Black Mold. It gets in the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling, thus causing hundreds of thousand dollars of damage to your beautiful home! It also has the ability to release spores in the air, potentially causing breathing problems, itchy eyes, inflamed sinuses, and even chronic coughing. Pretty soon it will get out of control, unless if you do something about it now.

What is Black Mold?

It is a common term that is used for Stachybotrys chartarum. Like other molds, black mold thrives on warm, moist, and dark areas of the home. Common places may include basements, cellars, attics, behind walls, and any areas that contain a buildup of moisture. It is also harmful for humans. Depending upon the time left untreated, spores can be inhaled, causing fatigue, sneezing, rashes, and coughing. The worst cases can even include nausea, vomiting, and bleeding of the lungs and nose.

What are the Causes of Black Mold?

Are you aware of the great danger lurking in the corners of your home?

It has the tendency to grow behind walls, floors, and ceilings, especially if there is a water leak or after experiencing a flooded basement. It thrives on all areas including wood, drywall, and cement. We strongly recommend you call right away upon noticing black mold in your home. Even if you are unsure of its’ whereabouts, a highly trained professional will inspect and test all areas of your home to ensure that they remain secure. It is also encouraged that your home be tested and inspected for black mold after a flood, heavy rainstorm, or when the ice and snow are melting as there is potential for the bacteria to grow and develop.

Black Mold Removal

It is best to call a professional mold removal company right away upon discovering black mold in your home. The earlier it is found, the easier and less expensive it is to remove. Trained professionals guarantee a one-time removal that will treat all areas of mold within your home. They arrive in a timely manner, remove mold in all areas, and secure others to eliminate potential mold cases in the future. In the meantime, it is recommended that anyone with an allergic reaction stay away from the black mold until it is removed as the spores may linger in the air.

Steps to Prevent Black Mold

Black mold can be a dangerous and expensive problem to fix once it has spread throughout your home. However, here are some steps to take to ensure that this will not become a problem in the future.

1. Identify any potential areas of your home. These can include anything that is constantly wet such as windowsills, water stains from leaks in the ceiling, or old carpet that may contain wet or moist spots underneath. Make sure these areas are dried properly or replace the material covering them. This may require spending a few dollars to fix now but any problems left untreated now will surely be more expensive down the road.
2. Monitor the humidity levels in your home. Keep humidity level between 30 and 60 percent as higher levels may cause condensation, resulting in potential cases of black mold on your walls. Areas including pipes, windows, and behind drywall are hotspots for these horrible bacteria.
   

   Black mold would make quite a contrast on the white walls of your home, don’t you think?

3. Caring for roof gutters. If not properly cared for, water has the potential to leak from old, worn out gutters, causing seepage into your home. Be sure to keep them clean of any debris that may also cause the buildup of water within the gutters.
4. Take care of your plants. Black mold thrives on other living organisms. Even the moist soil is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to start a family! Thankfully, there is a simple remedy that is perfect for preventing this from happening. It is called Taheebo tea, in which it is added to the water to ensure your beautiful plants remain free of black mold.
5. Proper air ventilation. Common household activities that include showering, cooking, keeping the window open when it is raining, or even doing your laundry allow for moisture to build up in a room. Keep the air conditioning or dehumidifiers running to eliminate the potential buildup of any bacteria.

Be on the Lookout

Who would’ve known that there could be so many potential cases of black mold? While it is not something to worry over excessively, be aware of the potential areas, symptoms, and causes for black mold to occur. With that, keep your house relatively dry and you should not have to worry about unwanted bacteria harming your home or family. If there is black mold in the house, make sure you contact a mold remediation company to take care of the problem as soon as possible.

About Beth Markowski-Roop

Beth Markowski-Roop is an experienced and knowledgeable professional in the disaster restoration industry for over 12 years since 2012. She has a proven track record in marketing, sales, public relations, and media. Beth is an engaging public speaker and has led workshops and seminars in various industries. She has worked with ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Clean as a Business Development Manager and Field Marketing Manager, providing support to franchise owners. Beth is currently the Marketing & Sales Director for ServiceMaster By Mason, focusing on disaster restoration and floorcare services. She also works closely with hoarding clients and conducts seminars on the hoarding disorder.