Mold Exposure Can Be Harmful to Your Family: Effective Removal Strategies

The whole world is full of natural fungi, and while most of it is harmless, certain types of mold can pose serious health risks when they grow inside your home. Black mold is particularly harmful, and exposure to it can cause a range of family health issues, from mild allergic reactions to headaches, rashes, and, in some cases, severe respiratory problems and even blood poisoning. Whether you're looking for mold prevention tips, suspect you need treatment or want to learn more about the risks associated with mold exposure, you're in the right place.

What Causes Mold Growth?

Mold is a natural part of the outdoor environment and is crucial in breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients. Outside, green, purple, and white mold grows on falling leaves or decaying wood. You might spot it on the leftovers you forgot about in the back of the fridge. While unpleasant to look at, this type of mold is typically not a severe health risk.

Regarding health and safety, black mold (or stachybotrys chartarum) stands in a category of its own. This mold exposure can cause severe health issues when it grows inside your home. Typically, it thrives in damp, dark environments that have:

High Humidity

Poorly ventilated bathrooms and kitchens are ideal environments for mold growth. That’s because these areas are often exposed to high moisture levels from steam, which can become trapped in the air. When indoor humidity levels exceed 60%, mold spores (always present in the air) can quickly attach to damp surfaces and grow.

Water Damage & Floods

Leaking pipes, roofs, windows, or floods caused by storms and plumbing failures can introduce moisture into walls, ceilings, and floors, creating the perfect environment for black mold to grow. Even small leaks can lead to big problems over time.

Condensation

Condensation occurs when warm and moist air comes into contact with cool surfaces like windows or exterior walls. This moisture can accumulate over time and cause mold growth.

Poor Drainage

Water should always be directed away from the home—not only to eliminate costly foundational issues but also to prevent mold growth. When water does not drain away from the house, it can seep into basements and crawl spaces, increasing indoor moisture and creating an ideal environment for mold.

Eliminating Mold Exposure: Our Process

While many homeowners, DIY enthusiasts, and handymen may be tempted to tackle mold removal independently, we strongly advise against it—especially when considering the health effects of mold exposure.

Mold removal is a complex process that requires specialized knowledge, equipment, and following rigid safety protocols. Mold can regrow, spread, and cross-contaminate without the right approach and cause serious family health issues. To ensure safety and success, we:

Inspect

Our certified technicians begin the process by examining your home for signs of mold exposure, water damage, and moisture. Because mold can quickly spread, we generally inspect every high-moisture area, including bathrooms, kitchens, basements, crawl spaces, and even hidden areas like attics and, if necessary, behind walls. If we find mold, we isolate trouble points with polyurethane sheeting and seal off the area to mitigate cross-contamination mold exposure. Then, we contact a third party for testing.

Testing

Many customers wonder why we do not handle mold testing ourselves. We take this approach because we believe trust is earned, not given. Conducting the testing and remediation ourselves would be a conflict of interest.

Removal

If the test returns positive, we continue with the mold removal process. That means carefully removing contaminated materials like damaged drywall, insulation, or carpet. Then, we seal it in plastic bags to prevent the spread of mold spores. While we work, we will use advanced dehumidifiers to remove excess moisture and capture airborne mold spores that may be released during removal.

Cleaning

Next, we will thoroughly clean and disinfect the surrounding areas using industry-approved antimicrobial cleaning agents to kill any remaining mold spores. Unlike bleach, which cannot penetrate porous materials like drywall or wood, our cleaning agents address the root of the problem and do not allow mold to regrow.

Encapsulation

Sometimes, our mold removal technicians may use a biocide, an Environmental Protection Agency-approved (EPA) cleaning agent that kills lingering mold spores. Finally, we will encapsulate the space to ensure the mold never returns and reinspect the area.

Learn More About Mold Risks From RenewPro Founder Chris Lockhart

Think you know enough about the dangers of mold? Not so fast! RenewPro owner Chris Lockhart recently joined Dr. Ashley de Luna on the Drop It Like It's Doc Podcast to shed light on the often-underestimated risks of mold exposure. In this must-listen discussion, Chris covers:

• The danger of downplaying mold risks
• Why mold is classified as a legally hazardous material
• Commonly overlooked signs of water damage and mold growth
• How DIY mold treatments like bleach can actually make mold more toxic
• And much more!

When Disaster Strikes, You Can Count on RenewPro

While some homeowners may feel confident they can remediate mold independently, we highly recommend hiring a trained RenewPro technician. We take extreme precautions to protect your family’s health and will eliminate mold growth at the root of the problem, ensuring it never returns. Contact us now!