What to Do When Mold is Found in the Home

Finding mold in the home can be concerning but as long as specific action steps are taken, the home can be rid of the mold in no time at all.

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What to Do When Mold is Found in the Home

Posted by Gary Ashton on Monday, April 22nd, 2019 at 9:46am.

What to Do When Mold is Found in the HomeThere is no need to for immediate panic if you have found mold in your home. In fact, many homes have mold in them. If there is mold in a home, the best thing to do is follow specific guidelines and ensure that the right steps are taken.

Get the Home Tested and Identify the Mold

There are a lot of different types of mold that can occur naturally in a home. There are some that really need to be worried about in the home and others can be easily removed. The best way to determine the type of mold and how much there is would be to have it tested by a trained mold tester n the area. These testers are usually engineers who can give a home a thorough inspection and can determine the type of mold. You do not want to clean up any mold in the home before the tester comes out because they will need to test this mold.

This can be a mistake, and it is a common one. Whether in a Gallatin home or elsewhere, once the tester has identified the type of mold as well as how big of a problem there is, they can start to tell you the plan of action. Depending on the type of mold, it may be as simple as cleaning it up yourself with a specific type of cleaner or there may be a more intense method of house cleaning that is needed. Also, if there is a lot of mold, then you may need to have a removal service come in to remove the mold for you. Sometimes when some mold is seen by the homeowner, there is actually a much bigger problem under the surface or behind walls.

This is why it is important to have a professional take a look for you so that you know exactly what you are dealing with and so the right action can be taken. Once the cleanup is completed, you will need to have the tester come out to test the home again. This entire process will need to be completed until the home is free of mold.

Find the Cause of the Mold

Removing any mold from the home is one thing but it is also important to find the cause of the mold. If the cause is not identified, then there could be a never-ending process of trying to remove mold from a home and it coming back, which is among some key mistakes homeowners make when trying to sell. You do not want mold to return so during the cleanup process, you should find out what caused it and start to get that fixed as well.

There are a few things that can cause mold including a leaking pipe, too much humidity in the home, and more. Since there are a lot of ways that mold can develop in a home, it is important to identify this cause so that it can be fixed. The repair may be costly but choosing to not to anything and inevitably face another mold problem in the future can be even more costly. This is not something that should be left to chance since it will cause more mold to develop in the home.

How to Get Rid of Mold in the Home

If mold is caught early, it can usually be cleaned effectively. Once the area is free from visible mold, return it to a place that is well ventilated to prevent further mold growth. The best way to remove mold will depend on the surface to be treated. Common areas for mold growth include:

  • Fabrics. To remove mold, first take fabric items outside and brush off any visible mold with a paper towel or soft brush. If the item is washable, was in hot water and machine dry. Take dry clean items to a professional cleaner.
  • Hard surfaces like wood or laminate. Wash the area with a bleach solution diluted with water, then dry thoroughly. Be sure to avoid mixing bleach with chemicals like vinegar and read cleaning product labels thoroughly.
  • Leather items. Wipe down surfaces with distilled vinegar. Then, use a solution of warm water and a good leather soap to remove the vinegar from the surface.

There are lots of types of mold as well as many things that can cause it. Once mold has been found in a home, it is important to take action quickly so that it can be removed.

 

Gary Ashton

The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage

The #1 RE/MAX team in the World!

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