrubbing to remove the heaviest of stains when we have to, but it's only 1 small step in our process. We use an even better disinfectant after we've removed the stains to help treat the roots and prevent future regrowth.
Can I clean up mold myself
Many considerations must be examined before attempting to self-clean a mold contaminated area. Improper removal of large mold infestations can disturb the mold and cause the release of large amounts of excess spores and toxic chemicals into the air. The amount of visible mold, the health of all the occupants and future occupants, and the source of the mold amplification must be examined. These are only a few factors to be considered. If you have concerns about mold in your home it is best to seek a professional. On a further note, we don't recommend anyone attempt to clean up a large mold problem without the use of the proper knowledge, tools, and personal protection equipment for your own safety, especially when dealing with more than 100sq' of contamined area.
Should I Do Mold Testing if I already see it growing in my attic?
Many people opt out of doing air testing when it is only found in the attic space. You can't expect the air inside of your attic to be better than the air outside because of the way they're vented. Mold and other microbial growth growing in the attic is usually confirmed very easily visually. No matter what the tests come back saying, it still should be removed all the same. If you can see it, you already know it's there, you don't necessarily need a laboratory to confirm it.
In the large majority of homes, the air from your attic doesn't exchange with the air in the house enough to show any types of health problems. However, the attic mold is not only a cosmetic nuissance, but it can grow into a much larger widespread and structural issue if not treated immediately. In rare cases some homes are equipped with air handlers and HVAC units in their attics, and people living in these types of homes may be more likely to develop allergies from mold in their attics.
Why Should We Hire You To Treat The Mold?
Just like in all professions, there's contractors out there looking to make a quick buck. Many handymen and roofers alike think they know how to remove mold. I've seen roofers who advertised "mold removal services" and then tell the homeowner they have to replace their roof, Compared to them, you could save over 10,000 dollars by not taking this route, it is unneccassary and in some cases, INSUFFUCIENT! In fact, we've actually arrived after a roof has already been replaced because of mold, but the mold came back because the underlying moisture problem was never fixed, (which was why we were there)!
Some contractors use nothing more than bleach and ozone and like to tell you the mold is gone, while leaving the roots intact like a farm waiting for the first water/moisture source. Even if you don't hire us, we hope you hire someone who is in the specific business of removing mold from the attic. We don't recommend getting your engine fixed at a brake shop who 'says' they can do it, when there's the engine specialists down the street, and you shouldn't get your mold taken care of by a roofer who doesn't specialize in mold remediation. If you hire us, you can join the many 100's of pleased homeowners who we've helped over the years.
Does Our Work Include A Warranty?
Yes, All Work Comes with a 1 year transferrable warranty should you sell your home so long as our recommendations for correcting the cause of the attic mold is taken within 30 days with your paid in full invoice.
How is your price so low versus your competitors?
We've seen so many attics we can instantly assess them on the spot when we show up to do the work, we come prepared to handle just about everything we've ever seen. Also noteworthy, We keep down overhead by doing things like having a thorough treatment process which works well to keep service calls to a minimum.
Give us a call to discuss your project and to receive an Estimate 1-888-995-Mold (6653)