Can I Stay In My House With Black Mold

Anytime you are dealing with a mold issue of any type of mold, it can become a very unhealthy situation and cause problems to your immune system. If you aren’t sure about mold in your home, your body will definitely let you know. You may begin experiencing symptoms that are similar to the common cold. Wheezing, sneezing, water and itchy eyes, and issues in your respiratory tract that induces asthma are all symptoms caused by mold exposure. When black mold spores are growing in your home and show up on your walls, air vents, or showers, you begin to understand why you have the symptoms that you do. It is imperative that you contact a mold remediation team the moment you notice an unhealthy amount of mold in your home. Can I stay in my house with black mold? No, black mold is very dangerous to your health. You will want to remove and disinfect the area.

Let’s take a look below at what black mold is and how we can keep it from spreading in our homes.

What Is Black Mold

The most common location for black mold in your home to appear is in your shower area. Black mold spores are in the air and love to settle in areas with high moisture. Any damp surface in your home can become a breeding ground for black mold. Also, black mold is the more prevalent of mold spores. As a homeowner, you will notice that cleaning black mold spores off of your shower area is a lot easier than removing them from any walls.

How Do You Clean It

Cleaning black mold spores can be done in a variety of ways. Essentially, it becomes the choice of the homeowner or in severe cases, the mold remediation team to clean the area properly. It is imperative that you wear protective gear such as a face mask, goggles, long-sleeve clothing, and gloves. You want to protect your skin from coming into contact with black mold spores.

• Vinegar – if you combine one cup of vinegar and one gallon of water, you can use this solution to clean black mold spores in your home. It is highly recommended that you contact your local mold removal company to help with larger mold spreads.
• Air quality – it is important to clear the air out of your home. Open up your doors and windows to create a cross-breeze. This will dry out the air and remove moisture from your home. Also, you can use a dehumidifier to filter out the moisture. Once you feel good about your air quality, close the home back up, replace your AC unit’s air filter and run your AC unit to catch the remaining mold spores.
• Protection – you need to wear protective gear. Make sure to have a mask with a designed respirator, non-porous gloves, goggles or glasses, and the right clothing to protect your lungs and skin from black mold spores.

How Can I Prevent It

Preventing black mold spores from thriving in your home can be a difficult task. It really boils down to how much moisture and water damage is in your home. Keep any excess water and moisture away from areas of your home. If you need to use a dehumidifier to maintain a humidity level of less than 50 percent then you should do so. Also, use your air conditioning unit whenever the air outside is hot and humid. This keeps the moisture from building up inside your home. Lastly, always use your bathroom exhaust fans for about 20 minutes after you shower. This allows the exhaust fan to suck out the moisture that is created by the steam of your shower.

How Much Does It Cost

The cost to remove mold from your home will vary depending on the size of the area affected in the home and where the mold is located. Any time you see a small area of mold growth, you are likely looking at paying around $500 for removal. However, if the area affected is very large, you could be looking at upwards of $4,000 to remove the mold and replace the damaged materials. Also, don’t forget that mold can grow in your air ducts or attic spaces. This could cost between $2,000 and $6,000 to remove black mold from those areas.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you have a better understanding of how common and dangerous black mold is, this would be a great time to call on your local home inspection team for a mold inspection. Mold can grow fairly quickly in a home, so getting it under control is important. Never trust yourself to remove all of the molds from your home. Make sure to hire a professional mold removal company.

Another great inspection is a sewer scope inspection. Have your local home inspection team conduct this inspection as an added service to your mold inspection. Getting a sewer scope will allow you to see if any damage has occurred to your plumbing underground. It also tells the homeowner if there is a potential for any clogging in the future.

Lastly, read up on how to clean black mold off your shower surfaces. This is something that a homeowner can safely do. In many cases, we don’t have the time or resources to hire a professional to clean our shower area. You can purchase some cleaning solution products at your local hardware store. Also, you can make your own with some basic household goods.

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When Do I Call A Professional

Since black mold spores are so common, it is easy to see how you could experience some changes in your health while at home. However, the moment that you begin having extreme health issues such as respiratory problems and allergic reactions, you should reach out to a professional mold removal company. If you aren’t sure who that might be, call on your local home inspection team. They can come out and conduct a full home inspection to determine where the black mold has spread to. Also, they can recommend a reputable mold removal company in the local area.

Conclusion

The biggest key to keeping your home free from black mold spore growth is by keeping it as dry as possible. The moment you notice moisture levels in your home increasing, is the moment mold can begin to grow. It doesn’t take mold very long to start breeding in any location of the home. Remembering to use your bathroom exhaust fans for extended periods of time will assist in keeping the moisture out of your home. As soon as you notice an issue with black mold growth, reach out to your local home inspection team. Call on Heartland Inspections services in greater Minneapolis St. Paul and surrounding areas for your mold inspection needs.