WHAT'S THAT SMELL? HOW TO FIND AND CLEAN MOLD CONTAMINATION

You have a suspicion-largely confirmed by a terrible odor-that mold is growing somewhere in your home.

This can happen to anyone and for many different reasons.

If a house becomes flooded or has sewage or septic problems, this can often lead to dangerous mold activity.

On the other hand, something as small as a leak on the room or a piece of left over food can also cause mold to develop rapidly.

Mold is not always easy to spot. In cases of flooding or other water damage, often times you will immediately know where the mold is coming from stains and grotesque colors that may appear on furnishings. Sometimes, however, mold can be hidden away behind walls, on top of ceiling tiles and other very out of the way locations. In investigating a mold problem, here are some locations to look for signs of contamination.

How To Spot Mold Contamination

Follow the smell and remember that mold develops rapidly in wet or damp places. The musty odor usually gives away the precise location, though it might not always be clearly visible. It can grow inside dark areas, in cold or hot temperatures, the backside of a drywall or wallpaper, and underneath carpets.

If you suspect the carpet is hosting the mold activity and yet see no signs of stains, check the padding underneath. Usually after water damage, the carpet padding has to be replaced even if the carpet is salvageable.



Mold In Commercial Buildings

In investigating commercial buildings, determine whether or not there has been some kind of water leak. Mold spores can't grow without some form of moisture nearby. The entire building should be examined from crawl spaces to air ventilation systems.

Often times HVAC units may experience mechanical problems related to pan or roof drainage or high humidity in the air ducts. A contaminated ventilation system should be fixed immediately and stopped from running as soon as a problem is discovered. A contaminated system will spread mold spores to every part of the building and put its occupants at risk.

Keep It Dry

Finding mold and cleaning up the mess isn't that hard-provided the entire room hasn't been soaked in a flood. If the mold contamination is confined to just a few spots, then why not put on a pair of gloves and try cleaning it on your own?

In the event of floodwater though, many people choose to hire a professional to clean and disinfect the area. Cleaning up mold, no matter if it's a large or small assignment must be a concentrated and thorough effort.

It is very important after cleaning up mold to dry the wet area. A hard surface could simply be wiped down, while a carpet or upholstery (very hard to clean) usually requires a strong wet vacuum. After the initial drying some forms of heated drying is recommended, since the moisture tends to come back, and mold spores chase after moisture. If a heating unit is not available a dehumidifier can help to keep the humidity down, and a fan can be used to speed up the drying process.