Blog Post

Mold Removal: What You Need to Know

Ryker Bingham |  Sep 03, 2019

If you find out that you have mold in your home, it is natural to be worried and concerned. You know that in some cases, mold can cause health issues. You also might know that if mold is not treated properly, the spores can spread throughout the home. It is essential that you hire a qualified and certified mold remediation specialist to assess the damage and remove it. Here are some questions you might have about mold and the remediation process.
Mold Removal Services

Where Does Mold in a Home Come From?

Mold grows when there is the right combination of moisture and a lack of ventilation. Sunlight and air movement tend to discourage mold and mildew from growing, so most of the time, it will thrive inside of walls, in dark closets, in attics or basement, or other areas of the home where there is a lack of light and airflow.

Mold needs moisture to get started, but you don’t need to have a major water event to allow mold to grow. While you might have a flood or a burst pipe that causes mold to gain a foothold, it can also be caused by condensation or a small leak. You might develop mold before you even realize that you have water damage; often, the smell of mold or mildew is the first sign that people have that there is a leak or drip behind a wall or in an attic.

Can Mold Make Me and My Family Sick?

We have all heard the horror stories of toxic mold taking over a home and making household members extremely ill. Know that this is not terribly common. Some mold that grows in homes is toxic, but more often, it is benign, which means that it’s harmless.

What is more common than toxic mold is when one or more people in a home have an allergy or sensitivity to the (otherwise harmless) mold. You or a family member (or more than one family member) might be coughing, sneezing, or experiencing a sore throat, itchy eyes, or headaches. This might make you think that the mold is toxic when, in fact, it is simply triggering an allergy.

There are cases where the mold growing is toxic and the family needs to leave the home until it is remedied. 

Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell at a glance which type of mold is growing in a home. In addition, if the conditions are right for one type of mold to grow, chances are good that they are also right for other types of mold to grow and flourish. It is not unusual to have several different kinds of mold growing at once in one home. 

At Standard Restoration, we can visually inspect the mold and then arrange to have the mold tested. The results will tell us whether the mold is benign or toxic and we will then be able to create a remediation plan that will not only remove the mold but also keep the family safe.

Can I Remove Mold Myself?

If you are a DIY-er, it makes sense that you might want to remove mold yourself. In a few cases, you can. For example, if you have some mildew collecting at the top of your bathroom wall, you might try cleaning it with bleach. If it does not come back and it isn’t causing any symptoms of allergy in anyone in the house, that might be all you need to do. You should, of course, look into why the mold appeared (often a lack of good ventilation in a bathroom) and remedy that situation (adding a fan, for example).

If you have mold inside of a wall or a closet and you aren’t sure where it’s coming from or if you or anyone else in the house is experiencing symptoms of sensitivity or, worse, toxicity, then you should not attempt to remove it yourself. Depending on the type of mold, it might need to be isolated and treated to avoid having it spread throughout the house. Also, if it is toxic mold, attempting removal without the proper safety equipment can be dangerous. Contact a mold removal specialist instead.

Will My Homeowners’ Insurance Cover Mold Removal?

If you have homeowners’ insurance, your first thought might be to call them and tell them that you are concerned about mold in your home. We urge you not to do that just yet! Here’s why: Some insurance policies will cover mold and others will not. Reading through your policy will tell you whether mold is excluded and under what conditions. If you call your insurance company and open an inquiry, your premiums can go up whether or not you submit a claim and whether or not that claim is covered.

Standard Restoration can look at your policy and let you know whether it is likely that your claim will be covered. If mold damage is excluded from coverage, we can usually save you the hassle of having your premium raised by simply not inquiring about it with the insurance company. 

In some cases, mold remediation will be covered. If that is the case with your policy, we are happy to get the claim started for you.

What Should My First Step Be?

If you notice mold in your home (discoloration or a mildew smell), we urge you to contact Standard Restoration for help. We can go to your home for a free consultation and will develop a remediation plan from there. We don’t recommend that you try to remove mold on your own in the majority of cases. We also don’t recommend that you panic, as not all mold is toxic or dangerous. Contact us and we will let you know what the next steps should be in your particular case.
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