Why DIY Mold removal is not safe

by | Mar 25, 2020 | Mold Damage

Mold is a natural phenomenon, but something that you want to avoid at any cost. As per the EPA and Berkeley National Laboratory, 2007, of the 21.8 million people diagnosed with asthma in the United States, 4.6 million can be linked to mold and dampness exposure. Furthermore, around 25% of the total population has a genetic predisposition that makes them vulnerable to mold-related allergies or illness.

Mold can be equally dangerous for both your property and health. Mold grows by consuming cellulose, a substance present in organic matter. Materials within your house made of wood and anything organic like drywall can easily feed mold. Longer the mold grows, the faster and deeper it eats away these organic substances and inflicts damage to the property.

Eliminating mold from your house should be a priority, however, you need to be smart enough to understand that DIY mold remediation techniques may not be effective every time.

The effectiveness of DIY mold removal techniques can rely on different factors like mold type, the severity of the growth, humidity and moisture levels within your house.

This post features some factors why DIY mold removal might not be the safest option on every occasion.

Mold Exposure

By taking on the task of mold remediation you are risking mold exposure. Exposure to mold can trigger health problems, especially when dealing with something like black mold.

Moreover, mold exposure can even cause any underlying health concerns to escalate with ease. It is recommended to wear protective gear while dealing with mold, however, you might also have to customize your gear with respect to the mold type or other scenarios that you are dealing with.

worker wearing protective gear attending to mold in ceiling

Damaging your property

While attempting a DIY mold removal method, if not careful, you can inflict some damage to the property. The internet is a hub of residential DIY strategies. You can easily tackle a bogus or even an invalidated strategy.

For instance, bleach can be used to kill mold is a popular myth that you see on the internet. As a matter of fact, using bleach does not kill the mold. The chemical composition of the bleach takes away the color of the mold 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.

Hidden mold

That musty smell and feeling of dampness are one of the signs of mold growth. However, most people end up eliminating the visible mold and overlook the hidden ones.

Hidden mold

Some people are unaware of the fact that mold can grow in the most unexpected areas like behind the walls, crawl areas, beneath the tiles and air vents. The areas that you miss out can turn out to be the regrouping base of mold to grow. This can make the situation worse for anyone who has to continuously stick to the DIY strategy without hitting the root area of mold growth.

Even when mold growth can be easily identified, eliminating it can be a much harder and complicated task. This is where a mold remediation specialist can be your best option.

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