As a homeowner, you should always be on the lookout for mold. Mold can take many forms, such as on your food, wet objects that haven’t dried properly, and in your walls. The most dangerous kind of mold being black mold, which can cause a wide range of health problems to you and your family.
What is Black Mold?
Black mold, also known as Stachybotrys chartarum, is most commonly found in wet or damp places around your home, such as a basement after it has been flooded. Most of the time, it appears black, but it can also look greenish or grayish, making it harder to spot.
Black mold can cause a wide range of symptoms; the worse the mold growth, the worse the symptoms. In mild cases, symptoms could be limited to headaches and sneezing. However, some people experience more severe conditions, including:
- Bleeding in the nose and lungs
- Chronic coughing
- Chronic fatigue
- Eye irritation
- Fevers
- Nausea
- Rashes
If you are unsure if you have black mold, ARK Basement Services will preform a black mold test in your home.
Black Mold Treatment
Depending upon how serious the growth has become, your treatment options may differ. For instance, if it is new growth in your shower, you may be able to treat the mold yourself. However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if the space that needs to be addressed is bigger than 10 square feet (approximately 3 feet by 3 feet), you should hire a professional.
If you are going to treat a small space yourself, be sure to wear a face mask and cover any part of your skin that may touch the mold. Then use soap and a sponge to scrub it off. To ensure that the mold is completely removed, use bleach or another commercial-grade cleaner on the surface. Then carefully and securely place all materials into a heavy-duty garbage bag for disposal.
In many cases, removal isn’t that simple. If the mold is in your basement, you may need to hire professionals to remove it. Professionals have all of the equipment to keep themselves and your family safe during the removal process. Additionally, they can help with prevention so that the mold doesn’t grow again in the future.
Whether you have mold in your basement now or not, you should take steps to prevent black mold from affecting you and your family.
Black Mold Prevention
Mold can start growing within 24 and 48 hours of the right conditions. This means that if there is water in your basement, you don’t have much time to make sure that growth doesn’t begin. That is why it is essential to prevent water from entering your basement in the first place.
By hiring a basement waterproofer, the professionals will come in and ensure your home is protected against water by applying interior sealants, and interior or exterior drainage. Every basement is different, and choosing basement waterproofing services will help ensure that you and your family are kept safe.
Choose the Right Waterproofing Team
At the end of the day, the cost of basement waterproofing is meniscal to the damage black mold could be doing to you and your family’s health. By choosing the right basement waterproofing team, you are choosing to put your family’s health above all else.
Ark Basement Services, a premier waterproofing company in Erie and Pittsburgh, PA, creates custom solutions to fit your unique basement situation. Contact the team today for a free estimate on black mold removal and basement waterproofing.