3 Reasons Why You Need Mold Remediation

In 2001, The Toxic Mold Protection Act mandated the California Department of Public Health (a.k.a., CDPH) to assess the degree by which a person can be exposed to indoor mold. After some kerfuffle, the CDPH directed that mold (and those things causing it, such as “water intrusion,” and “indoor dampness”) must be removed safely and effectively. The CDPH also requires code inspectors to check for mold in residences and rental properties.

Why did the CDPH regard indoor mold as quite the serious concern? Well, mold can cause respiratory issues (which can shift from minor to significant) and destroy the structure it dwells on. Therefore, the presence of mold in your home is more than a mere inconvenience, it is a public health hazard requiring mold remediation.

What Is Mold?

Molds are varying types of fungi that grow on wet and decaying surfaces. Mold can live on most objects, including but not limited to:

• Restroom Area’s

• Clothing

• Flooring

• Ceilings

• Crawl Spaces

Molds can be an array of colors. For instance, some molds are pink and some molds are white. Mold can also be brown or green. What people tend to see indoors, however, is black mold. You cannot tell what types of fungus you're dealing with or how dangerous it is based on the color of the mold you find. Rather, you’ll need to hire professionals who can identify this based on experience.

Stachybotrys chartarum is a particular type of mold that releases mycotoxins. Excessive exposure to mycotoxins can damage your immune and neurological system.

What Causes Mold?

Dampness is the most common cause of mold. Thus, you’ll typically see mold grow after a rainstorm or water damage. Mold continues to spread by releasing microscopic spores that land on other surfaces ideal to the mold’s development. Animals, water, and air can transport mold. In other words, your pet can carry mold from one room to another.

What Are The Signs of Mold?

Mold is ubiquitous. Tiny mold particles exist within the air we breathe daily. Condiments, like ketchup and vinegar, often have mold. Those delicious raisins you add to your oatmeal most likely contain mold, too. Mold, in itself, does not pose a health hazard when it’s in trace amounts. Yet, mold does pose a health risk when it’s in large quantities or produces mycotoxins (b.k.a, “toxic mold”).

If you are experiencing any of the mold-related health issues below, you should contact a professional mold remediation company in Corona, California immediately:

• Sneezing or wheezing

• Congestion

• Sore throat

• Itchy throat

• Itchy eyes

• Red eyes

• Facial swelling around the eyes and nose

• Headache

You should ensure that any mold remediation service you consult is qualified for the task if:

• A cluster of circular colors appears on a surface

• Fuzzy, colorful, circular clusters or dots appear on a surface

• Surfaces become brittle and start to decay

Why Do You Need Mold Remediation?

Code Inspectors Look for Mold

As stated earlier, the California Department of Public Health (a.k.a, CDPH) mandates that code inspectors must look for mold in buildings and rental properties. If a building or rental property has mold, the code inspector will mark the dwelling as “substandard” pursuant to the Health and Safety Code, Chapter 2, Section 17920.3. Anyone owning and renting out property must repair the issue that makes the dwelling substandard. State law requires the property owner to make this repair even if the mold is localized to only a specific area of the home, such as a bathroom or bedroom, or the living room.

In some instances, renters can avoid paying rent if the mold is in such a state of disrepair that it makes the premises uninhabitable. California courts can even consider it a constructive eviction if you, as the property owner, were made aware of the terrible mold condition that made your home unlivable and did not take steps to remedy the situation within a reasonable time. Fortunately, HCI’s mold remediation service will stop mold growth in its tracks.

Mold is A Health Hazard - Duh!

If you have not been feeling well, you should not overlook the possibility that mold may be in your house or where you work. Furthermore, if you suspect or know that mold is present, you should not brush off this information as insignificant. The longer you allow mold to thrive, the worse it will get, and the sicker you will become.

The health risks mold poses are on a spectrum. Some risks are relatively minor, while other risks can have lasting–even deadly–effects. Suppose the mold in your home is localized to one area, like your bedroom. The mold is black and you’ve only noticed a small set of dots smaller than your palm on the wall. But you’ve been sneezing and coughing. You also have a sore, itchy throat. Chances are–it’s not allergies attacking your respiratory system–it’s the mold. If you’re sensitive to mold, however, you’re susceptible to experiencing these symptoms much sooner and from an even smaller mold presence.

If the black or greenish mold in your house covers layers of surface material, you’ll probably experience more than a runny nose. Severe cases of cold can restrict your ability to breathe and compromise your immune system. For example, some people, who live with untreated mold, develop mold infections in their lungs.

Rest assured, mold does not go away without professional mold remediation. Therefore, if you’d like to improve your health and get back to living a normal life, consult mold experts near you. Mold is not an issue you want to leave to itself or in the hands of inadequate agencies looking to make a quick dollar.

Untreated Mold Can Destroy Your Building

Aside from its potential health hazards, untreated mold can cause permanent damage to your building. Mold “eats” away at organic matter. Therefore, as it grows, the mold destroys the material it’s on. In other words, if you think you can’t afford a mold removal service, the reality is that you can’t afford to let the fungus go unchecked. Mold can and will destroy your infrastructure unless you hire mold remediation experts.

Mold Remediation Help Is Just A Call Away!

When people think about mold, they probably don’t think about devastated buildings and frightening medical issues. After all, mold is in foods we eat and the air we breathe. But don’t underestimate how dire a mold problem can be simply because mold is common.

Mold that is not properly managed by a trustworthy mold remediation company can grow back or continue to wreak havoc on your home and lungs. If you’d like to fix your mold issue as soon as possible, contact us (HCI Environmental) to take advantage of our mold removal services and avoid the dangers of leaving mold untreated.