Mold is everywhere, which is a fact we must live with. A cold, damp day or a warm, humid one-can lead to the formation of mold. It grows on food, clothes, walls, and toys.
Mold infestation comes with its complications. It can pose a serious health hazard. And, the infestation can threaten the structural integrity of the house.
You might have now spotted some mold, within your home. Understandably, your primary course of action would be to ring the experts. You perhaps want them to carry out an inspection of your home.
However, before you do this, read on. There’s some crucial information you must acquaint yourself with. At Envirotex, we have, over the years, handled many such situations.
At the end of the article, you should have found the answer to the crucial question: ‘do I need professional mold testing in Northern, VA?’
Things to Note about Mold
To kick this off, let us begin by learning a few things about mold. It is a type of fungus consisting of tiny organisms that you can find just about everywhere. Mold comes in different types and can occur both indoors and outdoors.
Mold spores thrive in moist and damp environments. Hence, they begin to grow when they land on moist surfaces.
Speaking of surfaces, mold can grow in a variety of places. These include; paper, plastic, glass, wood, and fabric. As they grow, they digest the material they grow on, leading to decay.
In addition, mold can either be toxic or non-toxic. The different types of toxic mold fall into three distinct groups;
- Pathogenic mold cause illness in humans and other living organisms. In small concentrations, they are easily controllable with simple disinfectants. However, large colonies require professional removal.
- Allergenic mold causes allergies and respirational issues such as asthma. Examples of allergenic mold include Aspergillus and Cladosporium. They may require removal by an expert. However, disinfectants can also keep them under control.
- Toxigenic mold can lead to serious health issues when you come into contact with them. Some can cause bone marrow disease. Others, through their carcinogenic properties, may impair brain functionality. Toxigenic mold requires specialized help for removal and proper discarding of any materials containing mold.
On top of the categories above, there are other types. They include Cladosporium and Penicillium. While some may only cause mild allergic reactions, others are very harmful and may cause deadly illnesses.
How Does Mold Enter Your House?
As we stated, mold spores are everywhere. The presence of mold is indicative of moisture in the house. They can enter homes through one of these two ways:
- Mold spores enter homes through doorways, ventilation shafts, and open windows through the air.
- By attaching themselves to objects or people, clothing items can be a vessel for transporting mold spores. In addition, shoes, as well as house pets, are capable of disseminating mold spores.
Mold requires an ideal environment to flourish. They grow on moist surfaces. In addition, they need sufficient nutrients to thrive. Mold growth is often visible and emits a stale kind of smell.
Why Do I Need Professional Mold Testing in Northern, VA?
Before we go ahead, it’s necessary to restate that mold occurs everywhere. It is impossible to completely remove mold as it plays a vital role in the ecological system.
However, when dealing with mold in the home setting, you need to understand a few things. It’s crucial to know the kind you are dealing with. This determines the necessity of professional assistance. In addition, the location of the mold is also key.
Needless to say, you need to understand that mold inspection is all about. It entails the process of checking for the presence of mold. Sometimes a simple look around may suffice.
However, simply looking and detecting the presence of mold may not be enough. This is because it does not tell you the extent of the spread of mold. You may have detected the presence of mold on your kitchen counter; but, have you checked inside the cupboards or maybe even your sink?
Oftentimes, mold goes undetected by sight. However, a flaring up of allergies or sudden difficulty in breathing may suggest the presence of mold in your home. It is in such cases where professional assistance comes in handy.
Professionals can carry out an extensive inspection to establish the existence of mold. In addition, they can remove and control its spread.
Furthermore, it helps to familiarize yourself with the concept of mold testing. Through this process, you can determine the kind of infestation in your home using home testing kits.
Understandably, you may be tempted to opt for DIY home testing. This is because it is a more cost-effective method of mold testing. However, it may not give you the most accurate results.
Before you commit to undertaking DIY mold testing, consider its unreliability. Think of professional assistance as an investment that retrospectively pays off well.
Mold testing requires expertise services to carry out and give accurate results. There are protocols to follow. Moreover, professional mold inspectors have tools and effective methods of sampling.
They can carry out this activity in compliance with the regulations and guidelines from relevant authorities. They include the American Industrial Hygiene Association. They can go ahead to interpret the results and suggest practical courses of action.
You should be aware that professionals still need to conduct further testing after mold removal. That is the best way to ascertain that they have dealt with the infestation properly.
The Process of Mold Testing
When you contact professional mold testing experts in Northern, VA, the first course of action is to do a visual examination. The team of experts then collect samples of the mold from the surfaces to determine the kind of mold infesting your home.
There are several ways through which samples are collected. One of these is by removing parts that have the mold. Alternatively, swabbing is another method they can use.
Once the experts collect samples, they send them off to specialized laboratories for further analysis.
The results or feedback determines the way forward. Whatever action we take ensures proper removal. At Envirotex, we aim to give you back a habitable home, free of infestation.
Is Professional Mold Testing Necessary?
The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that mold testing is not always necessary. In the event of clear evidence of mold, you can always call in experts for removal or deal with it yourself.
The agency, however, suggests that you ensure proper surface sampling after dealing with the mold. You must also be keen about the cleaning.
Above all, the best thing you can do is to reach out to professionals to help contain the problem. They have the tools and wherewithal to handle mold removal. Also, dealing with professionals is fundamental; it helps avoid collateral damage, such as the discharge of toxins into the surroundings.
If you bought a home recently and you might still be wondering, ‘do I need professional mold testing in Northern VA?’ please note this: Mold testing is important when moving into or buying a new home. It helps identify mold growth which you may not detect in hindsight during a regular home inspection.
Contact Envirotex for Professional Mold Testing
We have touched on the significance of professional mold testing in your property. We recognize the vital role mold plays in the ecosystem; but, it needs to remain outside where it is most beneficial.
Infestation within the home brings tons of complications. The major consideration is that it poses serious threats to your health. Eliminating mold is also significant for the protection of your home’s structural integrity.
At Envirotex, we employ the use of new technology. This includes diagnostic thermal imaging to identify moisture sources that provide breeding grounds for mold. The most ideal way to eliminate the mold is to get to the root cause. Otherwise, you will spend tons of cash always taking care of infestations.
Moreover, our team of experts carries out inspections in compliance with the set health guidelines to determine whether or not testing is necessary.
We maintain high transparency levels with our clients when suggesting solutions. Fill the form on our website, or instead, call Envirotex today. We can help get rid of the mold infestation.