Testing the Air

Air testing for black mold is done by measuring the level of spores you have floating around in the air. The more spores you detect, the greater the risk is for black mold in your home and the greater health risk there is. The equipment used is usually a flat surface connected to a way to draw in air like a fan so that spores are captured and can be measure. It’s a easy, affordable and non-invasive way to test for black mold, but it will not tell you where the mold is or in precisely what quantities. Air testing is most useful to give you an idea of the health risk which spores are posing in your home.

Swabbing for Black Mold

If you find mold, but you’re not sure what kind of mold you have, surface testing will help you determine the problem. Surface testing is done by cutting pieces of mold and the surrounding area from your home and sending it to a lab for verification. This is a more invasive method of course, but it will give you a better idea of how extensive the mold is and even what kind of mold it is. After all, just because it looks like a certain kind of mold doesn’t necessarily follow that it is that type of mold and you wouldn’t want to waste a ton of money and effort on what is essentially an ugly, but harmless mold. Surface testing though will not give you an idea of the level of spores in the home and the spores are what causes the health problem.

The best way to test for black mold is to do both air and surface testing because where one fails, the other will make it up. Both of these methods are relatively non-invasive and take a short period of time while still delivering results you can act on. Testing may seem like a pain, but it’s very important for the sake of the health of your family and for the safety of your home! Black mold is toxic and damaging, so if you think there could be a problem with mold in your home, test for it. You can purchase mold testing kits online or in department stores or you can call professionals to do it for you; whatever you feel will work best. Once you have your verification that there is or isn’t black mold in your home, you can take the next steps to get rid of black mold with confidence.

Black mold can be a serious problem in all most anyone’s home, and it’s become a normal decision to just ignore it in your bathrooms and window sills. Educate yourself by reading our blog on black mold removal.

Black mold poisoning isn’t actually caused by the mold, but by its spores which are breathed in and end up in the lungs and bloodstream of humans. The spores will grow in the lungs and intestinal tract and cause a huge range of symptoms, starting at sneezing, coughing, wheezing and runny nose and often ending with asthma, respiratory issues coma and on very rare cases, death. As you can see, the symptoms of black mold poisoning are very similar to the symptoms of many other problems, including the basic cold! It is very important to do the right testing to see whether black mold is the culprit or whether the problem is something else before you spend a lot of time and money searching for mold.

The first thing you should do is brace yourself for two broad tests to figure out if you have a problem with black mold. You will first have to test your home for the presence of mold. There are professionals who can do this for you and give you an accurate idea of the problem or you can do it yourself using a black mold air tester which will track the spores and give you a reading. Fortunately, these testers are easy to find and purchase, but while they will test your home, they won’t test you. You will probably have to get a bloodtest in order to detect mold spores in your body. If you test positive, you will then have to go through mold remediation alongside your home!

Black mold remediation in your home is largely a matter of cleaning and getting rid of black mold foodstuff, but what about you? There are some things that can help. For example, your doctor may give you pills which can kill the fungus in your body and you may have to be put enzyme therapy or even liver therapy if the damage is bad enough. You may also have to change your diet, such as ingesting more ‘Good’ oils to help strengthen your body cells again. You may even be put on a ‘no sugar’ diet because fungus and mold thrives on sugar. There are several things that you could do, but it’s important to take the first step by talking to your doctor as soon as possible so that the mold can be taken out of your body before it gets worse.

Although many in the medical community may not take black mold poisoning too seriously, it is a problem that must be addressed. Black mold poisoning can cause damaging and even fatal symptoms. If the mold is not removed, your health will continue to deteriorate as will the health of those around you. Identify where the black mold is, get rid of it and take care of your health. You will be very glad you did.

Black mold can be a serious problem in all most anyone’s home, and it’s become a normal decision to just ignore it in your bathrooms and window sills. Educate yourself by reading our blog on black mold remediation.

Any renovator who feels passionate about this craft will take the black mold as an opportunity to get rid of the health risk and make the basement beautiful at the same time. Basement renovations almost invariably include tearing out walls, fixing pipework and generally cleaning up, which will help you discover and clean out any hitherto invisible black mold. This mold is mostly likely behind walls, near ductwork and around pipes, so by removing and changing up the walls, you will see the mold for yourself and find that it is easier to clean out.

You can usually get rid of the black mold in your basement on your own, providing the area isn’t too huge. You can purchase black mold cleaners also called biocides online or off and then use a HEPA vacuum and a wire brush. It’s a fairly basic procedure: enclose the area in plastic, carefully vacuum the area, then scrape it with a stiff wire brush, damp down the area to prevent spores, and wash it.

Obviously if you’re going to be tearing out the affected area anyway, your workload is lessened, though you’ll still have to make sure you dispose of the affected area properly. Make sure that you still clean the area around the affected area properly because mold spores can move around easily and you may still have contamination.

While renovating your basement, black mold is just going to be part of the work. Basements are far too a habitable place for black mold to grow, so don’t be surprised when you run into it while renovating. But take the challenge for what it is: a chance to renovate both your home and the health of yourself and your family by black mold remediation.

Black mold can be a serious problem in all most anyone’s home, and it’s become a normal decision to just ignore it in your bathrooms and window sills. Educate yourself by reading our blog on black mold remediation.

The clearest sign of water damage is water! When you see puddles where there shouldn’t be any, damp spots on the wall or dripping from the ceiling, then there is a leak somewhere in your home. Find the leak, stop it and then make sure to clean and dry everything thoroughly.

If the wall feels squishy, you have water damage. In this case, the signs of water damage are spongy walls, peeling paint, squishy wallpaper or chalky dry wall. The damage is caused by water weakening the fibres of the materials your home is made from causing the whole structure to weaken. You may need to call in the experts to get it fixed because the leak will have to dug out, stoppered and then the whole area will have to be cleaned. Be thorough about this or else black mold may start growing and you’ll have to rip everything apart all over again.

There are some other general signs of water damage to watch for. These include discoloration and odour. Discoloration on your walls, ceiling or floor will be pretty obvious; it will look like a dark colour stain which is caused the water breaking down the materials in your home. Any odour you whiff that is indicative of water damage will smell like something rotting or like stagnant water. If you see these signs of water damage, it could time for experts as at this point, there is some serious damage.

Do a check of your home for water damage every so often and particularly after your home has been water logged. This may after a flooding, after a fire doused with water or if a pipe sprung a leak and was mended. Since the signs of water damage are generally fairly obvious, it won’t take long to do a check, but it can save you a lot of hassle later. Black mold in in particular is a problem worth avoiding since it causes health problems and dealing with damp is the best way to get rid of spores. For the sake of your home and health, keep your eyes peeled for these signs of water damage.

Black mold can be a serious problem in all most anyone’s home, and it’s become a normal decision to just ignore it in your bathrooms and window sills. Educate yourself by reading our blog on black mold removal.

One place you normally find mold is under the kitchen sink, on shower curtains, in attics, basements and other place where you might find moisture or water damage. Black mold loves dark, moist areas. It thrives in such environments. This is why you should always repair any water leaks or damage in your home.

A musty smell in your home often means that you have some sort of mold. It is pretty common to find it in your basement or attic where there is moisture or water leak. You also might notice it when your heat or air conditioner is running as it might be in your air ducts. If you see a brownish or yellowish color forming on your drywall or ceiling then you may have mold. Cracked or peeling paint might also be a sign that there is mold.

Dd you find mold? It needs to be killed. Your first objective is to find where the moisture or water is coming in. Is there a water leak in your basement or roof? This needs to be fixed otherwise mold will be a continual problem. Close off the room where you found the mold with plastic and tape. This will prevent mold spores from spreading through the home. Cover up the air conditioner vents so the spores don’t travel through them.

Wear plenty of clothes so all skin is covered. Use gloves, eye protection as well as a breathing mask. You do not want to breathe in mold spores. You can get very sick. Also, dispose of the clothing that you are wearing while cleaning up mold. Seal it up in a bag. Follow the specific directions of the mold cleaner that you are using.

Is the job too big for you to handle? If so, hire a professional mold remediation company. They are experts and will generally do a better job than you will. Often times people use a rule of thumb of 10 x 10. If the black mold covers more than this size then you probably need to bring in an expert.

Finally, you need to prevent mold from growing in the future. Fix any water intrusion or moisture problems. Mold requires this to really thrive so if you remove it then you won’t have a problem. Control your humidity levels with your air conditioner and a humidistat. Don’t let humidity go above 55%. Plenty of air flow, sunshine and low humidity will keep mold in check.

Slade Tanner gives tips on how to get rid of mold