Don’t let your home make you sick! Attics and crawlspaces are prone to mold if there is a moisture source that can allow mold growth. Mold can also grow in bathrooms, basements, under sinks and in the backs of rarely used closets. If you have any of the following signs of mold in your home, you can call to have us come and perform a FREE mold estimate.
Five signs of mold growth in your home:
- Musty smell-often found in basements, unused closets, crawlspaces and attics
- Visible black, grey, green, blue, red, or white fuzz-often found under sinks, on basement baseboards, on the drywall in the back of a closet, on rafters in an attic, or on ceilings where there has been a water leak
- Tiny black spots on bathroom ceiling or top of drywall-often this is due to a vent not working properly or being used for a long enough time after showering (TIP: leave vent on until mirror condensation is completely gone)
- Holiday decorations with a mildewy smell-often attics have enough ventilation to prevent a smell that would indicate growing mold, but decorations stored there can absorb the smells (TIP: it is best not to store decorations in cardboard boxes, because cardboard is moisture absorbent and a good host for mold, store decorations in plastic boxes to prevent mold growth)
- White film or “dust” on furniture or cloth in basements-often this sign can be misinterpreted as dust when it is actually a certain type of mold (TIP: a dehumidifier is helpful in most homes)
At the first sign of mold, it’s best to have our well-trained team come look and determine whether or not you need mold remediation. Sometimes customers experience anxiety over the potential cost of remediation and so delay calling until money is saved up to pay the bill. Payment plans are possible and early remediation can be much less expensive! Please call us instead of waiting.
If you notice signs of mold growth, it’s not necessarily a life threatening situation. It is important to get rid of mold in your home, and it isn’t your fault or a sign that you’re not living cleanly if you find mold growing. Be reassured by the following common misconceptions about mold:
- we’re never exposed to mold unless something’s gone wrong (mold is naturally occurring)
- all mold can make you sick (mold spores are around us in the environment outside all the time, there are certain molds that are local and common in Maryland and some people but not all people have allergies to some molds)
- molds are always dangerous (some molds are dangerous, others are helpful. For example, Penicillin)
Realtors, if you have a home inspection done on a property and the inspector flags it for potential microbial growth, we will come out and do a free estimate. If we find that it is not mold, for $195 we can provide a letter to take to closing that states that there is no microbial growth. If we remediate mold, we provide a letter for closing that explains the work that was performed.
Don’t hesitate to call us with even the smallest question about mold. We’re happy to help you navigate this tricky subject and can provide FREE estimates. Call today!