Mold is a common concern among the residential and commercial processes across the United States, especially in Florida. Although mold is ubiquitous, its presence in the indoor environment can be detrimental in many ways.

There are many DIY mold removal trips available on the internet. While most of these DIY tips to remove mold colonies sound promising, there are specific questions that you need to ask yourself before deciding to remove residential mold on your own.

Have you asked yourself why you see so many mold removal services thriving around you even while there are millions of DIY mold removal resources and advocates around the web? This content covers some crucial factors to look into before deciding to proceed with DIY mold removal.

Health risks

A 2012 study conducted on infants and young children across 289 homes found that groups exposed to mold had an increased risk of developing asthma by the age of 7. Trying to clean up mold at home by yourself is risky even though you are wearing protective gear. Mold spores are microscopic and can easily find their way through to your lungs. With little or no experience, you might find it hard to fend off these potential risks.

You end up doing more harm than good

An in-depth understanding of mold colonies and how they thrive and spread is crucial for DIY mold removal. Mold spores are easily aggravated and free-flowing; scrubbing mold colonies can make these spores airborne and spread to other areas in your house.

Can you identify the root cause to fix it?

Mold colonies are usually the aftermath of flooding, ceiling leak, or faucet leak that may be active. A water leak, if not contained within the first 48 hours, can start creating mold spores. Even though you remove the active mold colonies and restore and replace everything to normal, the active leak lurking behind the wall or in the attic can help mold re-grow in a couple of days. So all the time and effort invested during the weekend scrubbing the kitchen under the sink cupboards and crawl areas in your home could be for nothing.

Can you identify the mold type?

Professional mold removal specialists tailor their mold remediation process to the active residential mold type.

Identifying whether your house is infested with mold is ideal, but knowing different types of house molds can help you take the next action, which can be crucial.

This will help you save valuable time and effort as you can take precautionary steps to contain or prevent further mold growth before reviewing the situation and deciding whether to hire a mold removal specialist. All your efforts will be in vain if you fail to identify the mold type before applying DIY mold removal strategies.

Using the wrong cleaning products

A common misconception among people is that strong and industry-grade chemicals will help get rid of mold for good.  Harsh cleaning chemicals might be a temporary solution to the existing mold concern, but it could be an immediate health hazard.

Exposure to the fumes of different industry-grade chemicals, especially when you combine them to remove mold, makes you vulnerable to various health concerns, including asthma and bleeding nose, dry throat, and itchy eyes. In addition to this, these chemicals can also leave permanent marks or discoloration on your bathroom tiles, carpets and walls.

Failing to perform additional testing

Do you know how a mold specialist checks for mold? A licensed mold removal technician uses various industry-level equipment to test, remove, and prevent mold contamination. Some tools that we use are:

• Moisture meter
• Infrared or thermal imaging camera
• Rotameter
• Borescope
• Humidity gauge

You might need all this equipment to ensure that mold at your home is taken care of once and for all. Consider the price involved in renting or buying equipment and tie that with the time and effort needed from your end; it might be worth hiring a mold specialist who has a better chance to prevent mold reoccurrence.

Failing to check other systems

If your house is mold infested, the air regulation systems, including air-condition or HVAC systems, are likely to be contaminated. Failing to inspect these systems and overlooking the necessity of cleaning out the drain pipes and air filters can lead to mold reoccurrence.

Overlooking the cleanup process

Mold removal is a process that ideally needs to be broken down into different stages. Mold removal cleanup is as vital as any other remediation process steps. Failing to seal off the mold-affected areas with barriers and sealing off any mold-infested items in your house before throwing them out or storing in your garage before it will be taken away can second reoccurrence.

Failing to decide on whether replace or retain

Homeowners try restoring mold-infested belongings for many reasons, such as an emotional attachment or its monetary value. However,  a professional mold remediation specialist has the expertise and tools to identify whether an item is beyond repair. You might remove a mold patch on the wall, but you are more likely to overlook the fact that a significant portion of the wall has to be removed and replaced as there could be hidden mold growth within the wall.

A readily available cleaning solution, a scrubber, and a to-do attitude are not all it takes to remove residential mold. Do you think bleach can kill residential mold? Using bleach does not kill the mold. The bleach’s chemical composition takes away the mold’s color and creates an illusion of a mold-free surface. The fungi present can continue damaging your property.

Furthermore, the overuse of bleach can also cause permanent damage to residential possessions like furniture or marble. Professional assistance is your best chance to kill mold at your home and restore everything to normal in a quick time.

Some Mold Damage DIY FAQs:

Can I paint over mold?

Have you observed bubbling on newly painted walls after a couple of months? Painting on molded walls without properly addressing the concerns can lead to this situation.

Painting over mold can delay the inevitable, but you are certain to face the following:

• Personal & family health concerns
• Property damage
• Hefty mold remediation bills
• Property value depreciation

Does painting or using caulk over mold kill it?

The short answer is ‘No.’

There are several mold-killing paints and coatings available in the market today. However, if you do in-depth research, you can easily challenge these claims.

Mold colonies on walls or other surfaces have to be appropriately addressed before painting.

You can easily see surface mold. However, on most occasions, the problem sits deeper within your walls. If you suspect that there is mold beneath your painted walls, hire a professional mold remediation service.

Commercial mold remediation services can assess the mold growth, identify the extent of damage, and recommend a repair plan.

What are the signs of mold growth under the paint?

• Paint appears chipped, bubbled, cracked
• Wall discoloration, especially a tinge yellow color that signifies water leak
• Wall surfaces appear irregular

Find answers to 41 Frequently Asked Questions relating to mold removal here.