Michigan mold removal (remediation) is not a regulated field. Because you can get a wide variance in opinion, methodology, and experience it is important to research your contractor. Are they able to provide a sensible solution to your mold problem? Are they trained, insured, and experienced? Do they follow established guidelines? These are just some one the considerations to make when searching for a qualified mold remediation contractor.
There are no magic mold wands. Our best advice is to find a remediation contractor with experience that specializes in mold. Then get informed, don’t be frightened, and make your own decisions.
Smelling a Mold Odor
When you have mold growing hidden away in your house, often a moldy smell might be the only clue that it’s there. Don’t ignore mold odors if you can’t see any mold. You should thoroughly inspect your home before any mold problems get worse or consider hiring a qualified mold inspector.
Remember, it’s important to think of recent water problems you’ve had in your home when it comes to preparing for a mold inspection. If you hire a professional mold inspector it’s a good idea to let them know about any leaks, floods or any other moisture problems you’ve had in your home. If you are performing the mold inspection yourself then knowing about places which had water problems in the past will give you clues about where the mold is most likely growing. There might have even been water problems in the past which you never found out about. By looking for signs of moisture like warped surfaces, water stains or peeling paint you might find recent water problems which have led to mold growth. You should also identify areas which have the potential for water problems such as where pipes run, air conditioner leaks, possible leaking roofs or where water collects after flooding. check our inspection page for a qualified mold inspector in your area.
Mold on Carpet
If you can see significant mold growth on wall to wall carpeting in your home then you need to get rid of the carpet. Unfortunately there’s no way to completely remove mold from fixed carpeting. And ignoring mold on the carpet will only lead to the problem getting worse.
The same goes for carpet that has been soaked right through. Once the padding on the bottom of carpeting gets wet it takes a very long time to dry out, much longer than the 24-48 hours mold needs to grow. Even though the top layer of carpet might seem to dry out fairly quickly, the layer of padding underneath stays wet long after. Make sure to let the floor dry out properly if it’s still wet before you insert the new piece of carpet. It’s also a good idea to HEPA vacuum too, once the floor is dry, before you install the new section of carpet.
Air Purifier For Mold
The best type of air purifier for mold problems is usually one with a HEPA filter and an activated carbon pre-filter. HEPA filters capture 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles and an even higher percentage of larger particles. Mold spores are usually about 1-20 microns so the HEPA filter is perfect for filtering mold spores out of the air. The activated carbon pre-filter also removes mold odors since it can absorb VOCs and the MVOCs mold produces. Air Purifiers Help With Mold Spores In The Air. In Michigan humidity in the spring of the year may increase the likelihood of growth in your basement or crawlspace. If you have identified a mold problem in your home your first step should always be to have the mold removed. The thing to remember is that air purifiers do get rid of mold, but air purifiers won’t kill the mold that’s already growing on surfaces. Even after you’ve had a mold problem fixed there will always still be many mold spores left over in the air. Mold spores are continually blowing in from the outside too. And of course it’s almost impossible to get rid of every little bit of mold in your home. Running an air purifier in your home will minimize airborne mold spores and ensure that the air you breathe is as clean and healthy as possible. Air purifiers are designed to be run 24 hours a day so that the air will always be kept clean. They use very little power and are usually very quiet so you can easily run them all the time. Air purifiers also give you instant results since they can totally clean all the air in a room within minutes of being switched on.
Although air purifiers usually won’t kill the mold growing in your home, they do help to prevent more mold growing in the future. Mold colonies grow from mold spores which land on damp surfaces. Since air purifiers remove mold spores in the air, this helps to prevent new mold colonies from growing. So air purifiers can also be a great long term help with mold. Besides removing mold spores, air purifiers can also remove dust, pollen, pet dander, dust mite feces, bacteria, smoke, VOCs and some can even remove viruses. So not only will a purifier help with mold allergies but they also help with any other allergies you might have from things in your home’s air.
When buying an air purifier the key things to consider are:
•Volume of air cleaned per hour
•Filter replacement
•Power usage
•Noise level
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