The Ins and Outs of Mount Vernon Home Mold Damage

3/20/2023 (Permalink)

Call our experts as soon as you discover mold. We are available 24/7 to help stop the growth before the infestation spreads through your Mount Vernon

Sources Guide SERVPRO in Mount Vernon Mold Mitigation

The masses of mold colonizing structural areas like walls, ceilings, or even upholstery and other contents may seem to emerge from nowhere. In some instances, it is easy to pinpoint the cause why the contamination develops if the property is exposed to high moisture levels. Flooding or supply pipe leaks are some common moisture sources that lead to mold damage. In cases where the cause is not apparent, expertise from SERVPRO can be handy in restoring your Mount Vernon premises.

It takes several factors before a Mount Vernon home develops mold damage. Moisture exposure acts as a trigger. However, it also requires the presence of vulnerable materials for the infestation to take root. SERVPRO analyzes a situation to determine factors that favor mold development that may be prevalent within your home, thus ensuring mitigation steps are taken to address the root cause.

Molds readily proliferate on concrete, paper, drywall, and wood materials. On the other hand, plastics, metal, and tiles do not support such proliferation. Such variance arises for different reasons, including the physical attributes of the materials. The first category of materials is porous and thus retains wetness for an extended period, while the second category that does not support growth is non-porous. Moisture quickly runs off over such surfaces, then drying follows almost instantaneously.

Other influential factors:

• Vapor barriers
• Condensation
• Pinhole leaks

Apart from material type, the property's condition also influences the colonies. A stuffy environment indicates poor ventilation. In such an area, any vapor released from showers or cooking is retained within the property supplying the moisture needed to activate dormant spores in any section of the house. Vapor barriers on surfaces are also detrimental since they diminish the effectiveness of any drying efforts mounted. Finally, if there is a pinhole leak in any plumbing section, the moisture released is minimal, but it can fuel hidden contamination.

Mitigating Mold Damage

Several factors drive mold proliferation the same way it takes several steps to mitigate the problem. The main priority is to stop the contamination from spreading further on discovering the problem. Such spreading can be in terms of the surface area covered or the penetration within specific materials such as solid structural wood.

Steps that help stop such spread

• Finding moisture sources
• Drying moisture
• Removing heavily contaminated materials

Drying wet areas and stopping moisture sources makes the environment unideal for microbial growth. Our SERVPRO AMRT-Certified technicians also apply antimicrobial chemical agents that halt growth or destroy microbes. For convenient drying, we use dehumidifiers since they extract moisture without creating too much airflow, which would spread mold debris around the house.

Removing moldy materials is inevitable once a property is contaminated. If you are lucky to discover the contamination early, only the moldy debris covering surfaces needs cleaning. Our SERVPRO technicians can easily handle this by vacuuming, damp wiping, or wire brushing the affected areas. However, if deeply rooted, we have to tear away the contaminated materials.

SERVPRO of Skagit County puts effort into understanding the source and development patterns before addressing mold damage. You can reach us at (360) 873-8744 for solutions that make it “Like it never even happened.”