What to Do if You See Mold on Your Walls

As you likely know, when you find mold in your home, it is most likely a result of moisture, bad ventilation or both. Walls are a frequent area where people find mold growing, especially if there are poorly insulated pipes or leaks in the plumbing located behind those walls. This can result in both structural weaknesses and potential health problems.

You should be on the lookout for signs of cracked or peeling paint, bulging in the walls, discoloration, black streaks or a generally musty smell. These are all signs that could indicate the presence of mold in your home.

You should determine before you start working whether you’re actually seeing mold or mildew, because mildew might not require as aggressive a cleaning and prevention process as mold. You should also consider the materials of your walls. If drywall has been affected by mold, for example, you might need to fully replace some sections, but this may not be the case for other types of materials.

Here are some of the steps you should take immediately when preparing for mold remediation services in Portland, OR:

• Ventilate: Before you get to work in the area, make sure to open up windows, use a fan and set up a dehumidifier. All of these methods will help you better ventilate the area and freshen up the air a bit.
• Put on protective gear: Any time you’re working with mold, it’s important to wear proper protection. This means rubber gloves, goggles and long-sleeved clothing. Remove these items as soon as you’re finished so you don’t accidentally spread mold spores throughout the other areas of your home that haven’t already been affected. Wash the clothes you wore, or if the problem was bad enough, you might even throw them out.
• Never use bleach: This may go against your instincts, as bleach is widely known as an effective mold killer, but you should never use it on your walls unless they are made of concrete. Bleach can permanently ruin some types of walls, which only serves to worsen your problem. You should instead first try out natural methods like vinegar to remove the mold at the root, after you’ve used soap and water to get rid of any of the more superficial stains in the area. Try not to use brushes when scrubbing your walls, because they can actually spread the spores rather than containing or eliminating them.

Once you’ve cleaned up the mold that’s currently there, be sure to focus on prevention for the future. Invest in some insulation, as walls that are well insulated are not going to be as affected by condensation and mold. Make sure to have proper ventilation in the affected area. Install a ceiling ventilation fan in the bathroom if you haven’t done so already. Always keep an eye out for leaks and fix them as soon as you notice them. Regularly clean and dust your home, and avoid drying your clothes indoors if you can, as this will increase your humidity levels. Finally, let a dehumidifier run constantly in areas that are most likely to be affected.

For more information about mold removal services in Portland, OR, we encourage you to contact the experienced team at Active Mold Control LLC today.

Categorised in: Mold Remediation, Mold Removal

This post was written by Writer